THE ASSAM DRAGGIN

THE ASSAM DRAGGIN
Danial Richard Long

 Cory Long here.
I believe my grandpa flew a plane before WWII. I have been told this story. He was shot down protecting China from the Japanese.
      While they were visting my grandfather in a Chinese hospital his friends brought him a goat skin vest. It has braided knobs which mate with braided loops. All his friends signed it. The names are Pete S Royce "Lucky", Jim Laskey "Jim", Richard M. Deming "Dick", Edward F. Laudon "THE EVIL ONE" . The names could be spelled wrong because they are hard to read.  My Grandma told me that when they gave my Grandpa the vest he got upset. He only cared about the Chinese man that saved him to sign it! His friends went out and found the man that saved him and he signed the vest.His name is extreamly faded on the front pockect. There is also one name on the back that is so faded that i can not see. On the back of the vest one of the pilots, I figure, drew a picture of the flying tiger plane in a cartoon type pose flipping his wing off with his left hand. Next to the head or front of the plane he also wrote THE ASSEM DRAGON in a circle. I am interseted in learning what THE ASSEM DRAGGIN is and means. I am tring to post a pic of the vest but havnt had any luck yet.Thanks Cory

Cory,
 
He may have been a member of the 25th Fighter Squadron of the 51st Fighter Group - they equipped and trained in the Assam Valley of India before deploying to Kunming and Yunnan-yi (that is where the 25th FS was stationed). My uncle, Clem Burton, was also a pilot with the 25th - he flew the recon plane, taking before and after photos of bridges and other targets, as well as participating in attacks.
 
I have a picture of the patch (Assam Draggin'), but can't attach it for some reason. You can e-mail me direct at
"acousticdesign@earthlink.net"and I will try to send it to you. I have a lot of photos from him and others in the squadron. He was there in 1943, and went missing in January of 1944.
 
I also have a copy of the roster for the 25th and 26 Fighter Squadrons, and it lists Richard Deming. He was alive in 2005, but don't know about now - here is his contact information if you want to try to get in touch:  Richard Deming, 712 Mohawk Drive, Lynchburg, VA 24502, phone 804 239-0269. I did not find the other two names listed.
 
That vest is a real treasure, and a great connection to your grandpa.
 
Good luck!
 
Bill Johnson
Dallas
 

Here is a close-up of the Assam Draggin.
Thanks to you, Cory !
Good catch, Bill: Richard M. Deming "Dick" signature is on the left !

Here is a color rendering of the artwork for the patch, and a photo of Robert McClung painting the dragon face on a P-40 in Assam, India.  The reprinted article from Yank magazine gives McClung the credit for the design. (if they are indeed attached!)
 
Bill Johhson
DallasAssam Dragon FS.pdf