The 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing of the 14th Air Force, flew B-25 Mitchell bombers in combat against the Japanese in the China-Burma-India (CBI) theater in World War II.

This squadron, like others in the CACW (both bomber and fighter), combined Chinese and American personnel, with officers and enlisted men representing both nationalities at every level of organization, from commanding officers down to cooks and orderly room clerks. Although the aircraft were all of American origin, Chinese and American aircrews routinely flew missions together, often with mixed crews on board a single aircraft.

The 14th Air Force insignia featured a tiger with wings representing General Chennault’s famed “Flying Tigers;” the Chinese-American Composite Wing was symbolized by a winged tiger and a dragon that represented China, shown ripping apart an imperial Japanese flag; and the squadron insignia featured an “armed” skunk. The 3rd Bomb Squadron specialized in low-altitude ground attack operations. Members of the unit sometimes referred to themselves as the “Spray and Pray Boys,” and the “Flying Skunk Squadron” sometimes appeared in newspaper articles back home.

This comprehensive narrative history of the squadron was authored by Margaret Mills Kincannon, who has searched through official reports, networked with veterans and families of veterans, and amassed a large collection of vintage photos over the past decade. This book is the result of her exhaustive research, jelling information from a wide variety of primary sources into a cohesive and highly readable history of a bomb squadron in the Pacific Theater.

Her purpose in compiling this definitive history of the 3rd Bomb Squadron was to honor those courageous and dedicated men—both Chinese and Americans—who worked and fought side by side, putting aside their differences for the cause of freedom.