World War II Honoree

James S. Fletcher

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Atlanta, Georgia

Honored By

CBI Vets Association, Inc.

ONE OF THE FIRST TO ENTER SERVICE JANUARY 1941. SHIPPED TO FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA FOR BASIC TRAINING. LATE 1942 AT FORT LEONARD WOOD, MISSOURI; SELECTED WITH 12 MORE MEN FROM 8TH DIVISION FOR SPECIAL MISSION FOR OVERSEAS DUTY. EARLY 1943, SHIPPED TO BURMA; JOINED SMALL GROUP OF ALLIED TROOPS STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN A FOOTHOLD AND MOUNT AN OFFENSIVE AGAINST JAPANESE. JOINED THE KACHIN RAIDERS, A GUERRILLA BAND OF NATIVES WHO WERE FIGHTING GUERRILLA WARFARE IN THE JUNGLE OF BURMA AGAINST THE JAPANESE. AMERICAN AND KACHIN SCOUTS WERE A SPECIAL JUNGLE COMMANDO GROUP WHOSE ROLE WAS TO FIND AND DESTROY JAPANESE DEFENSIVE POSITIONS AHEAD OF ALLIED TROOPS AND TO PROVIDE INTELLIGENCE ON MOVEMENT OF ENEMY TROOPS. FOR THE NEXT 2-1/2 YEARS, LIVED AND FOUGHT WITH THE KACHIN SCOUTS BEHIND ENEMY LINES. THE ONLY CONTACT WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD WAS THROUGH RADIO AND RE-SUPPLY AIR DROPS. PROVIDED INTELLIGENCE THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY HELP REOPEN THE VITAL BURMA ROAD BACK INTO CHINA.