From John Hill

Of Spokane, from an air base in China,

July 5, 1945

Well, I’m back on the job again and well. I stayed in the hospital 10 days and really rested. As you know, we had to bail out coming back from a mission. I hit the ground at 1:30 in the morning and as I was on the side of a mountain I decided not to move until the sun came up.

I then followed a small stream until I came to a small village. Gene and Wally were there and had been waiting for three hours. We got a guide and started out of the mountains. We walked until night and then slept at a small hut. The next morning, I couldn’t walk so two coolies carried me on a bamboo stretcher until noon. I was able to get a mule then and rode it that afternoon and all the next day.

At night time we came to a fairly large town, where we were met by a small Chinese garrison. They had signs reading, “Welcome to Our Brave Allied Pilots,” “Fall Down, Japs,” etc. The soldiers formed a guard of honor and escorted us to their headquarters. We rode through the town and almost the entire population lined up in the streets, shouting, clapping their hands and shooting off ten-foot strings of firecrackers.

They gave us a hot bath and then the fun started. We had a banquet in our honor with all of the dignitaries from miles around. We ate for about two hours and then the Chinese gave speeches in Chinese and then they sang songs. The Chinese major asked us to sing so we sang the “Air Corps Song.” After that we retired.

The next morning we embarked on a sampan. We rode all that day and half the next one. About noon we came to a very large town where they had an immense banquet pre-prepared. We finished the meal and rode a truck to an American air base.

It was more fun than work even if I did lose my airplane. I have another one now.

(John Hill died on April 11 this year in Spokane.)