The operations of the Eleventh Bombardment Squadron, in China, during the summer and fall, were to set the 'modus operandi' for the yet to be activated 341st Bomb Group. These missions were spotty, characterized by several weeks of activity and several weeks of seeming inactivity. This was due to several peculiar characteristics of the theater in which the Squadron operated, specifically of operating in China in the early months. One difficulty was the logistics of being supplied. China was at the very end of probably the longest supply route in the world. It was connected to the outside world by a thin line of transport planes operated by the U.S. Army Ferry Command. With the Japanese controlling the major China ports and the Burma Road, every piece of equipment, every piece of material that could not fly itself into China, was flown over the Hump from India. Whatever else was required needed to be furnished by China, as much as possible.
China itself had few roads, and fewer railroad facilities, so that personnel or equipment had to be flown to other bases inside China. Sometimes the 11th's supply of bombs and/or gasoline at a given base was used up, and it must discontinue use of the base until these requisites of aerial warfare had been flown to that base in sufficient quantity to justify further operations.
Another characteristic difficulty was the weather. Frequent overcasts, heavy ground fogs and haze made flying difficult at best. Maps were unreliable. Still, if the overcasts were above the hilltops in the vicinity of the base, and the target was reported clear, a mission would be run, were there gasoline and bombs to be had. Some missions into North Burma were flown round-trip at 10,000 feet through an overcast into which the tops of the mountains disappeared. This necessitated the formation wending its way delicately between the overcast and the tops of the lower hills. It was not uncommon to find a mountain mapped at 9,000 to 10,000 feet turn out to be actually 14,000 to 16,000 feet, or higher.
The prime responsibility for the 11th Squadron in China was the destruction of the enemy land transport system. Rail yards and rolling stock would come under almost constant attack by CATF fighters and the B-25s of the 11th. From its arrival in China, the Squadron bombed bridges, locomotives, railroad yards and other targets to delay movement of supplies to the Japanese troops whe were driving against the Chinese forces, threatening to over run the entire country. All activity of the 11th was hampered by the shortage of equipment and personnel, necessitating periods of maintenance and rest, though complete maintenance or rest was practically impossible. The combat personnel could never completely relax because it was always necessary to alert the planes and when off alert to be ready at 15 minutes notice for a raid. Further, the aircrew members also participated in fueling their aircraft and loading the bombs and ammunition.
So It Begins
It is noteworthy that in the first six days of July, ships of the Eleventh carried out bombing raids against important enemy installations in occupied China, mostly from advanced support bases at Hengyang and Kweilin.
The first mission in China was by five ships flying from Kunming to bomb shipping and docks at Hankow on 1 July 1942. The American Volunteer Group, still active until the 4th, provided top cover for this and other missions in the next three days. This mission must have been a surprise to the Japanese for no opposition, air or ground, was encountered. They again bombed facilities at Hankow on the 2nd with three B-25s, concentrating on the warehouse and docking failities this time.
On the 3rd, Maj. Basye led five ships which, escorted by AVG fighters, attacked the large, modern airdrome held by the Japanese at Nan Chang. They encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighter attack. All bombers returned safely, but AVG pilot Jerry Bolster had to bail after his plane was damaged during a strafing run across the airfield. The raid was credited with six Japanese aircraft confirmed destroyed and several probables.
When working on targets in the Hankow area, it was necessary for the B-25s of the Eleventh to 'stage' out of Hengyang, an airfield which consisted of one long runway maded of rock and dirt mixed together. The enemy didn't take long in overcoming the surprise of being attacked, and on the nights of July 2nd and 3rd provided the Squadron members at Hengyang the opportunity of being on the receiving end of a bombing raid. The night of the 2nd the Nips sent five medium bombers over the field about 0230 hours. Because of a thirty-minute advanced notice from Chennault's air raid warning system all crew members were safely in slittrences. While still some distance from the field the bombers could be seen because they had their running lights illuminated. The Japanese airmen's formation was perfect and close, with the first flight of three in a 'V' with the second element in echelon right. They circled the field, making their bomb run down the runway. However, all bombs landed to the right of their mark and damage was slight. The Japs provided an encore the night of the third, but with only three aircraft, arriving an hour earlier than before. Again a circling approach, and again the enemy bombs were right of the mark.
