U.S. ARMY AIR FORCES
in
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA

In 1941 the U.S. made a series of decisions to support China in its war with Japan. Lend Lease supplies were provided after President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the defense of China to be vital to the defense of the United States. Over the summer, as Japan moved south into French Indo-China, the U.S., Britain and the Netherlands instituted an oil embargo on Japan, cutting off 90% of its supplies.

The U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) was created in June 1941 as successor to the Army Air Corps. A component of the U.S. Army, USAAF provided military aviation and controlled its own installations and support personnel. At its peak size, there were 2.4 million men and women assigned with nearly 80,000 aircraft. In 1947 the USAAF became an independent service, the U.S. Air Force.

On the 7th and 8th of December, 1941, Japanese Naval and Army Forces performed surprise attacks on the Pearl Harbor area of Hawaii, Malaya, Guam, the Philippine Islands, Wake Island, Midway Island and Hong Kong. The evening of the 8th, President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke to the combined members of Congress.

Most Americans learned of the Japanese attack the evening of the 8th, when that speech was broadcast by all American radio networks.

Following the Japanese surprise offensive attacks on December 7-8, 1941, Japanese forces quickly moved from Thailand and Sumatra into Burma. By mid-March, Japan had cut off Allied supplies to China that had been coming through British Hong Kong and Burma. China could be supplied only by flying over the Himalaya mountains ("The Hump") from India, or re-capturing territory in Burma and building a new road—the Ledo Road.

China Burma India Theater was the United States military designation during World War II for the China and Southeast Asian or India-Burma (IBT) theaters; the term "CBI" was significant in logistical, material and personnel matters; it was and is commonly used within the USA for these theaters. Operational command of Allied forces (including US forces) in the CBI was officially the responsibility of the Supreme Commanders for South East Asia or China. However, US forces in practice were usually overseen by General Joseph Stilwell, the Deputy Allied Commander in China.

During World War II thousands of men — mostly boys, really — were assigned to USAAF units serving in the CBI theater of war. Their task, at the direction of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and approved by Congress and the American people, was to wage war, to stop an aggressive enemy from enslaving the people and plundering the resources of East Asian countries, specifically China, Burma and India.

These men served their country well! They overcame the hardships, accepted the sacrifices, and performed their duties outstandingly. In spite of their youth and naivete, and despite the isolation of being halfway around the world from those they had vowed to protect, each of them accepted that Freedom is worth fighting, and perhaps dying, for! All of them knew the risks and many, ultimately, sacrificed their lives. Their outstanding accomplishments in, arguably, one of the most difficult theaters of the war emphasize the courage, dedication and ingenuity of all the World War II veterans who defended an ideal and their way of life!

The men made the long trip from the United States of America to the corner of Asia, the "CBI", where they accepted their tasks and performed the work necessary to deprive the enemy of war materials, weapons and sanctuary.

The websites presented here are our tribute to veterans of the U.S. Army Air Forces serving in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II! We are dedicated to sharing as best we can the information related to their experiences while serving their country.