Frank Merrill – link to X-Force

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In 1943, General Merrill was appointed to command a new volunteer U.S. Army special forces unit patterned after the Long Range Jungle Penetration groups formed by the British to harass Japanese forces in Burma (the [[Chindits]]). The U.S. Army's official name for the unit was the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). (The title provisional meant the unit was formed for a special mission or operation and would be disbanded afterwards.) Visiting war correspondents, after viewing the 5307th's performance on the firing ranges, promptly dubbed the unit Merrill's Marauders. General Merrill oversaw the training and deployment of the three battalions of the 5307th into Burma in February 1944.<ref>Gary J. Bjorge, "Merrill's Marauders: Combined Operations in Northern Burma in 1944". ''Army History''. No. 34 (Spring/Summer 1995), pp. 12-28. {{JSTOR|26304582}}.</ref>

In slightly more than five months of combat behind Japanese lines in Burma, the Marauders, who supported the [[~~Chinese Army in India|~~X Force]], advanced 750 miles through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world, fought in five major engagements ([[Walawbum]], [[Shaduzup]], [[Inkangahtawng]], [[Nhpum Ga]], and [[Siege of Myitkyina|Myitkyina]]) and engaged in combat with the Japanese Army on thirty-two occasions. Battling Japanese soldiers, hunger, and disease, they had traversed more jungle on their long-range patrols than any other U.S. Army unit of the war.

In slightly more than five months of combat behind Japanese lines in Burma, the Marauders, who supported the [[X-Force]], advanced 750 miles through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world, fought in five major engagements ([[Walawbum]], [[Shaduzup]], [[Inkangahtawng]], [[Nhpum Ga]], and [[Siege of Myitkyina|Myitkyina]]) and engaged in combat with the Japanese Army on thirty-two occasions. Battling Japanese soldiers, hunger, and disease, they had traversed more jungle on their long-range patrols than any other U.S. Army unit of the war.

[[File:Generals Stilwell (left) and Merrill.jpg|thumb|General Stilwell (left) and Merrill in 1944]]

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 In 1943, General Merrill was appointed to command a new volunteer U.S. Army special forces unit patterned after the Long Range Jungle Penetration groups formed by the British to harass Japanese forces in Burma (the [[Chindits]]). The U.S. Army's official name for the unit was the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional). (The title provisional meant the unit was formed for a special mission or operation and would be disbanded afterwards.) Visiting war correspondents, after viewing the 5307th's performance on the firing ranges, promptly dubbed the unit  Merrill's Marauders. General Merrill oversaw the training and deployment of the three battalions of the 5307th into Burma in February 1944.<ref>Gary J. Bjorge, "Merrill's Marauders: Combined Operations in Northern Burma in 1944". ''Army History''. No. 34 (Spring/Summer 1995), pp. 12-28.  {{JSTOR|26304582}}.</ref>
-In slightly more than five months of combat behind Japanese lines in Burma, the Marauders, who supported the [[Chinese Army in India|X Force]], advanced 750 miles through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world, fought in five major engagements ([[Walawbum]], [[Shaduzup]], [[Inkangahtawng]], [[Nhpum Ga]], and [[Siege of Myitkyina|Myitkyina]]) and engaged in combat with the Japanese Army on thirty-two occasions. Battling Japanese soldiers, hunger, and disease, they had traversed more jungle on their long-range patrols than any other U.S. Army unit of the war.
+In slightly more than five months of combat behind Japanese lines in Burma, the Marauders, who supported the [[X-Force]], advanced 750 miles through some of the harshest jungle terrain in the world, fought in five major engagements ([[Walawbum]], [[Shaduzup]], [[Inkangahtawng]], [[Nhpum Ga]], and [[Siege of Myitkyina|Myitkyina]]) and engaged in combat with the Japanese Army on thirty-two occasions. Battling Japanese soldiers, hunger, and disease, they had traversed more jungle on their long-range patrols than any other U.S. Army unit of the war.
 [[File:Generals Stilwell (left) and Merrill.jpg|thumb|General Stilwell (left) and Merrill in 1944]]