World War II Patches

These two patches were worn by members of the 17th Troop Carrier Squadron during World War II. The patch on the left is the United States Army Air Corps patch, and the patch on the right is the China-Burma-India theater patch. The CBI patch is one of the most widely recognized patches of WW II. The star on the left of the CBI patch stands for the Nationalist Chinese and the star on the right for the United States. Many GIs who served in the CBI campaign have quipped that it stood for "Confused Bastards in India." (Original patches courtesy of Mrs. William A. "Genevieve" Hitchcock.)