World War II Honoree

Irwin Oppenheim

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

New York

Honored By

George Weck

Relationship

Friend

PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A B-24 LIBERATOR PILOT, BASED IN MYITKYINA, BURMA, ALONG THE IRRAWADDY RIVER. HE WAS IN A SPECIAL UNIT CONSISTING OF TWO B-24S THAT WERE STRIPPED OF THEIR BOMBS AND GUN TURRETS TO MAKE ROOM FOR ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE EQUIPMENT DESIGNED TO LOCATE ENEMY RADAR INSTALLATIONS IN THE JUNGLES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA. THEY COORDINATED THEIR MISSIONS WITH THE 101ST OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES (OSS) DETACHMENT (SPECIAL OPERATIONS FORCES) WHO WERE ALLIED WITH THE KACHIN RANGERS, BURMESE TRIBESMEN, ON THE GROUND. THESE MISSIONS WERE TOP SECRET AND, ALTHOUGH THE B-24 AIRCRAFT WERE OFFICIALLY PART OF THE 10TH ARMY AIR FORCE, THE OPERATIONAL COMMAND WAS UNDER LORD MOUNTBATTEN IN INDIA. HIS UNIT WAS CALLED THE 1ST RADAR DETACHMENT, WHICH WAS THE BEGINNING OF AIRBORNE WARNING AND CONTROL SYSTEM PLANES, KNOWN AS AWACS.