Us Official Photographs

Operation Grubworm In Burma And China

OPERATION GRUBWORM - With the Japanese advancing steadily in China and war-weary allied forces falling back, the logical solution to stop this onslaught was to relieve the 14th Chinese Division from their duties in Burma and take them quickly to the front in China. The first major action on this movement was on 5 December 1944 when Douglas C-47s of the 1st and 2nd Air Commando Groups along with the 10th Combat Cargo flew thirty-six sorties from Myitkyina, Burma to Chan Yi, China. The operation lasted from 5 December to 11 December and a total of 2700 Chinese officers and enlisted men and all their equipment were flown into China to fight for their own land. Pictured is the interior of a C-47 as it looks when formed into a flying stable for pack mules. They must be braced off and tied fore and aft to keep them quiet while in the air.