Vol. III No. 46. Delhi, Thursday, July 19, 1945. Reg. No. L5015 Chennault Quits China Command Although Chennault's resignation was announced two days after the appointment of Lt. Gen. George E. Stratemeyer as head of the augmented USAAF in China, no mention was made in the Wedemeyer acceptance of any retirement. It had previously been stated Chennault would retain his 14th Air Force command. The War Department said it would "regret the loss of the service of this officer who has played so
FUTURE PLANS The War Department further added: "In recent months much Air Force personnel and material have been moved from India into China, with a cutting down of our Air Forces in India-Burma Theater and resultant increase of our Air Forces in China." Army News Service stated that Chennault had expressed the hope he would return home as soon as the transition of command of the 14th Air Force could be made to Stratemeyer's new organization. This was the only indication as to his future plans. In a statement issued from Kunming, Chennault attacked "Irresponsible persons" at home whom he said had caused him great personal shock by their criticism of the armies and Government of China." OWE CHINA DEBT "I think it is about time Americans ceased to be so concerned by the mote in our neighbors' eye," he said. "I think it's time to remember we owe China an immense debt." Chennault, voicing praise for China's armies and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, also lauded Wedemeyer for a "great job" and prophesized that the team would attain their objective, that of pushing the Japanese from Chinese soil. Chennault had patterned a colorful, storybook career in the Orient. He organized the AVG, famous as the Flying Tigers, who held the skies of China alone against the Japs before Pearl Harbor. The AVG were American volunteers and under the command of Chennault evolved and perfected tactics and formations that made Oriental skies a dangerous playground for the numerically stronger Japs. After the entry of the U.S. into the war the AVG was dissolved and Chennault took over command of the 14th USAAF, operating from China bases. His 14th on many occasions stood almost alone against both air and ground forces and so deadly was their menace that they were popularly known as the "flying artillery." Stratemeyer issued a statement from his India-Burma Headquarters on the resignation of Chennault. The new China USAAF chief stated: "The Army Air Forces is losing an outstanding officer as a result of Maj. Gen. C. L. Chennault's decision to retire. Operating under almost inconceivable difficulties, he has led his fighting 14th Air Force to great victories. His aircraft has ranged the length and breadth of China, making every gallon of gasoline, every bomb and every bullet count. They have given magnificent cooperation to the ground forces of our Chinese allies, and inflicted untold damage to Japanese shipping and communication routes. Gen. Chennault's splendid example will always be a shining inspiration to us as we tackle the tremendous job which lies ahead." MAIL IN SEQUENCE All mail dispatched from the U.S. for the India-Burma Theater is being routed directly from New York, which should mean most letters should arrive in sequence, stated Theater Postal Officer Maj. A. E. Adamson this week. He explained that hitherto the mail had been sent through both Miami and New York. Since ordinarily it took longer over the Miami route, it was nothing unusual to have a letter mailed early in the week through Miami arrive after another letter mailed later the same week through New York. This should also speed up the mail delivery here, since the longer Miami route is eliminated. Adamson based this information on a letter received from the Army Post Office in Miami. EXPECT POINT SCORE WITHIN TWO WEEKS Army News Service stated this week that the critical score is expected to be announced within two weeks. it will be based only on points earned up to may 12, but the War Department stated credits will probably be compiled later this year to include those earned after May 12. HE LOST FACE RANGOON, BURMA - Among booby-traps left behind by the Japs in Burma were long cigarettes which exploded when half-smoked, writes an Indian Army observer. But they did not warn all their troops, and the Burmese tell one story of how a Japanese soldier picked up one of the cigarettes and smoked it. He lost face. |
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Roundup Staff Writer S/Sgt. Richard P. Strickhauser, L-5 pilot with the 2nd Air Commando Group, was recently forced down in Jap-infested jungle east of Myebon Peninsula while evacuating a wounded West African soldier. Unable to take off again, Strickhauser took the alternative: walk. He unloaded his litter patient, took the wheels off his plane, made an axle of bamboo, built a cart out of the stretcher, and started walking, dragging his evacuee behind him. Eventually, he was met by a British rescue patrol. The patient received treatment, Strickhauser, a cup of tea.
Sgt. John Robert McDowell, Roundup's Family Reunion editor, now beating the weeds in search of lost relatives, reports the recent meeting of Lt. Henry R. Nusbaum and brother Sgt. Leon J. Nusbaum, two Brooklyn warriors. It had been nearly four years since the bothers had last pressed palms when Henry, Motor Transport Service officer at Ledo, made a convoy trip over The Road to visit Leon, an aerial photographer with the 14th Air Force. Henry says his brother wasn't expecting him, but the visit didn't surprise him in the least. "After all," say Hank, "us Flatbushers expect the unusual." Like everything else in India, hotel service is just a wee bit different from Stateside, as witness the recent experience of T/Sgt. Donald Ahlf, and Engineer-wallah in Delhi. Vacationing in the Murree hills, Ahlf stopped overnight at one of the local hotels. Shortly after checking out the next morning, Ahlf discovered he had left his camera in the room, made a hurried retreat to the desk clerk. The clerk admitted he had the camera, but, unfortunately for Sahib Ahlf, hotel rules provided that anything left in a room by a guest became the property of the management. After a little "convincing," Yankee style, hotel rules were amended and Ahlf regained his camera. |
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By PVT. LAURENCE ACEVES Written Especially for Roundup |
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