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Target: the Linsi Mines Valor By John L. Frisbee, Contributing Editor Target: The Linsi Mines Early in the war against Japan, five B-24 crews were launched in a daring strike 800 miles behind enemy lines in northern China. ENTH Air Force, established in that had the range to reach the mines were confident that no American air- TII India in early 1942, was one of was the B-24, and even it required craft would penetrate that far behind the smallest and least celebrated staging to bases in west-central China. the lines. combat air forces of World War II, This would be the first ever strike One B-24 had to abort before reach- but it had a primary mission of great north of the Yellow River. ing Linsi. The other five bombed from importance: protecting the logistics Maj. Max R. Fennell, who had gone 14,000 feet, each making two runs lifeline from India to China. In mid- to the Middle East with Brereton, was over the powerplant. The crews, who 1942, that air force included the 7th recalled to lead the B-24s to Linsi. encountered light flak, believed they Bomb Group with two heavy and two Fennell had flown in China and was had scored several direct hits. Their medium squadrons; two fighter groups; familiar with some of the inevitable photos showed tall columns of smoke and some transports. Only six of the problems. He arrived at Karachi on rising from the Linsi complex. All re- ten combat squadrons were even October 8, where he met five B-24D turned safely to Chengdu more than marginally operational. crews of the 436th Bomb Squadron. twelve hours after takeoff, having In June 1942, the already feeble On October 11, his B-24s and a spare completed one of the potentially most Tenth was eviscerated when its com- flew to Allahabad in northern India, hazardous missions flown in China mander, Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brereton, where they were met by General up to that time. was ordered to the Middle East to Bissell. Only the crew members who One senior commander recom- help stop Field Marshal Erwin Rom- needed to know were told what their mended that all crew members be mel's drive into Egypt. He took with target was. awarded the Silver Star for this pio- him most of the command's heavy The General informed one of the neering mission. Another held that bombers and its key personnel. The crews that if it returned from the mis- no awards should be made because 7th Bomb Group's 436th Bomb Squad- sion, the crew members could con- air combat had not taken place. With ron, which was converting to longer- sider themselves among the lucki- the brass deadlocked on that issue, range B-24s, was left in India at scat- est of men. His pessimism was not the crews went undecorated. tered locations, far from combat ready. unfounded. From their forward stag- Seventh Bomb Group Report, WW Gradually, replacement crews and ing base at Chengdu, they would fly // says that, according to ground aircraft arrived in India, and Tenth 800 miles into enemy territory with- sources, the power station was de- Air Force began a slow recovery. out adequate maps, weather fore- stroyed and the mines flooded. On Before his air force came off the casts, or fighter escort, and past sev- the other hand, The Army Air Forces critical list, Maj. Gen. Clayton L. eral Japanese airfields that were in World War II reports that "while Bissell, who had been named com- believed to be occupied by some 300 the bombs struck in the target area mander of the Tenth, was handed a enemy fighters. If a crew went down, they failed to destroy the objectives." mission unrelated to the protection there could be no rescue attempt. Japanese officials who have been of the India-China lifeline. Its audac- Major Fennell's flight proceeded queried replied that records of that ity must have staggered the imagi- from Allahabad over The Hump to mission have been destroyed. The nation of the few who were privy to Kunming, en route to Chengdu, near- actual outcome may never be known, the details. ly losing one B-24 to icing as they but the measure of heroism lies not Far behind enemy lines in the vi- crossed the Himalayas. On October in the success but in the doing. The cinity of Beijing, China, lay the Linsi 20, the B-24s took off from Chengdu men of these crews accepted with- mines, which produced a major share on the 1,100-mile flight to Linsi, out hesitation a mission from which of coking coal used by the Japanese heavy with bombs and fuel. Over it seemed they were not likely to re- to produce high-grade steel. These 14,000-foot mountains, they ran into turn. Their heroism has been recog- were "wet mines" that could be kept a violent front causing severe icing nized by little more than a footnote in operation only by continuous pump- and were forced to return to Cheng- in history. • ing, powered by an electric generat- du. The following day, the weather Thanks to retired Maj. John T. Foster of ing plant at the site. If the plant could was clear but very cold. On the flight Keene, N. H., author of the privately be knocked out, it was believed, the to Linsi, Major Fennell's formation published China Up and Down, who flooded mines would be useless for passed seven enemy airfields, none allowed the use of his files on the Linsi perhaps a year. The only bomber occupied. Apparently, the Japanese mission. 64 AIR FORCE Magazine / October 1995 .
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