The Christmas holidays were unlike any they had known before for personnel of the Chinese-American Composite Wing stationed in China in 1944, but they celebrated with whatever festivities they could manage.  Thanks to the efficiency of the APO system, packages from home began to arrive at Peishiyi (Baishiyi) during the week before Christmas. The mess hall took on a festive appearance, decked out with holiday red and green. GIs began experimenting with cooking weird concoctions of food on their hostel-room stoves. The Wing’s Chinese officers hosted a dinner-dance for all American officers. Priests, organists, and a choir leader imported for the occasion from Chungking celebrated high mass in the Chinese Recreation Hall on Christmas Eve. Dinner on Christmas Day featured as many traditional holiday “trimmings” as could be acquired. Messages of hope for “peace on earth” brought encouragement to these men who still had many more months of hardship to endure before victory became a reality.

SSgt. Otto W. Hutchinson was one of the vast numbers of China veterans who were heading home. After the formal surrender was signed and the Chinese-American Composite Wing was disbanded in early September 1945, men of the 3^rd Bomb Squadron were officially assigned to other units in preparation for their return to the Zone of the Interior.  Hutchinson was transferred to the 26^th Fighter Squadron, 51^st Fighter Group, 69^th Composite Wing stationed at Kunming. Along with others attached to the same unit, he was sent to Barrackpore Field near Calcutta before moving to Replacement Depot No. 3 (also known as Camp Kanchrapara), one of the processing centers for troops heading home. Then they spent a few days at Camp Hialeah, a staging for troops awaiting departure, before boarding SS Marine Angel on November 16. A Thanksgiving feast, overflowing scuppers, and collision with a whale were events noted in the ship’s newsletter. Arriving on December 12 in Tacoma, Washington, ship records indicate that 2,511 returning troops were disembarked, allowing them to be back home with their families for Christmas.

When Imperial Japanese naval and air forces attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor and then the city of Honolulu on the island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, Paul L. Young, an American citizen of Chinese descent, was an eye-witness to the devastation. Displaying extraordinary courage, he was wounded while moving undamaged fighters away from those that were burning, earning him the Purple Heart. After spending twenty-three months with a heavy bomb unit in the Southwest Pacific, he served as intelligence and historical officer of the 3rd Bomb Squadron of the Chinese-American Composite Wing. One of the five missions he completed against targets in Burma during that period earned him a second Purple Heart.

Thanksgiving on November 23, 1944, was not a memorable occasion for the men stationed at Peishiyi (Baishiyi).  Because some of the extra supplies ordered for the holiday feast had not arrived, the menu included duck and not turkey, which was promised later. It was finally on the menu a week later.  At about the same time, six of the 3^rd Bomb Squadron's B-25s were moved farther back to Wenkiang (Wenjiang) in the western suburbs of Chengtu (Chengdu). “Brass” considered them to be safer there from night attack now that the moon was waxing full, and the shortage of gas prevented them from flying missions, regardless of their location. The detachment that accompanied them went to Kwan-Sien Rest Camp north of the city. Meanwhile, in Chihkiang (Zhijiang), detachments from the 3^rd and 4^th Bomb Squadrons that made up Task Force 34 conducted business as usual. They took a one-day break on Thanksgiving Day before resuming operations. Another night mission to support heavy bomb operations by interdicting use of enemy searchlights at Hankow-Wuchang was off on the twenty-fourth. The bomber was pursued by enemy night fighters, but its pilot, 1Lt. Leo C. Baker, took cover in a patch of overcast encountered near Tungting Lake and lost them.

Carrying frag clusters fused instantaneous, the 4^th Bomb Squadron’s Capt. Moncure N. (“Monte”) Lyon, in command of Task Force 34 that flew out of Chihkiang (Zhijiang), took off in the 3^rd Bomb Squadron’s A/C #722 at 1805 on November 22, 1944. With him were the 68^th Composite Wing’s Maj. A. T. House as observer and copilot and a crew that included the 3^rd Squadron’s Sgt. Eril W. Peters and Cpl. Andrew R. Allegretto as waist and tail gunners, as well as the 4^th Squadron’s Capt. Wei H. S. as navigator and SSgt. Oswald Weinert as top turret gunner. They had volunteered for this hazardous mission without knowing what it entailed until the briefing just before takeoff. It was a joint mission with the 68^th Composite Wing that included twenty-two B-24s of the 308^th Bomb Group (H) and two P-51s of the 75^th Fighter Squadron, 23^rd Fighter Group. The “heavies” approached the target and made their runs singly or in small groups, dropping their 500-pounders. Each time the searchlights were illuminated in an attempt to pick them up, Lyon attacked the lights again. This mission against Wuhan was the first of many completed successfully by Task Force 34, as well as by its two bomb squadrons later operating independently.

