Late July of 1944 brought about significant changes the 3^rd Bomb Squadron, when they received orders to move from Moran to Dergaon. The new base was closer to the route they used to fly their B-25s over the “Low Hump” to reach Japanese targets in Burma. As they were making the move, my father, then-Sgt. James H. (“Hank”) Mills, had an encounter that he never forgot. As he was driving along a dirt road in an open weapons carrier transporting equipment, supplies, and two Chinese officers, a full-grown Bengal tiger stepped out of the bamboo thicket ahead. After discouraging the pilots from taking pot shots at the big cat, he made his way to the new base. Soon afterward, the squadron’s enlisted men were required to take “the long drill” from their tents to the flight line, twice each day, in response to the reported theft of two bottles of gin from their commanding officer’s tent. The case soon “petered out” from lack of evidence, and the squadron was declared “ready for operations.”

The Chinese-American Composite Wing’s unique composition was not always readily accepted. As the 3^rd Bomb Squadron prepared to enter combat in Burma, a serious conflict arose. Maj. R. L. Patterson, in command of the 83^rd Bomb Squadron, 12^th Bomb Group, was distrustful of the abilities of the recently-arrived and biracial 3^rd Squadron. Before allowing the mixed Chinese-American crews to "tack onto" his planes for missions, he insisted that 3^rd Squadron airmen fly a practice formation flight with the 83^rd to demonstrate their readiness for combat. The following day, Capt. Raymond L. Hodges Jr. and "his Chinese boys, Lts. Tung and Yen" flew follow element to the 83^rd Squadron's lead element. "Our boys assembled and tacked on much quicker than the 83^rd, who flew an extremely wide pattern,” according to a later report. However, a mechanical failure forced the lead plane down, leaving Patterson unsatisfied, so he demanded a second practice flight. Once again, the Chinese pilots "made a wonderful showing" and Patterson called off the flight.