Last of Their Strength CBI (id:#59166)

ASL Digest (ASL Digest # 3.09 ID: ATL 93.1)   [next]   [previous]

(Revision: AH: ASL Annual `95 Winter A83)

Myitkyina, Burma 1944-05-21 (5 others)

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Overview:

Myitkyina, Burma, 21 May 1944: The key city of the Ledo Road campaign, Myitkyina, was reached on May 17. After an exhausting two week march through the jungle, the Marauders and attached Chinese units captured the airport and the western section of the city by suprise. Despite the initial success, however, the subsequent attempts to take the rest of the city failed due to the larger than anticipated garrison - three thousand Japanese entrenched in the position under the command of General Mizukami. The siege was quickly transformed into a true trench war in deplorable conditions: monsoon, malaria, and dysentery. The Marauders, ill and exhausted by the campaign of the last six months, did not receive any reinforcements. Nevertheless, General Stillwell again demanded the impossible of his only US unit. On May 21, the remnants of the Third Battalion, Galahad, made an attempt to close the encirclement on the north and attacked the village of Charpate.

Defender: Japanese (Myitkyina Garrison, 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment)  

Errata (source)