The Chabua Air Force Base is situated in the Indian state of Assam. This air force base was established with the aim of transporting necessities to Generalissimo Chang Kai Sheks` forces in and around Kunming, China. In former times this airport was known as "Flying the Hump". This airport was also used as the only supply route that was available in 1942 when Japanese cut off the Burma Road as a result of their occupation in Burma. This was perhaps the most high-priced and dangerous route for transport planes. The route was directed above the Himalayas- between India`a Assam Valley and Kunming, China.
Due to the danger involved in the route, it came to be known as `the Himalayan Hump` or simply `The Hump`. This route was frequented at that time in order to keep the transports free from enemy attack. But the route was lined with rugged terrain, violent snow storms, ice etc. Even today, flying by the Himalayan Hump is weighed as the most dangerous flying route in the world. Considering all the life-threatening facts involved in flying, however the operations are looked at as a successful one. About 167,285 trips were made that moved 740,000 tons of material in order to support the Chinese troops and other Allied forces. The Chabua Air Force Base is also regarded as the `Eastern Bastion`.
