G. I. (Abbreviation used for enlisted soldier in the United States of America Armed Forces, esp. the Army)
During the Second World War several G. Is. were stationed in the following villages in Naga Hills, a small District of Assam State. They were stationed to observe the Japanese movement when they crossed the Burma border and entered Naga Hills attempting to capture Kohima, the seat of the British Administration. These G. Is. were stationed in Himpo Village, Helipong Village, Yaongyemti village and Mokokchung (my home town).
The deadliest snipping duals and gruesome hand-to-hand combats were fought at this very location. The Cemetery is meticulously maintained by the Commonwealth War Grave Commission with its Headquarters in London, England.
There is a memorial cross with the following inscription; “Here around the Tennis Court of the Deputy Commissioner, lie men who fought the Battle of Kohima in which they and their comrades finally halted the invasion of India by the Japanese in April 1944. Another memorial to the 2nd Division stands at the lower end of the cemetery as a gateway to the capital city of Kohima, a monolith stands with a cross at the top and bronze plaque that reads" "WHEN YOU GO HOME, TELL THEM OF US AND SAY FOR YOUR TOMORROW WE GIVE OUR TODAY.”
In this battle, some 2484 soldiers died and for them has been raised the above mentioned Cemetery. There are 1421 Christian soldiers' graves laid in beautifully arranged plots. The identities of the soldiers are engraved on bronze plates. There is a list of 917 soldiers of other religions who were cremated and there are graves of 146 soldiers whose remains could not be identified. Some of the soldiers were only 15 years old.
Our home known as the "Rosy Villa," the main floor of the home was used as a store — Rosy Villa was the meeting place of many friends and visitors from many parts of the world. Even now this custom prevails. Those young American soldiers often brought records to play in the old gramophone that my parents had. They would spent hours listening to records, reading life magazine, Illustrated Weekly of London, Newspapers, books, etc. and sipping fresh homemade lemonade on warm summer days or drinking hot fresh coffee or tea on winter afternoons. Whenever the planes dropped their regular rations, they would bring sacks of flour and sugar rations, and say to my mother, "Mrs. Imlong, your cake is the best in town, wouldn't you please bake some cake for us?"
During Christmas time, my parents used to invite these new friends for Christmas Tea Party. How they enjoyed it! Those lonely youngmen far away from home on Christmas Day! They must have enjoyed it more than anyone can imagine, to be invited to a home full of fun, laughter and food.
On long and warm summer afternoons the cooks used to visit the fish pond down by the big house without realizing that the fish pond was Imlong's private fish pond. They would sit there with fishing rods and buckets all day until it was time to return to the camp to prepare dinner. I am very sure the cooks must have served delicious fresh fish. The pond is still there but slightly larger with more variety of fish than those GI friends would remember.
One afternoon a couple of them brought a "new friend" who had just arrived from America. He was introduced as James, brother of Eric, the special friend of Imlong. They shook hands and were duly entertained according to Naga custom.
However, they could hardly keep their faces straight; because, Imlong totally believed them without a moment of doubt. Finally they broke into hilarious laughter and disclosed the true identity of the "New Friend", he was no other than Mr. Eric who had shaven the heavy beard and looked lot younger.
One special occasion my father often talked about was "the rescue team." It was on August 2, 1943, a plane load of American soldiers en route to Chungking on a special mission crash landed on "no man's land" between Naga Hills (a district of Assam State) and Myanmar (Burma) "The special cargo" included Second Secretary of the American Embassy in Chungking, William Scanton of the U.S. Office of Economic Warfare, John Davies, Second Secretary of the American Embassy in Chungking, Captain 'Duncan Lee, two Chinese Colonels and Eric Sevareid, who wrote an article about the plane crash under the title "OUR GOOD FRIENDS, THE HEAD HUNTERS" in the Reader's Digest.
Imlong had arranged to send advance message of warning to the villager that the white people who landed in their territory were his friends and they must be protected, no harm must be done; anyone who disobeyed this order would be punished. He himself was or his way to rescue them. A relay team of runners were dispatched to his right-hand-man, Sangba, who could speak the local language. Imlong also arranged to drop tons of salt by airplane as gifts to the natives as a sign of friendship and goodwill.
Thus, Mr. P. F. Adams, S. D. 0., Mokokchung and Imlong marched with Assam Rifles for two weeks to rescue the American Officials. This was the first time Imlong and Eric Sevareid CBS Commentator, who was posted to Chungking as the war correspondent met and became friends. When I came to New York World's Fair in 1965 as Assistant Director of the India Pavilion, my father requested me to visit Eric Sevareid, so I went to visit him in Washington, D. C and took his picture to show to my father.
The United states of America Govt. recognized Imlong's service by presenting him with the CBI (China Burma India) ribbon with a promise to present the actual medal later. However, the Japanese attack on the Allied Forces at the battle of Kohima brought an end to this promise.
Imlong often remembered his G. I. friends, specially on Christmas Days. He used to entertained his grandchildren by singing "Imlong Chang, Imlong Chang from the Mokokchung" to the tune of "Jingle Bells" when they came to our house for Christmas Tea Party, they used to sing this song in unison, wowl it sounded so wonderful!
Achilla Imlong Erdican
Duncan Road, Dimapur