In late 1944, as 3^rd and 4^th Bomb Squadron detachments constituting Task Force 34 were flying missions out of Chihkiang (now Zhijiang), personnel still at Peishiyi (Baishiyi) had more free time on their hands than they were prepared to endure. Their inactivity was the result of persistent foul weather and gas shortages that limited operations to near zero. Movies and baseball were among available activities, but many of the men made the grueling trip over the mountain to Chungking (Chongqing) to escape the monotony of existence on base. The city held attractions for them that included souvenir shops, restaurants, bars (with ice in their drinks), “catting,” and of course, the obligatory rickshaw rides.

In late 1944, it became clear to observers that Japanese forces coming from the north were moving toward a junction with troops advancing westward toward Nanning from Canton.  Col. John A. Dunning, in command of the 5^th Fighter Group at Chihkiang (Zhijiang), put in a request for four B-25s with crews to run missions in close conjunction with his "Flying Hatchet" fighters to resist the enemy drive. His pilots had found that daytime targets were scarce and scattered because the enemy was moving troops and supplies primarily at night, so that was when he intended to strike. Called "Task Force 34," its participants were detached from the 3^rd and 4^th Bomb Squadrons, and the majority of their missions were night single-plane strikes at river, rail, and road traffic in the Hsiang Valley and from Hankow to Kweilin. Many of them were accomplished without moonlight. So successful were these “moonless-night missions” that they became a specialty of Task Force 34.

The Chinese-American Composite Wing officially entered combat on Thursday, November 4, 1943, when three 2^nd Bomb Squadron B-25s flew on a mission out of Erh Tong airfield at Kweilin (now Guilin) down to the coast. In a joint raid with Mitchells of the 11^th (“Sky Dragons”) Bomb Squadron, 341^st Bomb Group, 69^th Composite Wing, 14^th Air Force, this was a sea sweep to hit Japanese shipping at Swatow Harbor. One of the Mitchells successfully bombed and strafed an enemy cargo vessel and sank it, the second crash-landed but all aircrew members survived, and the third went down and all aboard were lost.

The ongoing combination of limited fuel and almost continuous mist or light rain with low clouds prohibited aerial operations out of Peishiyi. Airmen of the 3^rd Bomb Squadron had been accustomed to flying almost daily before their move to China, but now the pace of life slowed. Boredom brought about by inactivity soon caused an inevitable slump in morale, which seemed to be in direct proportion to the number of missions completed. Fortunately, a USO troupe that featured model/actress Jinx Falkenburg, dancer/contortionist Betty Yeaton, and singer Ruth Carrell arrived to entertain the troops, the majority of whom had not seen a white woman in six months or more. These three entertainers, with actor/comedian Pat O’Brien as emcee, singer/guitarist Jimmie Dodd (husband of Ruth Carrell), and singer/piano player Harry Brown accompanying them, appeared in USO shows at forward bases in China and later in India from October to early December 1944. The men stationed at Peishiyi enjoyed the performance of Camp Show #374 on October 30, 1944.

