By February 16, 1945, thirty B-25s from all four squadrons of the 1^st Bomb Group—called the “Gambay Group—had converged at Hanchung for a huge raid against railroad yards at Shihkiachwang (Shijiazhuang), Hopeh (Hebei) Province, on the following day. Because their fighter escort failed to join them, the bombers separated into two elements and diverted to alternate targets in the big Yellow River bend. The first element turned south to attack railroad yards at Yunchen. The 1^st Bomb Squadron’s Mitchells formed "Benton" flight, and 4^th and 3^rd Squadron planes made up "Charlotte." Nearly all bombs missed their targets and landed in rice paddies or villages outside the target area. The second element was slightly more effective. The 2^nd Bomb Squadron and remainder of the 3^rd Squadron, forming "Akron" and "Detroit" flights, turned north and attacked railroad yards, tracks, and barracks at Linfen. After a delay caused by foul weather, the four squadrons flew a successful joint mission against machine shops and rails at Taiyuan on February 21.

Maj. Chester M. Conrad served from March 1944 to February 1945 as commanding officer of the 3^rd Bomb Squadron, 1^st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing. Known as "Chet" back home, he had picked up the sobriquet "Coondog" somewhere along the way (his radio call sign, according to my father). While previously serving in the 2^nd Bomb Squadron, his aircrew was credited with shooting down a Japanese bomber. Conrad, with his 3^rd Squadron, later provided air support to Chinese and American ground forces that retook Myitkyina, a Japanese stronghold used to attack Allied planes crossing the Himalayan “Hump.” He participated in many other successful missions, including a raid against storage facilities on the Hankow docks in January 1945. After his return to the US the following month, he continued to work with Chinese airmen. His military career was cut short in 1955, when then-Lt. Col. Conrad died as a result heart disease.

Along with several other replacements, 1Lt. Willard G. Ilefeldt had been attached to the 3^rd Bomb Squadron as a B-25 pilot and appointed a flight leader in November 1944. Ilefeldt, called “Tex” because of an early childhood spent in Texas, additionally assumed the role of historical officer in January 1945. His first combat mission was a joint raid with the 2^nd and 4^th Bomb Squadrons against storage areas on the docks of Hankow. The bombers were escorted by 3^rd Fighter Group P-40s and P-51s. Results were excellent. Ilefeldt went on to complete 37 missions before the end of the war. He returned from Calcutta to New York in November 1945. Although called a “dumb kid” as a child, he so successfully overcame his dyslexia and hyperactivity that he became an Episcopal priest and earned a Doctorate in Pastoral Counseling. He later became a published author.

On January 21, 1945, the 3^rd Bomb Squadron began its move to Liangshan. Transporting everything that could not be carried aboard the B-25s, three separate details of enlisted men left Peishiyi to transfer squadron equipment and supplies by truck, sampan, and river steamer. Their new airfield was located about forty-five miles due west of Wanhsien (Wanzhou), the largest nearby town on the upper reaches of the Yangtze, and just north of a small mountain range.  My father, then Sgt. James H. (“Hank”) Mills, clearly remembered the journey and described it many years afterward. Others have also shared their recollections of it, as well as of Liangshan Field that became their base of operations after their arrival.

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 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

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.