John Moriarty Short Field in Burma-A

Later on, when we were flying individually again, a British armored division had crossed the Chindwin River and started driving eastward, heading for Meiktila south of Mandalay, in order to cut off the Japanese southward retreat down the railway and highway to Rangoon. The British division was totally dependent on airdropped supplies, and we sometimes had to fly over Japanese-held territory to reach them. The division was, in effect, a kind of "moving island";
as it couldn't defend everything it passed, it would pull its logistical tail in after it as it moved along. The defense perimeter would also be pulled in at night.

One evening about dusk I arrived over the drop site, which that day was on a light plane or "cub strip", the kind of thing the British engineers could quickly make by simply knocking the bunds out of the rice paddies, thus creating a strip a few hundred feet long for light "air evac" aircraft. I knew this strip would probably be outside the late-night perimeter and decided I could put my C-47 down on it, thus letting them unload the cargo into trucks rather than have to pick up stuff all over the place, probably in the dark. I brought the aircraft in just above stalling speed, full flaps down, plunked down right on the end of the strip, and got her stopped before some trees at the far end. The British began unloading (after they got over their surprise at the landing) and the senior officer there invited our crew to have dinner with them. They eat late, as you know, and it was 2130 or so when we were finished. Near the meal’s conclusion, the British division commander, a Major General, came over and, after greeting me cordially, suggested that I shouldn't take off that night. Being a bold young Yank, though only a Major at the time, I dismissed his fears and told him we’d have no problem. After a bit more, he reluctantly but doubtfully quit arguing. Down at the strip, I told them to put a jeep at its far end, turned 45 degrees to the side so the lights wouldn't be in my eyes (of course there were no lights on the strip). Lt. Touchy (the copilot) and I then cranked up the now empty aircraft, taxied to the
extreme near end of the strip, and put down a quarter flaps (which are not usually used on a C-47 takeoff). I ran the engines up, sitting at a 45 degree angle from takeoff, ran the right (or outside) engine and without ever shutting it back very much released the brakes, brought her around (coming in with the left engine and of course never touching the brakes) so that the aircraft was already rolling as the lights appeared ahead, firewalled the throttles, and blew that thing
out of there, passing a few feet over the jeep and the trees. It was no problem, just as we told the general.

(The above item constitutes follow-up material sent by John K. Moriarty, former commander of the 3rd Combat Cargo Squadron during WWII, to the 328th Airlift Squadron, Niagara Falls, N.Y., after a personal interview in 1999 by the current Commander and some other members of that squadron. The 3rd Combat Cargo was later redesignated the 328th Troop Carrier Sqdn, and then the 328th Airlift Sqdn.)

Major John K. Moriarty, Commanding Officer, 3rd Combat Cargo Squadron, 1st Combat Cargo Group CBI 1944-1945. September 1998 Reedited Sept 2000

I am looking for former members of the 3rd Combat Cargo Group, 1st, Combat Cargo Group, 2nd Combat Cargo Group and the 4th Combat Cargo Group. In fact I would like to hear from anyone who flew over the Hump during WW II, or flew any Combat Cargo Missions at any time (Berlin Air-Lift, Korea, etc.)

Please e-mail comment, suggestions, corrections,etc to: bill@comcar.org

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