*Note: To 20th Gen. Hosp. for X-ray and surgical opinion and allowed to return to this base for further convalescence.

**16 returned to duty. 1 died; never regained consciousness. 1 at 20th Gen. Hosp. awaiting final disposition. 181 Cases 1,236 days Med. 27-18.7% Med. 5- 4.1% Surg. 17-47.2% Surg. 8-22.2% 23.6% 7.1%

Grand total..

Mean percent all cases.

From 1 February 1944 to 30 April 1944, 181 or 96.8 percent of all illnesses and accidents sustained by the personnel of the 1st Air Commando Force were cared for at Sick-Inn.29 (Tables 88 and 89.) These cases accounted for 1,236 hospital days: an average of 6.4 days for each medical case and 8.4 days for each surgical case. One hundred and forty or 96.5 percent of the medical patients and 26 or 72.2 percent of the surgical patients were cared for until completely recovered and then returned to full duty. Eight or 4.4 percent were transferred to the 20th General Hospital for final disposition. As a result of enemy action, 12 injuries (including burns) and 4 wounds were sustained by the personnel of the 1st Air Commando Force. While all, these cases were cared for at Sick-Inn, 6 or 37.5 percent were later transferred to the 20th General Hospital for final disposition. In no instance was additional surgical work other than that received at this base necessary. Eighteen injuries were sustained at this base. As a result of one helicopter crash, the pilot died within 72 hours without regaining consciousness; however, the co-pilot, suffering a concussion, fracture of the left zygoma, and fracture of the third and fourth metacarpals, was air evacuated to the 20th General Hospital. After a 10-day stay, during which time his fractured zygoma was elevated into place, he was returned to this base for

further convalescence. He was subsequently re-evacuated to the 20th General Hospital for final disposition. The remaining injuries, all of a minor nature, accounted for a total of 77 hospital days.

For the 90-day period considered in this review, the ratio of medical to surgical patients was 4 to 1, respectively, while the frequency rates were 277.5 medical and 68.8 surgical with a mean of 346.

Each section of the 1st Air Commando Force suffered medically as a result of war service in India. Actual illnesses occurred with marked constancy among each section. Table 92 includes actual deaths, those missing in action, those awaiting final disposition and the total percentage of the original number who were no longer considered fit for military duty.

Though the fighter pilots belonged to perhaps the most highly emotional lot of the entire personnel, they weathered the storm remarkably well. Of the original 30, 1 was killed as a result of enemy action and 4 were missing while 2 others were killed shortly after arrival in India. There was a question of flying fatigue in two instances. In addition, one was in the 20th General Hospital for burns sustained through enemy action. Three of the original group were transferred to other units. The remaining were all in flying form and, weather permitting, added to their number of missions daily. The general average of missions was well over the fifty mark, and the morale of this group was maintained at an extremely high level. Fifty-seven or 9.5 percent were either killed, missing in action, or awaiting final medical discharge at the 20th General Hospital.

The bomber group attained a general average of approximately 33 missions. As a result of 2 crashes, 10 lives were lost. One tail gunner sustained a cerebral concussion when a B-25 crashed upon landing.

The transport group made a remarkable record. Missions to and from enemy territory were almost a nightly occurrence after 5 March. No

injuries or accidents were sustained by the members of the original group. However, one newly assigned pilot sustained a fracture of the second and third metacarpals as a result of a crash landing in Burma. When given the clear signal by the British, he endeavored to land, but water buffalo made it difficult for him, and a crash followed. No other injuries were sustained by the crew members.

The light plane pilots were definitely the field soldiers of the outfit and crew members performed in excellent fashion. Covering the field from the Arakan, Ledo, to beyond the enemy lines in Burma, they evacuated more than 2,000 casualties. For these "flying sergeants" and their four officers the tribulations were most excessive at times. When too great distance or the nature of the sickness made air evacuation to this base impractical, they were hospitalized at the nearest station hospital. Two such cases were hospitalized at the 112th Station Hospital: one for 30 days, and the other for 15 days. Upon discharge, both of these enlisted men had difficulty in convincing the authorities of their special duties. Consideration was given sending one "flying sergeant" to a replacement pool for reassignment as an enlisted man because the distance to home base was too great. The deaths of five of these pilots were reported. Two were killed as a result of a crash in mid-air, while another was killed during an enemy strafing attack at BROADWAY.

Although the stakes were high in the CBI, in the early period logistical difficulties as well as European-oriented strategic objectives discouraged any plan to send very large forces to that theater. By mid-1944, however, both the Tenth and the Fourteenth had acquired greater strength and, in Burma particularly, were chalking up solid accomplishments in the long-awaited Allied offensive. The record of the Tenth Air Force, especially during the campaign to liberate Burma, is an impressive one. Its P-47's and B-25's operating in collaboration with RAF units, struck hard at enemy positions, supply concentrations, airfields, and transportation facilities. Perhaps even more significant was its accomplishment in providing air transport for troops and cargo. Although the Tenth Air Force never had more than 120 troop carrier planes, the scale of casualty evacuations it maintained was comparable to that of a much larger task force. The bulk of casualties were evacuated by the Tenth Air Force to hospital facilities in Ledo, and in February 1945 these reached a peak of 3,189. From July 1944 through April 1945, Tenth Air Force units made a total of 108,866 sorties, delivered 211,602 tons of cargo, and transported 225,384 men.