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.

As 1945 began, military discipline and courtesy in the new China Theater came under increasingly-careful scrutiny, especially in Chungking (Chongqing). Reports that ranged from failure to salute officers and incomplete or improper uniform to public intoxication and coercing local young women to accompany GIs to the photographer’s shop had been received at Chinese-American Composite Wing headquarters. Maj. Gen. Claire L. Chennault issued a letter to all unit commanders of the 14^th Air Force in which he referenced a recently-received radiogram from Maj. Gen. Albert C. Wedemeyer: "The CO was very much displeased with lack of discipline and general sloppy appearance of all ranks and grades.” He urged all personnel under his command, both officers and enlisted men, to be properly dressed while outside their quarters in the prescribed uniform according to the type of duty to be performed or the social activity in which they were engaged and that they "avail themselves" of the facilities provided for shaving, although facial hair had previously been overlooked. "Poor discipline reflects directly on combat and operational efficiency." Chennault warned, "Such comments on the state of discipline of this command as quoted above are a source of embarrassment to me and I expect every commander to take immediate vigorous corrective action to prevent a recurrence of this criticism.”

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.