Merrill's Marauders (China-Burma-India: WWII's Forgotten Theater, Experiencing War, Stories from the Veterans History Project, Library of Congress)

Experiencing War: China-Burma-India (Stories from the Veterans History Project, Library of Congress)

Infantry soldiers in the CBI served with scant resources and a sense of physical isolation. The volunteer force first known as Galahad and later dubbed Merrill’s Marauders skillfully adapted to fighting in the jungles of Burma. Their guerrilla tactics were brilliantly executed to defeat an enemy force with superior numbers and firepower.

“Father Barrett gave a lecture, saying, ‘Dave is probably doing the most important thing in this outfit, showing people what war is really like.’” (Audio Interview, Part 4, 11:51)

David Quaid didn’t just see action in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II; he filmed it. Before the war, he had been a freelance news cameraman, so he made sure that once he was drafted he got assigned to the Signal Corps. Not satisfied with carrying a camera rather than a rifle, Quaid sought out the front lines, first working with the legendary general Vinegar Joe Stilwell and then hooking up with Merrill’s Marauders. His collection includes a lengthy audio interview as well as his own video history of the Marauders, complete with some of his own footage and interviews with many surviving comrades.

Go and experience
David L. Quaid's story

Experience more stories of Merrill's Marauders

“Jungle fighting is sometimes to fire at sounds.” -- Kermit Bushur

	“There was a notice ... that volunteers were needed for a hazardous mission...” Kermit A. Bushur's story		“And when General Merrill told General Tanaka how many men he had in the field, he was absolutely dumbstruck.” Herbert Clofine's story
	“One of the things that won the war I think was the free-thinking aspect of the American soldier.” Robert E. Passanisi's story		“We were always called the forgotten theater and still are today.” Philip B. Piazza's story

China-Burma-India: Merrill's Marauders

The Library of Congress
December 3, 2007

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