| The Bawgyo railroad bridge on the Mandalay-Lashio line, Burma, after having been bombed by North American B-25 Mitchell bombers of the United States Army Air Force 10th Air Force. The Bawgyo railroad bridge, 1 of the key bridges on the important Mandalay Lashio line was destroyed recently by B-25s of the 10th Air Force. Destruction of the bridge will interfere seriously with the movement of Japanese supplies and reinforcements in to Northeastern Burma. Bawgyo bridge after attack. Note demolished span and crater surrounding target. United States Army Air Force (USAAF), 10th Air Force, 341st Bombardment Group (Medium the Headquarters Squadron, 490th Bombardment Squadron and 491st Bombardment Squadron. During World War II, these squadrons operated the B-25 Mitchell in the South West Pacific Area (SWPA). On September 15, 1942, the 341st Bomb Group was activated at Karachi Airfield in Pakistan. On October 3, 1942, the 341st Bomb Group was assigned to the India Air Task Force (IATF). In January 1944, the 341st Bomb Group moved to China, leaving the 490th remaining under control of the 10th Air Force. The Squadron’s success in effectively “glide” bombing bridges earned them the nickname of “Burma Bridge Busters.” Still, it took 81 sorties to destroy each bridge. There were many missions to destroy the bridges around Bawgyo, Burma and the important railway to cut off supplies from the Imperial Japanese Forces. On February 26, 1944, 15 B-25s and P-51s from Kurmitola Airfield, India (now Bangladesh) damaged the Bawgyo railroad bridge; B-25H 43-4363 “Number 63” of the 341st Bomb Group, 490th Bomb Squadron, crashed, killing all aboard. The casualties included Pilot 1st Lieutenant Kenneth A. Hardy (June 24, 1918 – February 26, 1944); Navigator 1st Lieutenant Kenneth W. Foster (July 22, 1916 – February 26, 1944); Engineer/Gunner Staff Sergeant Floyd M. Campbell (August 22, 1917 – February 26, 1944); Radio/Gunner Staff Sergeant Albert Chibnik (April 8, 1915 – February 26, 1944); Armorer/Gunner Sergeant William J. Mahen (August 29, 1921 – February 26, 1944); Photo/Gunner Staff Sergeant William H. Rinne (October 23, 1922 – February 26, 1944). Navigator in 43-4222, 1st Lieutenant Theodore H. Joffe (April 24, 1920 – March 24, 1994), watched as his plane banked left after the bomb run; 43-4363 was 2 miles ahead, white smoke emanating from the aircraft. It rolled over and dived down straight into a hill and exploded. Pilot 1st Lieutenant Emmett C. Hannes (May 25, 1915 – May 20, 2010) was circling in B-25H “Number 22” observing the bomb results when he saw 43-4363 roll over and dive down. He could see tracers exploding in the wreckage but couldn’t see anything else in the smoke. On August 31, 1944, 6 B-25s attacked Bawgyo bridges. On November 8, 1944, 8 B-25s knock out railroad bridge. The November 7, 1944, issue of Command Post reported, “Burma Bridge Busters Belt Bawgyo Span. The Bawgyo Railroad Bridge between Mandalay and Lashio, regarded as the second most important bridge left to the Japanese in that portion of Burma that is still in enemy hands, was destroyed Wednesday by B-25 Mitchell medium bombers of Major General Howard Davidson’s (September 15, 1890 – November 7, 1984) United States Tenth Air Force, Eastern Air Command.” “The 490th Bombardment Squadron, also known as ‘The Burma Bridge Busters,’ destroyed the three-hundred-foot two-span steel structure, forty-five miles southeast of Lashio, with one-thousand-pound (450 kilogram) bombs, thus accounting for its one hundredth bridge completely demolished.” “Destruction of this bridge spanning a river, cuts off the only rail link between Mandalay and Lashio and puts a serious crimp in the Japanese lines of communication into Northern Burma.” “Two pilots were given credit for knocking out the span. Flight Officer Warren E. Mancke (September 17, 1919 – February 25, 1982), of Mokena, Illinois, and Lieutenant Robert J. Lundin (November 8, 1922 – July 29, 1996), of Dubuque, Iowa, were over the target within a few minutes of each other and each dropped his bombs smack on the target.” “‘All of our bombs fell on or near the bridge,’ Flight Officer Manckey reported. “One span was knocked off the supports,” he added. Lieutenant Lundin and his crew, the next aircraft, verified Manckey’s report, and then reported that the bombs from his plane blew one of the spans off its supports and into the river, resting on its side. Photographs confirmed both stories.” The December 7, 1944, issue of China-Burma-India Roundup reported, “The Bawgyo Railroad Bridge, second most important bridge left to the Japanese in that portion of Burma that they still hold, was destroyed recently by the 490th Bomb Squadron, Tenth Air Force.” “The bridge is the only rail link on the Mandalay-Lashio Railroad and its destruction put a serious crimp in the Japs’ line of communication into Northern Burma. The 490th Squadron called this its one hundredth bridge demolished. Actual records show the 490th to have more than that number, and therein lies a story of modesty.” “Official records give the 490th more than a hundred bridges. Where holes were put in spans, where railroad tracks on the bridges were torn up, and where the bridge itself was regarded as unserviceable, the official records give the squadron credit for a bridge knocked out of commission. The 490th Squadron pilots, however, do not consider that they have demolished a bridge unless they knock out at least one span completely into the river. One span of the Bawygo bridge was bombed into the river, and since it was the hundredth bridge to suffer that fate, this made the century mark official.” On November 20, 1944, 4 B-25s attacked bridges at Bawgyo, but missed. On November 21, 1944, 10 B-25s knocked out a bridge at Bawgyo. On November 30, 1944, 9 B-25s damaged bridges at Bawgyo. On December 6, 1944, 10 B-25s knock out the main Bawgyo road bridge and damaged its bypass. 8 P-47s strafed anti-aircraft positions at Bawgyo. On January 4, 1945, 12 P-47s hit the bypass to the Bawgyo road bridge. On January 10, 1945, 17 P-47s damaged a bridge at Bawgyo. On January 27, 1945, 8 fighter-bombers knocked out the bypass to the Bawgyo road bridge. On February 4, 1945, 54 P-38s and P-47s attack Bawgyo bridges. On February 9, 1945, 9 P-47s knock out the Bawgyo road bridge. | |
| Image Filename | wwii2035.jpg |
| Image Size | 822.58 KB |
| Image Dimensions | 2928 x 2284 |
| Photographer | |
| Photographer Title | United States Army Signal Corps |
| Caption Author | Written or Adapted by Jason McDonald |
| Date Photographed | January 1, 1944 |
| Location | |
| City | Bawgyo |
| State or Province | Shan State |
| Country | Burma |
| Archive | National Archives and Records Administration |
| Record Number | NRE-338-FTL(EF)-2802(14) |
| Status | Caption ©2026 MFA Productions LLC Please Do Not Duplicate or Distribute Without Permission; Image in the Public Domain |
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