My father at the Kunming Control Tower, destination of most Hump flights
Thanks to its temperate climate and mile high altitude, Kunming is known to Chinese citizens as the city of eternal spring. Now numbering 7 million residents, it is a governmental and manufacturing center for the region. But in WWII, it was bustling with American and Allied pilots, the destination of most flights flying “The Hump”, the moniker given to the treacherous transport operation over the Himalayas from India to western China bringing fuel for the American and Chinese armies fighting the Japanese. On November 15, 1945, the WWII Hump operation closed, three months after the official ending of the war. Additional time was required to move troops and equipment back from China and India and planes continued to fly that treacherous route.
More Americans are familiar with the Flying Tigers led by Texas born General Chennault who commanded an early small group of fighter pilots to attack Japanese Zero fighters harassing Kunming, China. The Hump operation is not as widely known but is respected by WWII buffs. In contrast, Chinese citizens and their government remember our help well and have found ways to commemorate it, especially in Kunming.
The Hump was considered one of the most dangerous flying routes in the world and American pilots flew in what would be considered primitive planes today, C46s, C47s and C54s. They wore uncomfortable oxygen masks, guided by basic instruments with little knowledge of the weather’s forecast. Cold Siberian winds collided with warm, wet fronts from the Bay of Bengal, causing dangerous wind currents and icing. Overloaded planes crashed. Fuel barrels exploded in midair. Inexperienced pilots lost their way. Over 600 planes and 1300 crew members were lost. My farmer father flew that route 150 times in 1945.
On a visit to Kunming to follow my father’s WWII footsteps as a Hump pilot, I was touched by the ways the citizens honor this operation, beginning with a driver named Happy Jack who couldn’t get over having a Hump Pilot’s child in his van. “Your country helped us,” he repeated often. He took us to a restaurant called The Hump. Attached to the outside wall was an airplane propeller with globe lights above outlining the Hump flight pattern over silhouetted mountains and a sign that read, “The Hump since 2000.” Inside, manager Mr. Wong welcomed us and gave a history of the restaurant and the pilot veterans he had welcomed since 2000. His father remembered running from the Japanese when their airplanes approached and was one of many who were saved by the appearance of the Flying Tigers and who remained hopeful because of The Hump operation. War memorabilia and photos decorated the interior as the young clientele drank coffee and visited. Mr. Wong paid tribute to my visit, saying, “Your father helped our country.”
At the Kunming City Museum, the American Volunteer Group Memorial Hall is next to the Dinosaur Fossil Exhibition. Expecting a display or two, I was stunned by the rooms filled with war memorabilia, photos and details of the Allied presence in China during the war. Kunming is especially respectful towards General Chennault and his Flying Tigers but towards the end of this section were displays honoring those who flew The Hump. A parachute survival kit included a watch, knife, needle pliers, an AAF stereoscope used for map reading, an AAF Hump Pilot map, a survival book for the jungle and first aid packet, equipment that would help a downed pilot walk the thin line between life and death.
Hump Monument Dedicated to WWII pilots
The largest acknowledgment of the importance of The Hump operation is still the Hump Monument opened in 1993 and built to “commemorate this daring feat in the history of aviation and friendship between Sino-American soldiers and civilians fighting shoulder to shoulder in the anti-fascist battle.” Made of white marble the thoughtful design has three layers of meaning – an outline of a plane merged with two mountain tops with a large H blended in – H for the Hump, mountains reflecting the Himalayas and the plane for the transport. A history of the Hump and the part that the Chinese people played in its operation were recorded in a nearby display. Photos of the rock of the airfields being crushed under large concrete rollers pulled and pushed by individual Chinese was a reminder of the combined efforts in the air and on the ground to make the Hump operation successful. Happy Jack read every word of the display and continuously thanked me for my father’s service.
Prior to arriving in Kunming, I had visited my father’s base in the Assam valley of India where little note is made of its wartime importance. The reception in Kunming countered that indifference with much appreciation for his work, a recognition of a time when Americans and Chinese worked together, an appreciation that has survived for 75 years.
Enjoyed reconnecting with Sisti Walker through her book about her father’s service with the Hump Pilots during WWII. Thanks to fellow PHS ‘70s grad John Hillman for sharing with me her book. God bless all who are or have served for our country
I read your article in the Lubbock Avalanche Journal. My dad was from Spade, Texas and he flew the Hump during WWII. Similar to your dad, he didn’t talk alot about his experiences there. His name was Delbert Mouser and he past in 1996. I notice you write for the Paris News. My son and his family live there and we come that way from time to time. I plan to purchase your book. I have a book about the Hump that lists most of the pilots that flew there.
How nice to hear from you, Ron. I love connecting with other Hump pilots’ children. Very few of them talked about their experiences. My father died when I was 16 but years later my aunt had an interview with a pilot that flew with my father as a co-pilot on Dad’s last two trips over the Himalayas. They were both stationed in Missamari, India. Mr. Jennings gave a detailed picture of life as a pilot and I was inspired to go there and Kunming, China which was the terminus of most flights over the Hump. In writing the book, I also drew on the few books out about the Hump and especially those which had personal stories of other pilots.
What is the name of the book that you have with the list of Hump pilots? Does it have my father’s name – Ray Charles Walker?
And, what a coincidence about your son being in Paris. is he a coach? If you are ever this way, I would love to meet and compare stories. And, finally, please let me know what you think of my book. My email is maryclarktraveler@gmail.com
All the best and thank you for writing.
Mary