▁in ▁India , ▁and ▁at ▁times ▁st aging ▁through ▁fields ▁in ▁China , ▁the ▁group ▁struck ▁such ▁targets ▁as ▁transport ation ▁cent ers , ▁naval ▁install ations , ▁iron ▁works , ▁and ▁aircraft ▁plants ▁in ▁Bur ma , ▁Th ailand , ▁China , ▁Japan , ▁Indones ia , ▁and ▁Form osa , ▁receiving ▁a ▁Dist ingu ished ▁Unit ▁C itation ▁for ▁bomb ing ▁iron ▁and ▁steel ▁works ▁at ▁Y aw ata , ▁Japan , ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁From ▁a ▁st aging ▁field ▁in ▁C ey lon , ▁the ▁ 4 0 th ▁m ined ▁waters ▁near ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Pale mb ang , ▁Sum atra , ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁ 4 0 th ▁ev acu ated ▁st aging ▁fields ▁in ▁China ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁Japanese ▁off ensive ▁in ▁South ▁China ▁which ▁threatened ▁the ▁forward ▁st aging ▁bases , ▁but ▁continued ▁operations ▁from ▁India , ▁bomb ing ▁targets ▁in ▁Th ailand ▁and ▁min ing ▁waters ▁around ▁Singapore . ▁▁▁ ▁However , ▁by ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁it ▁was ▁becoming ▁apparent ▁that ▁B - 2 9 ▁operations ▁against ▁Japan ▁st aged ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁bases ▁in ▁Ch eng tu ▁were ▁far ▁too ▁expensive ▁in ▁men ▁and ▁materials ▁and ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁stopped . ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁J oint ▁Chief s ▁of ▁Staff ▁made ▁the ▁decision ▁that ▁Operation ▁M atter horn ▁would ▁be ▁ph