Cool WWII CBI Embroidery, Possible Ties to USAAF 25th Fighter Sq. (51st FG, 10th AF) My Assam Dragon

ARTIFACT: Cool WWII China-Burma-India CBI Theater embroidery possibly with ties to the United States Army Air Forces 25th Fighter Squadron (51st Fighter Group, 10th Air Force). The embroidery features a USAAF CBI Theater Patch, a shield with a white sun and white five-point star with a red center against a background of navy blue and red and white stripes beneath. There is a two headed dragon wrapped around the CBI Patch in lovely color and embroidery. Surrounding the center it reads: "CHINA", "BURMA", "INDIA" and along the bottom reads: "MY ASSAM DRAGON", a play on words. The 10th AF was stationed at the 1328th ATC Base Unit in Assam. The motto of the unit became: "ASSAM", "OUR ASSAM DRAGGIN".

"CHINA — One of the little stories of the war is how "e;Our Assam Draggin"e; Fighter Squadron of the "e;Flying Horse"e; Fighter Group went out to bomb Japanese and returned from each mission with canned food and beer to fill their empty larder. On one of the bombing missions against the Japanese in Burma, pilots of the "e;Assam Draggin"e; Squadron in Maj. Gen. C. L. Chennault's 14th Air Force, landed on an advanced 10th Air Force Fighter strip. In comparing complaints, the pilots soon discovered that one had what the other wanted. The pilots from China wanted beer, spam, corn willie and all the other canned items available in India. The boys in India would have given their right arm and half of next month's pay for a fresh egg. Also, the advance fighter strip in Burma had plenty of gas and bombs. It wasn't long before a shuttle bomb run, the first of its kind, was set up for the China pilots. Loading bombs at their home field, they would include a small box with 50 or 100 fresh eggs packed in rice straw in the baggage compartment. After completing the mission the pilots landed in Burma. There they again gassed up, had bombs put on, substituted a case of beer or spam or corn willie for the case of eggs, and bombed the Japs on their return trip to the home base. The missions were successful. The Japs were hit twice while the gas supply in China was diminished only by the amount necessary to run one mission. Visitors to the advanced China base are still wondering why the enlisted men and officers of the fighter outfit looked so well fed when the chow was so meager." CBI Roundup January 11, 1945 - International Exchange

VINTAGE: Circa WWII.

SIZE: Approximately 20-1/4" in height x 12-3/8" in width.

MATERIALS / CONSTRUCTION: Embroidered silk, cotton/silk thread.

ATTACHMENT: N/A.

MARKINGS: None.

ITEM NOTES: This is from a WWII CBI collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. CON-DHJ-25-16 LFGEX3/16 SEJJX02/18

CONDITION: 7 (Very Fine): The embroidery shows moderate to heavy wear and soiling, the thread remains intact and the colors bright.