The Jeep That Tried To Fly on the Ledo Road

 In May 1945, I was assigned Airdrome Officer (AO) duty for a twenty-four hour shift. This required one so assigned to stay alert for the full time of their shift. The duty involved walking or driving the camp and airfield area with the Sergeant of the Guard and seeking out any unusual sounds or events.

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The weather at Warazup at this time was extremely hot and very humid. Around 0300 hours (3 am) we heard some noises in the direction of the Ledo Road, which ran adjacent to the airstrip. We took the Sergeant's Jeep and headed out to investigate, armed with Carbine Rifles and 45 cal Colt Pistols. Going several miles north on the gravel road we discovered nothing out of the ordinary. It was getting close to five am reveille, so I took the wheel for the trip back. I was travelling at about 50 miles per hour. Near the base, I lost control on a turn and skidded on the gravelly surface into the jungle. I apparently hit a ditch and the jeep flew into the air throwing both of us out. I landed on my back and the rear wheel of the jeep grazed my head, removing a fair amount of skin. The Sergeant was uninjured. I found myself back in my bunk with head bandages galore. I had apparently been knocked unconscious. It seemed like every nerve in my body was tingling. I was told that I had had several shots of morphine. The tingling continued for several days. That is when I realized that I was allergic to morphine.

 When I became ambulatory, I was ordered to the Commanding Officer's office. He questioned me briefly and then stated that he was going to have me Courts Marshalled. He had already contacted Group Headquarters at Dinjan, India and told me that the investigating officer would arrive soon. The IO was a Major as was my CO. Unlike my encounter with my CO, the interview was not at all unpleasant. When it was finished, the Major had me follow him to the CO 's office where he announced that there were no grounds for a Courts Marshall and that his written report would so reflect.

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My CO seemed crest fallen that his judgment was overturned. The next day, he called me to his office again. The Supply Sergeant was present with a Statement of Charges already made out. The CO demanded that I sign the document. Being a well shaken, twenty year old pilot who knew nothing of Army legalities, I figured that I had better not cross him and proceeded to sign the paper.

 Some of the older officers told me not to worry about it as I would never hear any more about it. And I did not, until my second year in college where I lived on the GI Bill sustenance which I recalled was about $74 a month (it went up to $105 when I married). I received a letter from the War Department notifying me that I owed the Government $512.92 for the Jeep. After the war, all of that equipment was either destroyed by us or turned over to the Chinese, but now they wanted me to pay for what I considered doing my duty. One of my roommate's Dads was a prominent lawyer in Pennsylvania state politics and he took on my case, noting that being in college, I had no time to concern myself with what he considered to be a foolish action. He wrote many letters and made many telephone calls to Washington and still they insisted that I pay for the wrecked Jeep. Their final letter threatened that they were turning the case over to the Office of the Attorney General for prosecution. I never heard anything more about it.