Strana 93
BUILT
Col. Ivan W. McElroy, CO of 80th FG, Tingkawk Sakan, Burma, 1944
Ivan McElroy commanded the “Burma
Banshees,” as the 80th FG was nicknamed, in
1943 and 1944. The unit disrupted Japanese
activities along the famous Burma Road and
throughout northern Burma. On March 27, 1944,
the 80th FG intercepted a raid of 15 bombers
and 25 fighters and shot down all but one
bomber without suffering any losses of its own.
After the war, McElroy remained in service and
held a number of staff and command positions,
including deputy chief of staff for operations at
US Air Force headquarters. On his colorfully
painted aircraft, there is a somewhat mysterious
spot under the fuel filler cap, whose silhouette
somewhat resembles a ghost holding a bomb
in its outstretched hand. It appears differently
in various photographs. In some cases, it looks
as if the paint has been damaged and worn
away to the metal, while in others it appears to
be just a wet or greasy stain, but it is clear that
it has been sooted by the exhaust, so it must
have been on the aircraft for some time.
INFO Eduard
93
August 2025