Eagle4ty
Forum Guru
There was a an interesting article in my local newspaper this evening about one of the last four remaining members of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), better known as Merrill's Marauders (Code name: Galahad) passing away recently. Jim Nayes was a resident of Chippewa Falls, WI, a local community near here, and he had just received a Congressional Gold Medal for his service in this special unit on his 99th birthday and passed away the next morning. His service with the 5307th had involved their actions at Walawbum, Naphum Ga & Myitkyina after which time he was hospitalized for several jungle diseases (out of 2750 that entered Burma on that mission only two were never hospitalized for wounds or severe illness after the campaign). My VFW Post & I were fortunate enough to have his son present us with unit patches for display.
For those of you in the U.S., PBS is airing a documentary about the 5307th narrated by Tom Brokaw (former NBC News anchor & author of 'The Greatest Generation') around this Memorial Day, 30 May. It is supposed to be called, "They Volunteered For This: The Story Of Merrill's Marauders"
For those of you in the U.S., PBS is airing a documentary about the 5307th narrated by Tom Brokaw (former NBC News anchor & author of 'The Greatest Generation') around this Memorial Day, 30 May. It is supposed to be called, "They Volunteered For This: The Story Of Merrill's Marauders"