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The 7th Bomb Group targeted railroad crossings along Japan's supply route to Burma during World War II. The group faced logistical difficulties in Burma, as Japanese military supplies had to be transported by sea and land. The 7th Bomb Group reorganized into four squadrons of heavy bombers, replacing the B-17s with Consolidated B-24 Liberators. The Allied situation in Burma was unstable, and the Japanese Army planned to annex India. The air war in Burma became a war against enemy communications and supplies.
Burma, a key port for Japanese shipping, was targeted by the 7th BGs during the 1943 bombing campaign. The group broke bombing records and introduced new methods of bombing, including bridges. The AZON bomb, a 1,000-pound American smart bomb, was used to target small bridges on the Thai-Burma rail lines during the hot season. The team also created a new bombing method called glide bombing, which involved a strong pull-up at the end of the glide to deliver the bomb at 500 feet. The 7th BGs successfully demolished thirty bridges and damaged eighteen. Lieutenant Guilford W., a B-24 bombardier, joined the 7th BGs at Pandaveswar, securing air superiority in India. The group's mission to the Kra Isthmus involved 37 B-24s, covering 2,700 miles round trip in 17½ hours.
In 1943, the Japanese 7th Airborne Group (BG) conducted a bombing mission against Great Coco Island, Burma. The mission involved a 10-plane raid, targeting two vans equipped with radar equipment. The Japanese Army used forced labor from Allied prisoners of war to build a railway connecting Thailand and Burma. The bridge, known as "Bridge 277," was targeted by two B-24 operations but survived intact. The bridge was eventually destroyed by the 7th, highlighting the difficulties faced by the crews during the war.
On April 3, 1945, a B-24 Liberator piloted by 1st Lt. Charles Linamen flew over the town of Kanchanaburi, Burma, to cross a wooden bridge. The mission was led by Linamen's B-24, with six additional B-24s following at 10-minute intervals. The Japanese antiaircraft guns provided enough protection for the bridge, but B-24 flak-suppression aircraft attempted to eliminate them.
Linamen's B-24 veered towards the southeast, passing over Calcutta, the Bay of Bengal, and Burma. The tail gunner noticed a Japanese fighter flying beside them, which veered off course and returned to Burma. The B-24 crew decided against fighting and continued the bombing run.
However, the Japanese bombs hit the bridge, destroying the bridge's span and causing the plane to dive. Linamen attempted to level the wings but was unable to do so, causing concern for the aircraft's design and engineering. The incident highlights the importance of ailerons in aircraft design and their role in preventing aircraft from flying without them.
In 1944, the 7th Bomb Group, consisting of B-24s, was flying over enemy territory in Burma. The aircraft was a vital part of the Japanese invasion of India, carrying fuel and bombs. However, the plane's condition was not promising, and Linamen had to make drastic changes to maintain control. The plane's condition was deteriorating rapidly, and Linamen had to make drastic changes to the aircraft's approach. The Japanese were concentrated in the Bay of Bengal, and Linamen had to head westward to reach Cox's Bazaar, a British airstrip west of Akyab, Burma. Despite the risk of a forced landing, Linamen managed to land the plane on the beach at the outskirts of the airbase. The Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded to Linamen for recovering the damaged B-24 and its crew. The group lost 71 aircraft during the monsoon season, with more B-24s lost during Flying the Hump missions.
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