It wasn’t until the year following activation of the Chinese-American Composite Wing that this one-of-a-kind unit adopted an insignia symbolizing its distinctive binational character. It featured an American “Flying Tiger” and a traditional Chinese dragon, shown symbolically destroying a “rising sun” flag that represented imperial Japan, their common enemy.  Its design aptly reflected Maj. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault’s determination to provide good will and understanding between the Chinese and Americans for the future, as well as the CACW’s stated mission, "to train Chinese Air Force personnel in all phases of combat operations including maintenance and administration."

On August 26, 1944, members of the 3rd Bomb Squadron flew "the Hump" of the treacherous Himalayas, making the move from Chabua in Assam, India, to Kweilin (Guilin) in Kwangsi (Guangxi) Province, China. Flying the Hump took planes over rugged terrain, often through violent storms, sudden down drafts, and snow and ice at higher altitudes. It was some of the most dangerous flying in the world―so dangerous, in fact, that every flight over the Hump was logged as a combat mission. The planes all made it across safely, and squadron personnel arrived at their new base on September 1.