Air Transport Command airfield at Lijiang (Likiang)

I studied in Yunnan last spring and visited several of the airfields used by the American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers", the 14th Air Force, and Air Transport Command (the "Hump" pilots). These photos show the Air Transport Command airfield at Lijiang (Likiang) near Baisha village in the northwest of Yunnan. Used mostly as an emergency field, this airfield was where famous botanist/anthropologist Joseph Rock fled from approaching communist forces in 1949. These photos show 1) the runway looking south, 2) the runway looking north, and 3) the remains of the administration buildings. (click photo to enlarge)

These photos are of the airfield at Yunnanyi. This was originally a training base for the Chinese Air Force with AVG advisors. It was intended for the other AVGs that the outbreak of war with the US negated. After the AVG was disbanded, it was used mostly by the 23rd Fighter Group, as well as the ATC and other 14th Air Force units. As a forward base close to the Sino-Burmese border, it was the site of many air battles as the JAAF in Burma sought to neutralize it. Most famous were the Christmas 1942 raids in which Lt. Robert Mooney, wounded and with a badly damaged plane, stayed at the controls to avoid it crashing into the town (Xiang Yun) below. He bailed out too low as a result and was severely injured, dying later that night. He was credited with two Ki-43s in the battle. These photos show (click photo to enlarge):

The aerial photo was supplied by Mr. Ge Shuya of Kunming. The revetment in the first group of photos is the one on the far right. The revetment in the second is the one to its left. The bomb shelter is around the "p" in transport. The road next to the first revetment leads to the American compound. The hardstand is near where it says "Former AVG Area".

These are photos of the airfield at Chenggong (Chenkung) near Kunming. This was the home of the 308th Bomb Group, 14th Air Force using B-24 bombers. It is now a PLAAF reserve field and home to three worn-out biplane trainers. The stone rollers were used, in the absence of steam rollers, to pack down the gravel airstrips. They were each pulled by teams of two-three hundred people.

These are photos taken in Kunming. I could not take photos of the airfield itself because it is now a PLAAF airfield and I had the bad luck of being there during the spyplane incident. The first group of photos is of the #1 Hostel in Kunming. This was the home of the AVG's 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears" and 3rd Squadron "Hell's Angels". It was also home to the AVG headquarters staff (including General Chennault) and occaisionally to General Stilwell and Generalissimo and Madame Chaing Kai-shek. This is also where General Doolittle pinned his General's stars onto General (then Colonel) Chennault. The photos show the cornerstone, front facade, and a light fixture in the foyer. The second group shows the #3 Hostel near the airfield, home to the 1st Squadron "Adam and Eves" of the AVG. It was known as "Adobe City" by the men who lived there. The third group shows the downtown Kunming headquarters of General Chennault. I am part of an effort to preserve and restore the #1 Hostel along with a group in Kunming. If you want to see what it looked like in its glory days, look in the new (May 2002) issue of "World War II" magazine.