Gliding in Myanmar

In article , Jim Culp
writes

It has been awhile, but Yanks did a bit of gliding
there. For a purpose other than fun.

You know, World War II combat operations, supply, materiel,
and
flying snatches of gliders doing rescue-by-bungee-or
cord snatch uses of gliders for extraction of US soldiers
or airmen from behind enemy Jap lines in Burma.


A citation below is given:

'Operation Thursday, * Burma (USA)

Gliders, stationed in India, had to land in several
clearings in the Burmese jungle. Places code-named
Piccadily, Broadway, Aberdeen, White City, Blackpool
and Chowringhee.

March 5, 1944 Burma

6 CG-4A's landed with equipment by the River Chindwin
to establish a bridgehead to protect the troops crossing.

Operation Thursday : 37 CG-4A's landed at night at
Broadway, delivering 539 troops, three mules and almost
30 tons of supplies.

Another 8 CG4As had landed in friendly areas
and 9 landed in Jap enemy-held territory.
The troops immediately started to construct a runway
on which the following night 63 C-47 planes landed.

March 6, 1944
12 CG-4A's were dispatched to land at Chowingree.
One of these carried a bulldozer, but the glider carrying
it crashed.

March 7, 1944
Another 4 CG-4A's, one carrying a new bulldozer, landed
at Chowingree.

Only four hours later a new landing strip was created
on which C-47s could land.

The gliders used for the operation on Chowingree were
snatched out by C47s in flight.

March 21, 1943
6 CG-4A's landed at Aberdeen with bulldozers and equipment
to create another dirt landing strip.

The next day, after the C-47's had landed, all six
CG-4A's were snatched out.

A few years ago an old gent turned up at out club, and when asked if he
had flown in a glider before, said yes, but the last time was at Arnham.
This would have been 1944, and refers to one of the worst cock-ups of
WW2.
This guy, who must be 80+ still flies solo with us.





--
Mike Lindsay