World War II Database

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseFrank Dow Merrill was born in Woodville, Massachusetts, United States, descendent of British settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 1600s. In his teenage years, he worked for United Fruit Company on a freighter as a radio operator, and then enlisted in the US Army while still underage. He held every enlisted rank as well as the officer rank of lieutenant and had experience in Haiti and Panama before gaining entrance into the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, United States, but until he took the academy entrance exam six times before he was able to convince the faculty that his willpower would overcome his astigmatism. He graduated from West Point in 1929 and was assigned to serve in Vermont and Virginia before being commissioned a cavalry officer. In 1931 he received a bachelor's degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then went on to attend the Cavalry School at Fort Riley, Kansas, United States. He also spent time instructing a course in small arms and then spent three years in Tokyo as a Japanese-language officer. Originally assigned to serve in Japan for four years, he only remained there for three years due to the tension between Japan and the United States.

ww2dbaseWhen the United States was attacked by Japan and entered the war, Merrill was a staff officer under Douglas MacArthur in the Philippines. He was quickly transferred to Burma as a liaison officer with the British forces, and reported to Joseph Stilwell. Though it was his ability that initially gained Stilwell's trust, his tendency to never challenge Stilwell's decision was the main reason that Stilwell made him his practical deputy. In 1942, Merrill was made Stilwell's operations officer. In Nov 1943, he traveled with Stilwell to attend the Cairo Conference. In early 1944, Stilwell made him the head of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), a unit modeled after British General Orde Wingate's expeditionary force Chindits which penetrated deep into Japanese lines to disrupt communications; the press gave the unit the nickname "Merrill's Marauders". Colonel Charles Hunter was assigned to the 5307th as the senior officer under Merrill, and it was effectively Hunter who ran the unit from the front lines, with Merrill at times being no more than a liaison between Hunter and Stilwell. Hunter described Merrill as "rather tall, he was by no means a rugged individual, being narrow of chest and rather thin. His features were sharp but his nature ebullient, affable and confident." The first Marauder campaign took place in late Feb 1944 as they attacked the Japanese 18th Division at Walawbum, allowing Stilwell's regular units to take control of the Hakawing Valley.

ww2dbaseIn Mar 1944, Merrill suffered a heart attack at Hsamshingyang. He refused to board the aircraft sent to evacuate him to India until other wounded or sick soldiers were aboard first, which delayed his departure by a day. Hunter took over his responsibilities on 29 Mar, and later wrote of Merrill's health:

ww2dbaseMerrill returned to service on 17 May and oversaw the advance of American and Chinese troops toward Myitkyina, Burma, which boasted a strategically important airfield. Previously, Stilwell had already promised men of the 5307th rest, but now well beyond the date originally promised, he continued to push the front line soldiers to the point to physical and mental exhaustion, leading to unnecessary deaths and ultimately a total loss of trust by the men; Merrill, being the yes-man that Stilwell expected him to be, chose to implement Stilwell's orders rather than siding with the soldiers. "Merrill's Marauders" marched 750 miles of harsh jungle trails and engaged in 5 battles and 32 skirmishes before reaching Myitkyina, and Merrill took much of the credit for that victory before the press. The soldiers would quietly argue, however, that the glory should have gone to Hunter, who actually fought beside the men and looked after the men. Despite suffering a second heart attack followed by a bout of malaria, on 5 Sep 1944 Merrill was promoted to the rank of major general, and in 1945 became the second-in-command of all American forces in Burma. When the war ended, he was serving with the American 10th Army at Okinawa.

ww2dbaseBritish soldier Jack Girsham noted Merrill as a "cool, clever, and tough fighting man, the type who would never lose his temper or his nerve." Girsham added that "he cared for his men", which conflicted with Merrill's actions against the interest of the men during the campaign toward Myitkyina.

ww2dbaseAfter the war Merrill served as Chief of Staff of the Western Defense Command, Commander of the 6th Army, and Deputy Chief of the American Military Advisory Mission to the Philippines. He retired from the Army in 1948 and became Commissioner of Public Works in New Hampshire, United States. He passed away in 1955. His awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, and Combat Infantryman's Badge.

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