Chinese civilian airfield construction workers are seen pulling a stone roller at a Kunming airfield in late 1944.  In the distance, a USAAF Air Transport Command Curtisss C-46 Commando transport is seen lifting of the airfield’s main runway.  This rare color photograph was taken USAAF A.T.C. “Hump Pilot,”  Don Downie from the cockpit of his C-46 transport plane.

2. Donald M. Bishop, Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the American Embassy in Beijing, USAF Lieutenant Colonel John Robinson, Jr., Air Attache at the American Embassy in Beijing, retired USAF Brigadier General and former Senior U.S. Defense Attache at the American Embassy in Beijing Jon A. Reynolds, representing the USAF Museum, retired ARNG Brigadier General Michael Teilmann, Executive Director of the Bob Hope Hollywood USO at Los Angeles Airport, Jeffrey B. Greene, Executive Director, SAAHF and the official representative of the Boeing Corporation are seen rendering honors during the playing of the American and Chinese national anthems at the opening of the Stone Roller “Hand-Over” ceremony.

3. Elderly men who helped build the airfields in China used during the Second World War by the Flying Tigers, the 14th Air Force, and the aviators flying the Hump Route from India to China are greeted at the stone roller donation ceremony by USAF Lieutenant Colonel John Robinson, Jr., Air Attache at the American Embassy in Beijing.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

4. Officials attending the stone roller donation ceremony in Kunming China gather in front of the former headquarters of the 14th Air Force. Left to right: Jeffrey B. Greene, Executive Director, Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation; retired ARNG Brigadier General Michael Teilmann, Executive Director of the Bob Hope Hollywood USO at Los Angeles Airport; Cheng Yingxuan, Deputy Governor of Yunnan Province; Donald M. Bishop, Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the American Embassy in Beijing; Yan Youqiong, Vice Chairman of the Yunnan branch of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds, representing the USAF Museum; and Lieutenant Colonel John Robinson, Jr., Air Attache at the American Embassy in Beijing.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

5. Retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds greets one of the workers who helped construct the airfields in Kunming used during the Second World War by the Flying Tigers, the 14th Air Force, and the aviators flying the Hump Route from India to China.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

6. Three of the men who constructed airfields in Kunming used during the Second World War by the Flying Tigers, the 14th Air Force, and the aviators flying the Hump Route from India to China gather for the stone roller donation ceremony.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

7. As former airfield constructor worker Cao Fuxing departs the stage after making remarks at the stone roller donation ceremony, he was surprised to be saluted by the American officers.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

8. At the ceremony to donate a stone roller used to level and pave runways used by the Flying Tigers, the 14th Air Force, and the aviators flying the Hump Route from India to China during the Second World War, Yunnan Province Deputy Governor Cheng Yingxuan presents a donation certificate to Retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds, representing the U.S. Air Force Museum. They stand between two young women in the dress of local minority peoples.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

9. Officials at the stone roller donation ceremony gather for a group photo. Left to right: Retired ARNG Brigadier General Michael Teilmann, Executive Director of the Bob Hope Hollywood USO at Los Angeles Airport; the Director of the Yunnan Province Foreign Affairs Office; Retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds, representing the U.S. Air Force Museum; Donald M. Bishop, Minister-Counselor for Public Affairs at the American Embassy in Beijing; Madam Cheng Yingxuan, Deputy Governor of Yunnan Province; John Robinson, Jr., Air Attache at the American Embassy in Beijing; and Jeffrey B. Greene, Executive Director of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

10. Kunming farmer Cao Fuxing teaches Executive Director SAAHF Jeffrey B. Greene, American Embassy Public Affairs Officer Donald Bishop, the Yunnan Province Foreign Affairs Office Director Shi MingHui, and retired ARNG Brigadier General Michael Teilmann how the Americans in China during World War II often gave his fellow airfield workers the thumbs up sign while saying "Ding Hao" -- meaning "good indeed" or "well done."

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

11. Kunming farmer Cao Fuxing, retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds (left) and retired ARNG Brigadier General Michael Teilmann (right) show their approval of Stone Roller “Hand-Over” Ceremony to the Chinese “media” by enthusiastically flashing the “thumbs-up” gesture.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

12. Retired nurse Huang Huanxiao (Rita Wong), the only Chinese nurse tending wounded Americans at the U.S. Army hospitals in Guilin and Yuannanyi during the Second World War, is thanked at the stone roller donation ceremony by Retired USAF Brigadier General Jon A. Reynolds, American Embassy official Donald M. Bishop, and Jeffrey B. Greene, Executive Director of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)

13. At the stone roller donation ceremony, retired nurse Huang Huanxiao (Rita Wong) laughs to see one of her photographs taken during the Second World War, when she was the only Chinese nurse tending wounded Americans at the U.S. Army hospitals in Guilin and Yuannanyi.  Standing with Mrs. Wong is her good friend Ms. Gao Liliang, the President of the Yunnan  Aviators Association.

(American Embassy photo by Deng Yi)