On March 19, the CATF was disbanded and replaced by the Fourteenth Air Force, with Chennault, now a major general, still in command. “The CATF passed into history with its planes still grounded for lack of gas,” Chennault wrote, “and its personnel huddled around charcoal stoves all over Yunan, still cursing Delhi for the lack of supplies.”

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In the nine months of its existence, the China Air Task Force shot down 149 Japanese planes, plus 85 probables, with a loss of only 16 P-40s. It had flown 65 bombing missions against Japanese targets in China, Burma and Indochina, dropping 311 tons of bombs and losing only one B-25 bomber.

“The CATF was probably the smallest American air force ever to be dignified by the command of a general,” Claire Chennault wrote. “It certainly was the raggedest. Its paperwork was poor, and salutes were scarce, but when the signals were called for combat, it never missed a play.” *

William B. Allmon writes from Jefferson City, Mo. For further reading, he suggests: Way of a Fighter, by Claire L. Chennault; God is My Co-Pilot, by Colonel Robert L. Scott; The Flying Tigers, by John Toland; and The Ragged, Rugged Warriors, by Martin Caidin.

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