recreation & entertainment

A fascinating and rare image of a party or similar celebration of mostly African-American CBIers at the American Red Cross club in Calcutta. While the numerous shoulder insignia leave no question that these are CBI veterans (see blow-up below), the time of the event is a mystery. Many African American CBIers where stationed in WWII, working at the docks, in...

Ladies sing during USO performance in the CBI during WWII. GI plays sax by stage prop labeled for the 748th Railway Operating Battalion.

African-American musician playing piano for other GIs in the CBI during WWII.

Alice Chong pressed into public relations duty at Kunming during the winter of 1943-44. When a visiting troupe of USO entertainers, Hollywood actors, visited the 14th U.S. Army Air Force base, Alice was detailed to lead them around, answer their questions, translate for them, and in general make them feel at home. Of the four Hollywood actors at center, Edmund...

Alice Chong and Captain Addison Bailey dance while another GI plays guitar. Captain Addison Bailey was Alice's immediate supervisor. He was a Jazz pianist in New York City before the war, and went back to this after the war as well. The guitar player (name currently unknown) in Bailey’s 14th Air Force band was one of the original “Hillbilly Musicians”...

Movie star Melvin Douglas, part of USO troupe, cutting the ribbon during a USO performance at Gushkara, India, during WWII.

Movie star Melvin Douglas, part of USO troupe, Gushkara, India, during WWII.

Variety skit at a USO show in Gushkara, India, during WWII. The boxes in front of the band players are labeled 748th ROB (748th Railway Operating Battalion).

Variety skit at a USO show in Gushkara, India, during WWII.

Enlisted man sings at a USO show in Gushkara, India, during WWII.