正当部队向南追击撤退日军之时，隶属于火神特遣队的美军机动医疗队在缅甸密支那乘船渡过伊洛瓦底江。由受过丛林作战训练的步兵与炮兵组成的火神特遣队与其他盟军分遣队于一九四四年十二月底开始直逼日军位于缅甸中心地带的重要补给基地曼德勒。
American troops of aportable surgery unit,attached to the Mars Task Force,are ferried across the Irrawaddy river at Myitkyina,Burma,as the force presses south against the retreating Japanese.Comprised of jungle-trained U.S.infantry and artillerymen,the task force and other Allied detachments were threatening Mandalay major enemy supply center in the heart of Burma by the end of December,1944.