Itanagar, Nov 30: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu and US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti jointly inaugurated the Hump WWII Museum in Pasighat. The museum, dedicated to the fallen airmen of the Allied forces, is the second of its kind in Asia. It serves as a tribute to the 1600 fallen US airmen, showcasing remnants of aircraft from World War II, according to Chief Minister Khandu.
This marks Ambassador Garcetti’s first visit to the frontier state, which China claims as an extension of South Tibet. Past visits by US ambassadors to Arunachal Pradesh, particularly during the Tawang festival, have been met with opposition from China.
The museum’s name, “The Hump WWII,” is a reference to the air route that pilots of the Allied forces took from airfields in Assam to those in Yunnan, China. The route earned its nickname because aircraft had to navigate deep gorges and quickly ascend over mountains exceeding 10,000 feet.
Honored to inaugurate “The Hump: WW2 Museum” in Pasighat. This incredible site, dedicated to preserving our U.S.-India shared World War II history — the remarkable Allied Forces aerial supply route and the bravery of those who took to the air to save lives. This museum is a… pic.twitter.com/fAuO8uLU2A
— U.S. Ambassador Eric Garcetti (@USAmbIndia) November 29, 2023
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During the years 1942 to 1945, military aircraft transported nearly 650,000 tonnes of supplies, including fuel, food, and ammunition, to China through this challenging route. The operation, known as “The Hump,” was a remarkable military effort.
The US Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) conducted a 30-day mission in 2016-17 to search for remains of unaccounted-for US airmen. Approximately 400 US airmen are missing in India, with their remains believed to be located in the Himalayan mountains, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh.
The Hump route saw the operation of around 590 aircraft over 42 months, resulting in the loss of 1,500 airmen and passengers. Most of these crashes occurred in present-day Arunachal Pradesh. Since 2013, the US government, in collaboration with the Arunachal Pradesh government and the local community, has conducted missions to locate the remains of aircraft and victims of The Hump.
The challenging Hump route covered areas in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Tibet, Yunnan (China), and Myanmar. The Allied forces opted for this route due to the Japanese blockade of the 1150-km Burma road connecting Myanmar and China.
