Original Items. Only One Group Available. 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.

This is a really nice China-Burma-India WWII grouping including a very nice silk/rayon Blood chit, two Theater-made patches, and a nice set of Aircrew wings. 

The group includes:
- Very nice silk/rayon Blood chit with Chinese National flag. This example is serial numbered W191115 and measures 7½ x 10”. This example has virtually no flaws.
- Set of Aircrew pilot wings with double-pin back, although one pin is broken off. They are unmarked.
- Gorgeous Air Transport Command patch.
- Gorgeous theater-made China-Burma-India (CBI) patch made from bullion which has oxidized to a nice green color.

A great CBI group, ready for further research and display.

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.