Original Items. One-of-a-Kind. This is a phenomenal & attractive grouping of patches, medals, and one stellar pillow-sham identified to Sergeant Edward J. Doyle of the CBI (China Burma India) Air Transport Command. Many of the pieces have small tags naming them to Doyle. The group includes a gorgeous American Flag Multi-Piece Leather Patch which is commonly seen on A2 jackets, and much more.

The group includes:

- Beautiful American Flag Multi-Piece Leather Patch measuring 9⅞ x 7¾ with a tag at the bottom reading SGT. EDWARD J. DOYLE.
- Gorgeous CBI Pillow-sham made from black velvet with bullion insignia and lettering. Measures 16½ x 16½”. Great shape overall with the bullion insignia still great.
- Theater-Made Air Transport Command patch made from leather and embossed. 3¾” diameter.
- Theater-Made CBI Patch with tag reading EDWARD J. DOYLE on reverse. Some damage and tearing.  
- Theater-Made Army Air Force patch with Doyle’s name on back. Leather and felt, great shape. 
- Doyle’s medals including the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the WWII Victory Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal, Japanese Army of Occupation medal, and Good Conduct Medal. None are engraved.
- Air Transport Command enamel pin and mini patch. Great shape.

This is a fantastic CBI grouping that requires more research. Some truly beautiful pieces! Comes ready for further research and display.

The China-Burma-India Theater

Officially established June 22, 1942, the China-Burma-India Theater of Operations (CBI) is often referred to as the Forgotten Theater of World War II. Of the 12,300,000 Americans under arms at the height of World War II mobilization, only about 250,000 (two percent) were assigned to the CBI Theater. Relatively few Americans were in combat in the theater. The 12,000 mile supply line, longest of the war, was often last in line for supplies from the United States.

Not forgotten to Allied war planners, CBI was important to the overall war strategy.  Occupation of Burma in 1942 by Japanese forces cut the last supply line of communication between China and the outside world. Keeping China in the war was important as it occupied an estimated 800,000 Japanese troops that might have been used elsewhere. A military airlift to supply China was begun although it was generally agreed that this would not be enough and a land supply route would be needed. A road from Ledo, Assam, India was begun in late 1942. Ledo was chosen because it was close to the northern terminus of a rail line from the ports of Calcutta and Karachi.  Construction of the Ledo Road was completed in early 1945.

Allied forces in CBI, mostly British, Chinese, and Indian, engaged large numbers of Japanese troops. America's role in CBI was to support China by providing war materials and the manpower to get it to where it was needed. The Flying Tigers fought the Japanese in the air over China and Burma. The Services of Supply managed supplies from the U.S. to India and on to China. Army Air Forces flew supplies Over The Hump from India to China. Merrill's Marauders and the Mars Task Force fought through the jungles of Burma. Army Engineers built the Ledo Road to open up the land supply route.