The 2^nd Bombardment Squadron (“Avengers") of the 1^st Bombardment Group and the 28^th and 32^nd Fighter Squadrons of the 3^rd Fighter Group received movement orders on October 17, 1943, and became the Wing's first increment to move to China. They flew their planes over “the Hump”—the name given by Allied pilots to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains—to provide air support for Chiang Kai-shek's ground forces in accordance with Chennault's plan. The 2^nd Bomb Squadron’s six B-25s, under the command of Maj. Tom Foley, became the first CACW unit to reach China, arriving at Yangkai in South China on October 25, 1943.Hazardous conditions caused some of the 2^nd Bomb Squadron's B-25s to delay crossing until conditions improved. Within a few days of the first attempt, the next contingent of three bombers led by group commander Lt. Col. Irving L. ("Twig") Branch followed, and finally the remaining three

Expecting to be in the midst of the action following their move from India to China, aircrews of the CACW’s 3rd Bomb Squadron flew only four missions against the Japanese drive before their evacuation from Kweilin (now Guilin) in mid-September 1944. At Peishiyi (Baishiyi), their new base, missions were limited by “unflyable” weather and shortage of supplies of all kinds, including gas and bombs required to attack the enemy. With no missions to give them focus, squadron personnel were unprepared for the monotony that became their humdrum existence. They battled the boredom in a variety of ways that included card games, movies, reading, writing letters, and listening to music, as well as venturing into Peishiyi (now Baishiyi) village and Chungking (Chongqing) to shop and sample the local cuisine.

One of the hundreds of ships that transported veterans back home following the defeat of Japan in World War II, USS General George O. Squier departed Karachi on October 13, 1945. Passing through the Suez Canal and then heading west along the northern coast of Africa, it arrived at the Port of New York on November 2. TSgts James H. Mills and Robert N. Solyn, two of Squire's 3,343 passengers who passed through customs that day, were back home in time to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families.

Following lengthy preparations to ready the base for Maj. Gen. Claire L. Chennault's visit, Chinese and American personnel celebrated the first anniversary of the Chinese-American Composite Wing on October 8, 1944, at Peishiyi (Baishiyi) in Szechuan Province. The ceremony included recognition of several members of the 3rd and 4th Bomb Squadrons for their heroism in aerial combat..

With V-J day a reality at last, personnel of the 3rd Bomb Squadron and others of the Chinese-American Composite Wing (now disbanded), needed to be transported back to North America, but how could such a monumental task be accomplished? It was accomplished by bringing most of them home via "Magic Carpet Cruises." It proved to be the greatest mass movement of humanity ever attempted in history.

Major General Claire Lee Chennault, in command of the 14th Air Force and formerly of the American Volunteer Group, envisioned and implemented his grand experiment--the Chinese-American Composite Wing. His purposes were to rehabilitate the Chinese Air Force fighting under Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, head of the Republic of China, and to provide good will and understanding between the Chinese and Americans for the future. The CACW proved to be enormously successful and played a key role in defeating the Japanese invaders.

Following their evacuation from Kweilin (Guilin), the 3rd Bomb Squadron moved to Peishiyi Field near Chungking (Chonqing). Previously used by the American Volunteer Group, the facilities were dilapidated, chilly, and crowded. Supplies of all kinds, including gas and food, were in short supply, and menus generally comprised such unfamiliar and unappealing choices as water buffalo meat. "We didn't get food and supplies until the war in Europe was over."

Pilot of a B-25H, A/C #719, Capt. Mark T. Seacrest led the 3rd Bomb Squadron element, along with three 4th Bomb Squadron planes, on a joint mission from Hanchung. Their objective was to bomb and strafe the Yellow River Bridge. Providing close escort were eight 3rd Fighter Group P-40s that did their job well., despite being attacked by Japanese fighters, and eight 312th Fighter Wing P-47s as top cover that "hit the deck."

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.

On August 22, 1945, Maj. Gen. Takeo Imai, Vice-Chief of the General Staff of China Expeditionary Army, and his interpreter took part in the surrender of Japanese military forces in China. It took place in Chihkiang (now Zhijiang). This was the most easterly of the 14th Air Force bases at the time the Japanese attempted to capture it, but revitalized Chinese ground troops, supported by the 3rd and 4th Bomb Squadrons and the 5th Fighter Group, stopped the advance and turned the tide of war.

As 14th Air Force planes, including bombers and fighters of the Chinese-American Composite Wing, prepared for a suicide mission, code name "Butcher," to attack the infamous Yellow Bridge in an attempt to destroy it "once and for all," a message from the tower announced, "Don't take off. The flight's been canceled." When the 3rd Bomb Squadron's B-25s turned around and taxied back in, someone ran out onto the runway shouting, "The Japs have surrendered!"