No American fighter opposition had been launched either night, so the enenmy bombers had everything their own way. Although Radio Tokyo reported the Hengyang airfield totally destroyed, some members of the Eleventh at Hengyang never new the damage done because they were too busy to walk that far from the field to see the results. Their chief complaint was, "I hate to get up at that hour fo the night to see such a poor show!"
The Eleventh's combat force then moved back to Kweilin in order to hit the Tien Ho airfield at Canton on the 4th, and docks and warehouses on the 6th. On the 8th a single plane departed Kunming at attacked a house near Tengchung on the Burma-China border. Intelligence reports from the Chinese indicated it was being used as Headquarters for the enemy in that area. The building was demolished.
Then followed a brief period of rest as Dysentery, 'crudd' by its more commonly used nickname, raised its ugly head at Kweilin and fell upon most of the outfit. Little rest was gained, however, as the men were involved in a great deal of activity. Since this was in the form on maintenance and sevicing the aircraft it was not in the nature of causing damage to the enemy. At least not right then.
From the start Chennault knew the China Air Task Force's only hope for survival was a good offense. While the summer monsoons kept Japanese planes in Northern Burma grounded, Chennault would take the offensive in eastern China. He kept the 11th Bomb Squadron and 74th Fighter Squadron at Kunming, while he moved the 76th Squadron to Kwelin field, the 75th Squadron to Hengyang field, and the 16th Squadron to Lingling field. Throughout mid-July 1942, the Japanese launched sporadic attacks, trying to learn the true state of the CATF's defenses. Chennault retaliated by launching B-25s from Kunming and P-40s from the eastern fields on strafing and bombing attacks against Japanese targets at Hankow, Nanchang and Canton.
A four plane flight, led by Col. Caleb V. Haynes with wingmen Sheldon, Capt. Blair M. Sorenson and 1Lt. Candall H. Hagan, took off from Hengyang on 15 July to bomb docks and godowns at Hankow. The mission was very successful, the entire north half of the godown area was set afire. Upon returning to Hengyang following this raid, the planes were about half-gassed when an alert sounded - the signal for all planes to take-off and go to the dispersal airfield at Lingling, China, about 100 miles south of Hengyang.
Capt. Skeldon (p), 1Lt. Stewart E. Sewell (cp), 2Lt. Robert. D. Hippert (n), 1Lt. George A. Stout (b), TSgt. Norton G. Stubblefield (e-g) and Sgt. Joseph L. Soikowski (r-g), the crew of B-25C No. 72, was about to have a most unusual experience. The 11th Squadron's Diary stated:
"The minute the alert sounded, gassing was stopped, the crew climbed aboard and took off. The weather was poor - low ceiling and thundershowers. Approximately 30 miles from Lingling, several P-40s were observed. About 10 seconds later, a terrific burst of machine gun bullets poured through and around the plane, like fireworks tracers were tearing through the fuselage and past the nose. Stout came out of the nose tunnel in a headlong dive, while Stubble field clambered into the turret, attempting futilely to get it in operation. However, like the left engine, the turret had been hit by the initial attacking bursts and was inoperative. Seconds later the fighter, sporting a shark's mouth, made a second pass, firing a burst worst than the first. The left engine was disabled and Stubblefield was knocked out of the turret. A bullet put a hole through his helmet, grazing his skull and leaving him in a semi-conscious state.
"Nonetheless, he was able to get into his chute and bailed out of the dying aircraft with the other crew members. Some of the crew spent a miserable night, cold, in the hut of a poor farmer, while others were fortunate to have landed near the home of General Wong. Madame Wong provided them with several cans of American beer she had been saving for the first American flyer she met, along with a few other luxuries.
"All personnel arrived at a little town about 20 miles from Lingling the next afternoon, located near one of China's few railroads. The whole population turned out to see, many of them for the first time, the "mai gwa fiji" - American flyers. The populace really feted and entertained the crew in the best Chinese style. At every opportunity the Americans were required to make a speech with the aid of an interpreter.
"That evening the crew boarded a train headed for Kweilin, the home base, and although not feeling very healthy arrived home glad to be alive. After arriving at Kweilin they discovered that it was a P-40, piloted by an AVG whom extended to aid the 23rd Fight Group transition, which had shot them down."
July 15th through the 20th, three raids were run against Canton, Linchuan and Kiukiang, respectively. Six Japanese bombers were destroyed on the airfield at Canton. The Linchuan raid was in direct support of Chinese ground forces laying siege to the city. They were able to move in with little opposition the day following the raid.
