Itanagar: The inauguration of a distinctive museum featuring remnants from an aircraft crash during World War II in Arunachal Pradesh is set to take place, with US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, officiating the event.
Scheduled for Wednesday, the ‘Hump World War II’ museum, located in Pasighat, East Siang district, has been spearheaded by Chief Minister Pema Khandu.
Chief Minister Khandu, while overseeing the museum’s progress on October 26, emphasized its significance in commemorating the ‘Hump Operation,’ an extraordinary chapter in aviation history.
The operation involved Allied Forces, predominantly led by the United States, flying vital supplies over the treacherous Himalayas, known as ‘The Hump’ due to the region’s challenging altitude.
Arunachal Pradesh, along the Hump route encompassing Assam, Tibet, Yunnan (China), and Myanmar, witnessed numerous aircraft disappearances during World War II, totaling approximately 650 due to the demanding flying conditions.
In response to the Japanese Army blocking the Burma Road in 1942, the Allies executed a massive airlift, navigating deep gorges and soaring over mountains exceeding 10,000 feet.
From 1942 to 1945, military aircraft transported nearly 650,000 tonnes of supplies, such as fuel, food, and ammunition, from Assam to Yunnan. The unpredictable weather in the mountains of Arunachal Pradesh continues to pose challenges for aviation even today.
Highlighting the ongoing efforts, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) has been actively searching for remains of US personnel missing since World War II.
In 2017, investigators from DPAA returned to India, focusing on the Himalayan Mountains in northeast India, where approximately 400 missing US airmen are believed to have their remains.
Anticipating the visit of US Ambassador Eric Garcetti to Pasighat, robust security measures have been implemented in the district. (With inputs from PTI)
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