Chief Master Sgt. Vanessa Leon, Col. Shane Muscato and other 352nd Special Operations Wing personnel attended a memorial ceremony on August 15, 2026, at the National Memorial Arboretum near Birmingham, England, to commemorate the Chindit special operations force of World War II. The Chindits, formed from British and Indian troops, conducted long‑range penetration missions behind Japanese lines in Burma. The 352nd Wing traces its lineage to the 1st Air Commando Group, an aerial task force created under Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold to support Chindit operations. Col. Shane Muscato, commander of the 352nd Special Operations Wing, said the determination of the Chindits provided a mental framework that enables today’s air commandos to convert adversity into mission success. He noted that the conditions faced by the Chindits and accompanying American forces were challenging. The 352nd Wing’s MC-130J Commando II performed a flyover of the Chindit Memorial on August 15, 2026, while attendees laid wreaths at the foot of a bronze chinthe statue, a symbol derived from Burmese pagodas. The observance highlighted the wing’s heritage, noting its direct lineage to the 1st Air Commando Group. The 1944 Operation Thursday involved the airdrop of more than 10,000 troops, supplies and mules into Burma using gliders and transport aircraft to establish fortified clearings, a mission regarded as a catalyst for the development of Air Force Special Operations Command. Muscato said learning from the Chindits’ experience can help the Air Force address future conflicts between great powers.