SENIOR HAWK RECOLLECTS



   For reasons lost in my memory, several of our pilots were away from our basha when a Lieutenant from the Sixty-Ninth Composite Wing enter my room.  He inquired if I would fly a recon and bombing run against the retreating Japanese near the China/Burma border area. I replied that I would be happy to provided two provisions were put into the pot. First we had to safely arm any bombs involved and second no other officer of higher rank than myself be informed lest he would want to fly the mission.
 

    We took off with maybe ten frag cluster bombs rolling in the back of our C-47. It did not take long to orient the plane into the valley that runs S/E from Myitkyina. A few minutes later we spotted the headlights of the evacuation trucks of the enemy. I then sent word to our makeshift bombardiers to get ready to drop on the bell. Tech/Sergeant BURKS, Andrew readied the bombs, part inside and part outside of the door area. After sending the bombs on their way I immediately made a turn to the left so I could observe the burst of light that meant detonation. The truck lights went out. The night was black but I was able to see clear enough to make pass after pass with some degree of certainty. On the last past I was able, by shadows to know the trucks were stopped on the road and scattered across the countryside.
 

    I believe every man aboard felt, as I, that with God’s help we achieved our goal. For once we took a strike at our enemies.

SHARP, Neil D.

First Lieutenant
United States Army Air Force
NOTE: The foregoing tale was received from Lieutenant SHARP on 13 May 1990. The officer who approached him in his basha was TURNER, Everett - acting A-3 for the Sixty-Ninth Composite Wing of the Fourteen Air Force.
Do to the need for secrecy, no flight plan was filed with either the squadron or base operations.

 

Harry A. Blair

Historian
Twenty-Seventh Troop Carrier Squadron
La Crosse, Wisconsin
20 May 1990