World War II Honoree

James Callan Graham

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Junction, Texas

Honored By

John S. Graham, Col USAF (Ret)

Relationship

Son

PILOT FROM 14 OCTOBER 43 - 20 DECEMBER 45. MOSTLY FLEW THE C-47, ALSO FLEW TRAINERS, THE P-51, B-25 BOMBERS, THE P-40 AND P-47 THUNDERBOLT. SERVED AS A CIVILIAN FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR THE ARMY AIR CORPS, THEN WAS COMMISSIONED AND ASSIGNED TO THE 5TH FERRYING GROUP, FD, ATC AT LOVE FIELD, DALLAS, TEXAS. WAS LATER SENT TO THE INDIA-CHINA WING, AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND, STATION 16 IN KARACHI, INDIA WHERE HE FLEW OVER 1000 HOURS, MOSTLY IN THE C-47, THROUGHOUT THE THEATER, INCLUDING AIRLIFT MISSIONS OVER THE HUMP INTO CHINA. IN EARLY 1944, BURMA WAS IN JAPANESE HANDS. FROM THERE, THEY WERE ATTACKING EASTERN INDIA AND THE AERIAL SUPPLY ROUTE TO CHINA, OVER THE HUMP. THE JAPANESE HAD ALREADY CUT OFF ALL LAND ACCESS TO CHINA; THE HUMP ROUTE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET SUPPLIES INTO CHINA. ON MAY 17, 1944, BRIGADIER GENERAL FRANK D. MERRILL (MERRILL’S MARAUDERS), SUSTAINED MAINLY BY AIRDROPS DURING WHICH HE FLEW AT LEAST 6 C-47 COMBAT MISSIONS, RETOOK THE AIRFIELD AT MYITKYINA IN NORTHERN BURMA ALLOWING CRITICAL SUPPLY ROUTES INTO CHINA TO BE RESTORED.