Galahad's Ordeal - The Battle for Myitkyina, May-August 1944

Galahad's Ordeal portrays the Allied attack and siege of Myitkyina during WWII. The town and its nearby airfield were a constant threat to the Allied airlift operations that ferried war materials and supplies from India to Nationalist China. The Japanese occupation of the town also severed the only land access from India to China for the Allies.

When the Japanese offensive at Imphal and Kohima was launched the Allied High Command viewed the battle as an opportunity to launch a counter offensive by the US 5307th Infantry Group (Merrill's Marauders, also nicknamed Galahad Force by their British and Indian Allies) supported by Nationalist Chinese forces against Myitkyina, deep into the rear areas of Japanese occupied northern Burma. The Allies calculated that the Japanese had to have weakened their hold here to launch their massive offensive to the west. Unfortunately for the Allies, the US forces were badly depleted from earlier battles, and the Japanese had not weakened their grip at Myitkyina, and instead, anticipating just such an attack, were in the process of strengthening the town's garrison. One of the most costly and prolonged battles of the Burma theatre would be waged here.