The Story of Four WWII Burma Banshee Pilots Face Off Against Fifteen Japanese Fighters in Intense Aerial Battle

The First Strike

On May 17, 1944, Lieutenant Phil Adair led a group of four P-40 fighter planes known as the Burma Banshees. These aircraft were marked with painted skulls on their noses, a design meant to intimidate anyone who faced them in combat. Their mission that morning was to attack Japanese ground positions and support soldiers fighting below in Burma.

As Adair guided his plane downward, the air was thick and hot, with the jungle stretching endlessly below. Explosions flickered in the distance as American-trained Chinese troops fought fiercely against Japanese forces. The Banshees tightened formation for their first bombing run. Adair released his bombs, sending shockwaves through the jungle, before pulling his aircraft steeply upward. That’s when he spotted enemy fighters approaching.

Outnumbered in the Sky

Adair recalled the moment clearly: fifteen Japanese aircraft converged in overlapping attack paths. Their main target was not him, but his wingman, Lieutenant Okconor. Grabbing his radio, Adair warned, “Bandits 11:00 high.” His voice sharpened as he urged, “Little O.K., make sure you drop your fuel tanks and bombs. Then turn right into the clouds to get away from the Zeros.”

Okconor managed to release his bombs, but his auxiliary fuel tank jammed. Four enemy planes closed in fast. Adair dove after him, disappearing into the clouds, but when he emerged on the other side, there was no sign of his wingman. Instead, four Japanese Zeros were flying straight toward him.

Locked in Combat

Adair opened fire, streams of tracer rounds cutting across the sky. The enemy pilots veered away, forcing him into another cloud bank. When he burst out again, even more fighters appeared. In one clash, a Japanese pilot flew head-on toward him without flinching. Adair held his fire until the distance was perfect, then pressed the trigger. His .50-caliber rounds shredded the aircraft, sending fragments spiraling toward the jungle below.

Moments later, he found another target: a Ki-43 Hayabusa. Knowing its light armor was vulnerable, he placed his shots carefully, tearing through the wing and sending it crashing into rocks below. By then, his P-40 was riddled with holes and fuel was running low.

Struggling Back to Base

Adair finally spotted Okconor’s plane again, badly damaged and with the pilot wounded. “Bamboo 2, come in. Okconor, do you copy?” he called. Static was the only reply until another voice broke through—Tom Rogers, circling in his own damaged fighter.

Against all odds, the three surviving Banshees guided each other back to base. Rogers’ P-40 had been struck 123 times. Okconor’s injuries ended his flying career, though he survived the mission. Remarkably, all four pilots who had taken off that morning—including Martinez, who had landed safely earlier—returned alive.