Sylvester Drinski
- Hdqs. Tenth Air Force, India-Burma -- Moving with some of the first American troops into Rangoon, Sgt. Sylvester Drinski, 29, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Drinski, RR 4, Crown Point, formerly of Lowell, was one of six clerks on a Tenth Air Force airborne anti-aircraft battery climaxing a 780-mile drive from a base in Assam to the tip of Burma while protecting vital air strips and routes for the advancing British 14th army.
- The men are members of a headquarters battery of an anti-aircraft battalion which included four other batteries. It was their job, as they moved through central Burma, to keep in contact with the other batteries, to see that they were properly equipped and supplied, that their wounded were evacuated, and that communications were maintained between the units and headquarters of both British and American forces. One of the batteries fought with the British ground forces during the seige of Meiktila, defending a vital airstrip from Nip plane attacks and at the same time driving off repeated Jap counter attacks from their positions. Other batteries defended strips at Ye-U, Myitkyina, Shwebo, Imbuang, Yzagyo, Kawlin and Sinthe, Burma.
- So successful were the efforts of the tiny American force in keeping open lines of air supply that they won a commendation from Major Gen. Howard C. Davidson, Commanding General of the 10th air force. The commendation read in part:
- "This organization provided air defense for advanced Allied air bases in the recent drive through central Burma and southern Burma which culminated in the capture of Rangoon and acted at times as infantry in ground combat. Equipment and transportation were not only meager but partially unsuited for such operations. Serving under arduous field conditions and frequently subjected to Japanese ground fire, personnel of this battalion evinced constant courage, determination and devotion to duty in action against the enemy."
This August 30, 1945, Lowell Tribune article was found on page 2, columns 1-2:
- Headquarters, 10th Air Force, India-Burma -- Moving with some of the first American troops into Rangoon, six clerks of a 10th air force airborne anti-aircraft battery included Sgt. Sylvester Drinski, 29, son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard Drinski, route 4, Crown Point.
- The men were members of a headquarters battery of an anti-aircraft battalion which included four other batteries. It was their job, as they moved through central Burma, to keep in contact with the other batteries, to see that they were properly equipped and supplied, that their wounded were evacuated and that communications were maintained berween the untis and headquarters of both British and American forces.
- Drinski, who attended Lowell high school, formerly lived with his parents on a farm southeast of Lowell.
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