 1943. Burma. Two years after Pearl Harbor, General Joseph Stillwell opened his long-delayed campaign for a ground supply route to China. With a handful of Americans and American-equipped Chinese divisions, he was advancing to meet the Japanese Imperial Army and drive them out of Burma. Stillwell had molded the once-popey mass of ill-fed peasant soldiers into skilled tough fighters, able to meet the Japanese on equal terms. But this allied penetration named Operation Saucy was unusually difficult. The men had to fight the Japs and the disease-infested jungle in order to stay alive. As a transport pilot, my job was to fly help to vinegar Joe's Army. He was entirely dependent on our 10th Air Force for ammo and medicine, clothing and food. Stillwell's men marked their drop zones as they inch steadily closer to Jap positions. The progress of an army depended on a co-pilot's signal. General Stratomire had warned the Pentagon, the only way we can supply any force that advances into Burma is by airdrop. That's why when Stillwell started this offensive southward from Lido, he had air supply for his advancing troops. Our supply pushers developed bombsite precision. For the past year, split second timing had meant survival to lonely air warning outposts perched on jungle-covered ridges in the Naga Hills. Air supply and the successful teamwork of the Eastern Air Command now made it possible for the Burma campaign to drive ahead. But in the jungle, the mission that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had given General Stillwell was one of the toughest in the war. He had a most difficult physical problem of great distances, almost impossible terrain. Cutting their own trail, Stillwell's army stumbled along at barely a mile an hour. The Chinese jockied for a fertile position flanked by other Allied forces. It was a two-prong drive to split the Jap wedge and reopen the Burma road. The advance by the Chinese army into the Hukong Valley was the most ambitious campaign yet staged on the end of a thin airborne supply line. With amazing vigor, Stillwell carried on. Wounded men, the enemy, and the jungle were his obstacles. Quick evacuation of casualties could hasten the campaign, cut it down to months instead of years. But how can you get a wounded man out of the jungle fast? In the CBI, a plane we called a sky jeep was the answer. It was both a light transport and an ambulance. Able to operate from temporary airfields, we achieved a high degree of mobility and secrecy. In one month, 10 sergeant-driven sky jeeps carried out more than 700 casualties. With one of Stillwell's wounded soldiers aboard, the last chance got ready for takeoff made full use of air power from transports and bombers to an armada of sky jeeps. Upwards of 100,000 men were constantly supplied and evacuated by air. Eventually, the Allies were able to drive the enemy out of Burma. Down at Allied bases south of New Guinea's Owen Stanley Mountains, another army of men and planes prepared for the first Allied paratroop drop in the Pacific. It was designed to cut off a large force of japs at NADZAB in northeast New Guinea. Early in the morning of 5 September, 1700 sky jumpers in full battle array climbed aboard a fleet of General George Kenny's fifth Air Force transports. At 08.25 hours, the first C-47s rolled down the runway. Within 15 minutes, three flights totaling 79 planes took off. In all, 302 aircrafts lit into place and like a mighty procession, paraded toward NADZAB. The pilots gradually dropped from altitudes of 3,500 feet down to 500 feet. So far, no trace of the enemy, but no chances were being taken. A squadron of low-flying attack bombers laid columns of smoke on the floor of the NADZAB valley. Once over the target area, the transports formed into three columns, each with 32 planes. The 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and the Battalion of Australians tumbled out to make their first drop and with success, NADZAB that japs backdoor was left open. With Allied forces firmly installed in northeast New Guinea and the Salamans, General MacArthur and Admiral Halsey could now threaten the Rebaul, the enemy's main supply center in this critical area. For three days in a row, we were alerted for a strong low-level attack to knock out Rebaul on New Britain Island. At forward-staging bases in New Guinea, our B-25s waited for weather as we got ready. We were going to depend on our gunners to neutralize enemy planes and ACAC in order for the rest of us to smash the air-dromes around Rebaul and then destroy the concentration of military shipping in Simpson Harbor. Ever since January 1942, units of the Fifth Air Force had continually blasted Rebaul. Today, November 2nd, 1943, the briefing officer announced that the Eighth Photo Squad flying recon over Simpson Harbor had seen seven destroyers and 20 merchant vessels. At the air-dromes, they accounted 237 planes. This sounded like a rough mission. At the fighter pilot briefings, P-38 boys were given details of the plan that required perfect coordination between bomber and fighter elements. Surprise and timing with the main springs of the battle plan that the successful air campaigner General Kenny now put in motion. Briefings over, five squadrons of Mitchell's, a force of 80 medium bombers, were boarded and revved up. Shortly after 10 hundred hours, the tower gave them the go-ahead and the bombers got underway. Fighters got ready. From six squadrons of lightnings, two squadrons had orders to sweep Simpson Harbor, four to blank the land banners. The lightnings scrambled off. They held their formations as we headed toward Rebaul. Leader of our shipping strike forces was a veteran of 80 strafing missions. 25-year-old attack group commander Major John Henebry. Once over the Solomon Sea, the Kenny plan went into high gear. As we scanned the skies, we spotted what we were looking for. Enemy aircraft. Our lightnings swept in ahead of the bombers to clear the area. Heroes challenged Captain Ralph Bilge and his wingman. He opened up, didn't connect. So he got his 38 on the Jap's tail and the battle turned into a chase. Our lightnings ran into more than 60 interceptors. The P-38 escort led by Major Gerald Johnson and Captain Richard Bwong flew interference for the anti-aircraft neutralizing forces. They attacked swiftly and with a double intent of covering the B-25s and destroying the enemy. Our surprise visit gave the Jap pilots at Lacuna Air Drome short warning before the speedy P-38s peeled off and dropped their bombs. Through hard stands and re-vetments, Department squadrons approached the target area. Assigned to neutralize shore anti-aircraft positions, the B-25s peeled off. Just because of their delayed explosions permitted us to get down low and blast the enemy out of their hiding places. Complete neutralization which finally enabled our striking forces to make dangerous mass tie runs over Simpson Harbor. We bombed 24 enemy ships. We strapped 17. Our bombers destroyed 52 enemy aircraft. Our fighters claimed 42 shot out of the sky. The cost? 45 American fliers, 17 American planes. In the space of 12 minutes, a formidable Japanese senior armada was attacked and decisively defeated. After two years of war, the Japanese strategic plan had been fatally upset. But the Allies knew the enemy was not yet destroyed. Her armies and maybe still controlled conquered territory. General Arnold told the world, there are many roads that lead right to Tokyo and we're not going to neglect any of them. Relentlessly the Allied attack had to continue spearheaded by the striking power of the United States Air Force.