Volume 10 | Issue 2 Article 6 1948 Pack-Mules In Burma P. E. Smith Iowa State College Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian Part of the Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons, and the Veterinary Physiology Commons Recommended Citation Smith, P. E. (1948) "Pack-Mules In Burma," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 10 : Iss. 2 , Article 6. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol10/iss2/6 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State University Veterinarian by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Pack-Mliles In Burma P. E. Smith, D.V.M. Pack animal units served in Italy and aid man, walked back and forth along the France during the war, but I have been column of their troops, constantly look­ told that Burma was the only theater of ing for maladjusted loads, cinches too tight operation where pack animals were used or too loose, breast harness or breeching almost exclusively for ground transpor­ incorrectly adjusted and other trouble tation in the combat zone. On the moun­ makers. tain trails and in combat we were limited Our supplies were brought to us every to the incongruous combination of mule 3 to 5 days by C-47 cargo planes. All and air transport. fragile equipment and supplies were drop­ Our mules were shipped from New ped by parachute. Grain for the mules Orleans to take the Atlantic route, and was always free dropped. From 6 to 8 after some 2 months at sea they arrived double burlap bags were pushed out of in Calcutta. From Calcutta they went the planes at a time. Mule loads varied by rail to Ledo, which took about 20 days a little each day as rations for men and with only one detrainment for exercise. mules were consumed or new supplies Despite their treatment, the mules arrived were added. The loads varied, and be­ at our advance base in Ledo in very good cause of the awkward shapes, sizes, shape and with an extremely low mor­ weights and hurried loading. there were tality rate. After a few days of shoeing, mules and muleskinners falling out of fitting saddles, and distributing loads, we the column from time to time for readjust­ were ready to set out on our series of ment of loads. A loose or unbalanced missions whereby we would ultimately pack made back sores and unnecessarily reach our goal of Myitkyina, Burma. One tired the mule. Sometimes part of a out of 3 infantrymen was assigned a mule load would fall loose and scare the mule to lead, and each man in the pack troops who would take off through the jungle had a mule. Our strength at the start dragging a tenacious soldier who was de­ of the campaign was about 300 mules per termined to stop him. Invariably one of battalion, with 3 battalions in the unit. these runaways meant trouble for the vet­ One veterinarian and 4 aid men were as­ erinary detachment in the form of rope signed to each battalion. burns, cuts, bruises and occasionally a Fortunately for the veterinary detach­ bad sprain or strain. ment, the infantrymen, inexperienced in When we hit mountainous terrain our handling mules, soon were taking pride troubles really began. Prior to this time, in the accomplishments of their animals. our rest periods had been taken on fairly They saw to it that cinches were not too level ground so that loads would not strain tight. that their animals were fed and the mules' backs, but this principle had watered and allowed to graze whenever to be forgotten on long slopes where the time permitted. Then too, the packmas­ trail was often so narrow that the mules ters in each unit soon became the pride of could not even be turned sideways for the men. When they could, packmasters relief. Water alone became the determ­ together with the veterinary officer or an ining factor in selecting a bivouac area. Spring, 1948 Page 83 If there were small grazing patches, bam­ rolled over, got up, and started eating boo or elephant grass to cut for the mules, leaves off the bamboo overhanging the the area was perfect. Advance parties stream. to select an area would try to find one of the scarce streams a reasonable distance from the last bivouac area. Some days 3 Salvage Project miles was a long, tough march. Other times 8 tor 10 miles could be made. The Before the entire serial had passed this necessity for water points made some particular spot, we had 8 live mules and marches longer than they should have 5 dead ones down in the ravine. We really been, and others shorter. had a worth while salvage project: 8 good The average day's march was planned mules whose f.o.b. Burma value was to end as soon as possible after 3: 00 p.m., something over $2,000 each. Dollar value, so that the mules could be unloaded to however, meant little where they were. rest in the afternoon. Mule loading us­ Human replacements could be flown in ually started at 6: 30 a.m., and the march by liaison planes, when there was enough started at 7 a.m. I have seen tl).e end of rice paddy field space, but not mules. the column pull into their bivouac areas They were the only means of ground after dark, a good 12 hours of ups-and­ transportation for guns, ammunition, downs behind them. The mules had car­ medical supplies, feed, and other supplies. ried their loads the entire time, perhaps With entrenching shovels, the men cut a without water since early morning, and set of stair steps lj2 mile long over which with no promise of anything green that the mules were led back to the trail. night. After some 3% months of walking down jungle trails which took us through val­ Mule Stories leys, across rivers, up and down moun­ Every day had its mule story, but on tains and brought us into 15 minor skirm­ one particular day, one of the more dra­ ishes and 4 major battles, we arrived at matic episodes featuring these faithful our destination, Myitkyina, Burma. The beasts of burden was enacted. The serial air strip at Myitkyina was over 900 miles was following one of the narrow trails by ground travel from where we started. cut in the side of a mountain; the moving We reached there with about 50 less column didn't improve the safety for those mules than when we began the cam­ behind. Some 180 ft. below, ran a creek paign. Our losses were due to varied in a deep ravine. Along came one of causes. We lost quite a number of ani­ the mules loaded down with a good 180 mals from enemy artillery and mortar pounds of chests and top load. The nar­ fire. Accidental deaths, particularly row ledge gave way under him. On the through the mountains, also accounted slope of 60 degrees, there was no hope for for many of the mules. General emacia­ a footing as gravity took its natural course, tion and exhaustion was another big fac­ and the mule rolled, not easily nor gently, tor accounting for our losses. As yet, but head over heels with increasing mo­ we had been very fortunate in that we mentum for 150 ft. until he jammed be­ had not encountered any infectious or tween two trees. The top load jolted loose, contagious diseases. Our work had been the chests burst open, records and supplies primarily with saddle galls, rope bums, littered the path the mule had battered lacerations, laminitis, and some bloating; through the jungle. We cut the cinches the biggest problem was screw worms. holding the pack saddle which was keep­ Every scratch or leech bite, any abrasion ing the mule jammed between the trees. even very minute, had to be painted As he was cut loose, he fell the remaining thoroughly with pine tar or it would be­ 30 ft. all but straight down into the shal­ come infested with screw worms. Several low creek, landing on his back. It was different times when mules were brought then that a mule's paternal inheritance to us with a severe standing leg lameness, and G. 1. training showed forth. He calmly we discovered the entire frog undermined 84 The Veterinary Student with screw worms. Quite often sheaths may show an edema of the underline and of geldings would become infested and lower extremities. One of the earliest occasionally even the glans penis. visible signs of infection is an icterus no­ We had several animals brought to ticeable in the mucosae and the eyes us which showed a severe swelling of the where small hemorrhages also appear. soft structure of the hard palate. It would After several days, the animal regains nor­ extend down as much a % in. below the malcy, only to have the symptoms repeated upper incisors. We were feeding a mixed in several weeks with gradual emaciation grain of barley and gram. Gram appeared and death. The disease, if left to run its to be quite similar to very hard, dry peas, course, would end in death within a per­ and we believed it to be the cause of the iod of several days to several months. The swellings. At any rate, on the first 3 or 4 trypanosome is spread by biting flies and animals brought to us, we incised these other insect vectors, so smudges were swellings in several places but in a few kept burning in the stable areas, and refuse days they were back.