Cochran and Coogan

The tortuous mountains and jungles of Burma last week were checkerboarded with several local actions involving Chinese, British and U. S. troops against the Japanese:

P: A fortnight's fighting by Chinese and U.S. infantrymen had all but pushed the Singapore-seasoned Jap 18th Division out of the 1,800-sq. mi. Hukawng Valley (described by Lieut. General Joseph W. Stilwell as a "rathole"). Chinese prepared to push on into the more hospitable Mo-gaung Valley. Their asserted mission is to clear the new Ledo (northern) road into China (TIME, Oct. 11).

P: Southeast Asia Commander Admiral the Lord Louis Mountbatten made his boldest move since arriving in the Far East five months ago. Some 150 miles south of Stilwell, near the key Japanese base of Myitkyina he sent U.S.-manned gliders and troop transports, filled with British Indian troops, to land back of enemy lines. It was the first Allied airborne operation of the Asiatic war.

P: At three points near the Burma-India line the Japanese counterattacked. They crossed the Chindwin River in force, at week's end were almost across the Indian border to Manipur. If they succeeded in reaching their goal (Stilwell's and Chennault's supply lines), the Japs might make the other actions look like tea parties, might nullify all Allied gains since they ran Stilwell out of Burma two years ago.

The airborne operation was commanded by Colonel Philip G. Cochran of Erie, Pa., who won five medals as a fighter pilot in North Africa, even wider acclaim as the model for "Flip Corkin," Cartoonist Milton Caniff's hero of Terry and the Pirates. First glider pilot to land was handsome Flight Officer Jackie ("The Kid") Coogan, first husband of blond Pin-Up Girl Betty Grable (her second: Jive Bandsman Harry James). Said Flight Officer Coogan: "I sure feel confident riding with Indian troops as passengers." One of Cochran's transport pilots: Lieut. John ("Buddy") Lewis, lanky, hard-hitting third baseman for the Washington Senators.

First to land were the gliders, bearing U.S. engineer troops, jeeps, mules, shovels, road graders. The landings were not without accident: the commanding engineer officer was killed, other gliders crashed, some passengers came to earth surrounded by Japs and had to fight their way to the main body. But within 24 hours, heroic toil had finished the first landing strip. Then came the transport planes. It was eight days before the surprised Japs even sent a plane to see what was happening. Royal Air Force Spitfires quickly chased it away.

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