Documenting the American South

Monument Name

China-Burma-India (CBI) Memorial, Charlotte

Type

Marker

Subjects

World War II

City

Charlotte

County

Mecklenburg

Description

This marker commemorates the service of American military personnel in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II. It is composed of a rectangular granite slab, approximately four feet tall by three feet wide, with the red, white, and blue shoulder sleeve insignia of the China-Burma-India forces of the United States Army Air Forces. Below the insignia, the granite has a long inscription commemorating the comprehensive efforts of those involved in this area of military effort in World War II, considered by many a forgotten effort. Remembrances of pilots, flight mechanics, ground troops, engineers, communication units, cargo squadrons, and nurses and doctors are among the commemorations. The rear of the marker bears a shorter inscription.

Images: Front inscription | Rear inscription

Inscription

Front: 1941 [insignia] 1945 / CBI / THE MEMBERS OF THE METROLINA BASHA CHINA-BURMA-INDIA VETERANS ASSOC. / REMEMBER WITH HONOR THE VALOR AND SACRIFICE OF THEIR COMRADES WHO / SERVED IN THE CBI THEATRE IN WORLD WAR II. THEY REMEMBER THE PILOTS / AND CREWS WHO FLEW THE HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS, “THE HUMP” FROM THE ASSAM / AIRBASES IN EAST INDIA WITH VITALLY NEEDED SUPPLIES FOR THE CHINESE / NATIONALIST FORCES AND THE AMERICAN AIR FORCES IN CHINA. THEY REMEMBER / THE GALLANT MEN OF MERRILL'S MARAUDERS WHO PENETRATED JAPANESE - HELD / BURMA AND FOUGHT FEROCIOUSLY IN A SAVAGE JUNGLE TO DEFEAT THE ENEMY / AND SECURE VITAL LAND AND AIRBASES TO CARRY THE WAR CLOSER TO JAPANESE / TERRITORY. THEY REMEMBER THE PILOTS AND CREWS OF THE BOMBER SQUADRONS / WHO DELIVERED THEIR DEADLY CARGO TO THE ENEMY AND THE GROUND CREWS WHO / KEPT THE PLANES FLYING. THEY REMEMBER THE FLYING TIGERS WHO HELD THE / ENEMY AT BAY FOR SEVERAL MONTHS BEFORE THE UNITED STATES ENTERED THE FIGHT AND THEIR DESCENDANT FIGHTER SQUADRONS THROUGHOUT THE CBI WHO / RENDERED IMPORTANT SERVICE IN STRAFING AND BOMBING MISSIONS AND KNOCKING / THE ENEMY FROM THE SKIES. THEY REMEMBER THE LIFE-SAVING DOCTORS AND THE / BRAVE WOMEN OF THE NURSING CORPS WHO BROUGHT TENDERNESS AND LOVING / CARE TO SICK AND WOUNDED SOLDIERS. THEY REMEMBER THE MEN WHO WORKED ON / AND DROVE SUPPLIES OVER THE LEDO-BURMA ROAD TO CHINA. THEY REMEMBER THE / MEN OF THE OSS IN BURMA, THE AIR COMMANDO UNITS THE COMBAT CARGO AND TROOP CARRIER SQUADRONS / THE SEARCH AND RESCUE UNITS, THE COMBAT ENGINEERS / THE SIGNAL CORPS AND THE COMMUNICATIONS UNITS AND THEY REMEMBER ALL / THEIR OTHER COMRADES WHO WORKED ON THE FLIGHT LINES THE DOCKS THE / PIPELINES IN OPERATIONS OFFICES AND THE FILTHY JUNGLE MANY HAD TO / LIVE AND FIGHT IN AS COMPATRIOTS IN THE CAUSE OF LIBERTY FOR ALL MANKIND / ERECTED BY THE METROLINA BASHA C.B.I. VETERANS ASSOCIATION JAN 2000

Rear: "WHEN YOU GO HOME / TELL THEM OF US AND SAY / FOR THEIR TOMORROW / WE GAVE OUR TODAY." / QUOTE FROM A MEMORIAL IN THE BRITISH / MILITARY CEMETERY, KOHIMA BATTLEFIELD / NAGALAND PROVINCE, INDIA

Custodian

Freedom Park, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation

Dedication Date

April 9, 2000

Decade

2000s

Geographic Coordinates

35.191000 , -80.843530 View in Geobrowse

Supporting Sources

"China Burma India Memorial - Freedom Park - Charlotte, NC," Waymarking.com, (accessed January 12, 2014) Link

"China Burma India Memorial - Freedom Park - Charlotte, NC," Waymarking.com, (accessed November 12, 2019) Link

Smithsonian Institution. "Insignia, Unit, China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater, United States Army Air Forces," Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Inventory Number A19951186000, (accessed April 23, 2019) Link

United States Army Center of Military History. "The China-Burma-India Theater," US Army in WWII, (accessed April 23, 2013) Link

“Unsung…Until Now,” Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC), April 8, 2000, 1B

Public Site

Yes

Materials & Techniques

Granite

Sponsors

Metrolina Basha C.B.I. Veterans Association

Subject Notes

Operations in the Southeast Asian theater of China, Burma, and India in World War II grew out of the United States' decision in 1941 to aid China's war against Japan following Japan's invasion of China in 1937. The term "CBI" was used to designate this operational effort which began prior to the official entry of the U.S. into the war. Military efforts in this area included supporting China, Burma, and India against Japanese invasion by building roads and pipelines to transport supplies and conducting military offensives on the ground and from the air. The U.S. operations were lead by Lt. General Joseph W. Stilwell. Among the operational units recognized by the monument, it specifically recalls the efforts of the Flying Tigers and Merrill's Marauders.

Location

The monument is located in Freedom Park on the east side of the walking path just to the north of the lake. Freedom Park can be reached off Princeton Avenue to the south or Freedom Park Service Road to the north.

Landscape

The monument sits in the grass just off the paved walking path and is flanked by low evergreen shrubs. The park's wooded areas are several feet behind the monument.