In these few weeks of activity, the Eleventh had accomplished eleven combat missions with no planes lost to enemy action. Their combat area ranged from Burma to Canton to Hankow, over some of the most rugged terrain to be found and during the monsoon period. While the enemy had not accounted for any planes or crews, weather had claimed four planes and three crews in the original trip to China, and one plane had been shot by "friendly" aircraft.
The remaining five ships and crews returned to Kunming. No more missions were flown until August, because the ships needed maintenance work, and the crews needed time to study the lessons learned in this first assault against the enemy. For a brief time aircraft maintenance and combat tactics would occupy the men of the 11th Bombardment Squadron (M).
As previously mentioned, ground support personnel of both Squadrons sailed from Charleston on 28 May, with members of the 11th sailing aboard the troop transport, 'SS Santa Paula', and members of the 22nd aboard the 'SS Mariposa'. The 22nd was fortunate, being assigned to an area that had previously been the ship's infirmary. On the upper deck, at the stern, it had two-bed bunks instead of the five-tier arrangement in the lower areas.
After a few days of sailing the 'Mariposa' and the 'Santa Paula' pulled into the harbor at Bermuda. Joining with a British convoy, the 'Mariposa' was assigned the code name "Cherokee." This was possibly a hint that there final destination would be India, although they hadn't yet received confirmation and believed they would end up in Australia. As the convoy approached the coast of Africa, about three weeks after leaving Bermuda, the men hoped to debark for a little 'shore time' in Freetown. Instead they were ordered to anchor in the harbor, where they remained for about ten days. they learned that the convoy had a German submarine on its tail, and they had to wait for the U.S. battle ship 'Texas' and its destroyers to clear out the subs.
The convoy then sailed on, with part going to Capetown, South Africa and the rest to Durban on the east African coast. At Capetown, with the ships stayed for three days, the men were allowed to go ashore. They found it very crowded with thousands of troops from every Allied nation filling the streets and the docks. After departing Capetown, they had several days of miserably cold weather. It improved as they moved north, passing between the African coast and the island of Madagascar. The sound of cannon fire was audible to the men of the 22nd and the 11th. A battle was raging between the Germans and the Free French, with explosions visible from the ships during the night.
The 'Mariposa' and the 'Santa Paula' arrived at Karachi, India on 25 July after spending 58 days in transit. They were transported by motor vehicle to New Malir, which was referred to as an air base but was in reality a staging area. A small contingent of the 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) was also stationed at New Malir, with the main portion then in Australia, having evacuated the Philippines earlier in the war. At that point both the 11th and 22nd Bomb Squardrons were officially reassigned to the 7th Bombardment Group (H), with the unusual distinction of being medium bomber squadrons assigned to a heavy bomber group. But, this was merely for administrative purposes, not for operational assignments.
In late July 1942, the Japanese massed fighter and bomber squadrons, including a crack fighter group equipped with the Ki.43 Oscar fighter. They were preparing to mount a major effort to wipe out the CATF. The Japanese campaign began on the night of July 28, 1942, when night bombers attacked Hengyang field, damaging the 3,000-foot-long crushed-rock-and-mud runway. Chinese coolies had the bomb craters filled in by dawn. Tex Hill, along with Major Gil Bright, John Alison and Captain Robert "Ajax" Baumler, made preparations to deal with another night raid by Japanese bombers, using a plan that Chennault and Hill had worked out. Enemy attacks on the 29th, 30th and 31st were successfully routed by the CATF's fighter pilots, losing one P-40 on the 31st which flown by Lieutenant Lee Minor--the first 23rd F.G. pilot killed in China.
The CATF's bombers and fighters launched 50 attacks against Japanese targets during July and August, and had beaten back several waves of Japanese fighters, losing only four P-40s. The unit's supplies of fuel, spare parts, bombs and ammunition were badly drained, however, and only a trickle of supplies was coming over the Himalayan mountains into China. Chennault reluctantly pulled the fighter Squadrons back to Kunming, closer to the supplies coming over the Hump.
By then, the CATF had only a two-day gasoline supply, if used only for the fighters. "The China Air Task Force," Chennault wrote, "unbeaten in combat, was facing death from acute starvation."
-- summarize 11th's China activity prior to Hong Kong push --
-- "To War" -- describe the Hong Kong push --