SFAF –The Hunt for Jimmie – A Journey of Love Sacrifice and Peace Seminar Held in Boston on August 28, 2024
By Selina Liu
After more than three months of meticulous planning, the “Hunt for Jimmie – A Journey of Love Sacrifice and Peace” seminar was held on August 28 at the Sheraton Commander Hotel in Boston. Organized by Sunshine For All Foundation and several other organizations, the event drew enthusiastic participants from all walks of life. Through the moving story of Jimmie Browne, an American pilot who flew the “Hump” route during World War II, the seminar aimed to remind people to remember history, cherish peace, and strengthen the friendship between China and the United States.
Nearly 100 attendees, including Jimmie’s relatives, representatives of the Flying Tigers’ families, social activists, volunteers from Sunshine For All Foundation, and Boston residents, gathered to reflect on the difficult years of the “Hump” airlift. Among the distinguished guests were Stephen Kennedy Smith, a member of the Kennedy family, and Consuls Sun Fengshou and Liu Weiqi from the Chinese Consulate in New York.
The “Hump” route was an air supply line jointly established by China and the U.S. during World War II, starting in India, and crossing the Himalayas to deliver crucial supplies to support China’s resistance effort. However, it was also one of the war’s most dangerous routes, with perilous weather and attacks by Japanese fighter planes making every flight a deadly risk.
One of the lives lost on this route was 21-year-old Jimmie Browne, who answered China’s call for help in 1942. Leaving behind a comfortable life in America, he traveled halfway around the world to join the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) and fly missions on the “Hump.” Tragically, his plane disappeared during a mission in November 1942, and his remains lie somewhere in the remote mountains of Yunnan, China.
Decades later, Jimmie’s cousin, Bob Willett, retired and began a tireless 30-year search for Jimmie’s remains, making multiple trips to China. In 2011, Bob’s team located the wreckage of Jimmie’s plane in the Cangshan Mountains of Dali, Yunnan. However, the search for his remains continues. In 2018, Bob reached out to Sun Chunlong, founder of the “Peace for Love Charity Center”, for help. Sun’s team, dedicated to locating the remains of both Chinese and American soldiers from WWII, took on the task. Despite numerous challenges, Sun and his team remain committed to this cross-generational search.
During his speech, Stephen Kennedy Smith remarked, “This event holds deep meaning for me. First, this hotel is where J.F. Kennedy began his political career. Second, my own family lost a member in the Far East during the war, and we have yet to recover their remains. I deeply empathize with the emotions of all the families involved. I sincerely hope that China and the U.S. will continue to work together to complete this meaningful task.”
Bob Willett’s son Tom and daughter Barbara attended the event, sharing family videos of Jimmie’s childhood. Tom spoke emotionally about his family’s long search for Jimmie, saying, “My father has been searching for Jimmie for 30 years, and he’s now 98 years old. Bringing Jimmie home is not only his greatest wish but our entire family’s. In recent years, thanks to the support of many, especially from both U.S. and Chinese officials, we’ve seen real hope. We will continue this journey until we bring Jimmie home.”
Sun Chunlong reflected on his journey from journalist to full-time advocate for the “Veterans Homecoming” project, recounting how he first met Bob and was entrusted with the mission of finding Jimmie’s remains. Over the years, his organization has helped locate and recover the remains of over 1,000 soldiers.
Speaking about Jimmie and the “Hump” route, Sun noted, “In just two years, 594 planes crashed along the 500-mile route, with 1,659 lives lost. Most of their remains are still in the mountains. What started as a five-year project has stretched far beyond that, as more and more families place their hopes on us. I feel a deep responsibility to continue. I believe this will be my lifelong mission.” He expressed optimism as collaboration between the U.S. and Chinese military in searching for American soldiers’ remains has grown, bringing renewed hope to all involved.
As the President of Sunshine For All in New Jersey, Jimmie’s story has deeply moved me. I am committed to raising awareness in the U.S. about this history and to promoting the value of a strong U.S.-China friendship. As a Chinese student living in America, I care deeply about U.S.-China relations. After hearing about Jimmie’s story, I was immediately captivated. Over the past year, I proactively reached out to Sun Chunlong’s team and personally visited Bob in Florida, reconnecting him with Sun after the pandemic had disrupted communication. In the summer of 2024, I led members of Sunshine For All on a journey through rural Hunan, China, traveling over 2,000 kilometers and visiting nine villages. We gathered stories about the Flying Tigers, the “Hump” route, and the Chinese villagers who rescued American pilots during the war, collecting invaluable photos and documents. These materials were displayed at the event in an exhibition titled “In Search of History.” Through our efforts, I hope to preserve this cross-border friendship and inspire younger generations to remember history and cherish peace.
As someone who straddles both Chinese and American cultures, I feel a profound responsibility to carry this legacy of friendship forward. These stories are not just history; they are the beating heart of a shared future. Bringing Jimmie home – may possibly be the first step in re-establishing trust between these two great superpowers with a complicated past.
Harvard University Fairbank Center scholar Mitch Presnick congratulated the seminar’s success via video and provided an insightful summary of the significance of the Flying Tigers and the “Hump” route from five key perspectives. He emphasized that this is a critical symbol in U.S.-China relations, a friendship that both nations should cherish and pass down through the generations.
The event attracted widespread attention, filling the venue to capacity. Descendants of the Flying Tigers also attended, bringing relics and photos of their fathers to show support for the event and the ongoing search for Jimmie.
From elderly participants nearing 100 years old to young students, this event bridged generations and borders, sending a powerful message about remembering history and valuing peace. Many attendees noted that Jimmie’s story is not just a historical legacy but a profound reminder of the importance of peace and friendship in today’s world. They expressed hope that more people would join in remembering history and passing on this legacy. As a young volunteer from Sunshine for All, Marina said, “The special bond between China and the U.S. should be remembered and passed down. By continuing to share stories like today’s, we plant the seeds for a more harmonious future.”
During the event, Sunshine For All volunteers sold Flying Tiger-themed mugs and Bob Willett’s book 《The Hunt for Jimmie Browne》, raising $628. All proceeds will be donated to Peace for Love Charity Center to support the ongoing search for Jimmie’s remains. The event was co-hosted by Jeffrey Liu, Vice President of Sunshine For All New Jersey, and Deng Yemin, a Renmin University alumnus from Boston.
As Andy says in The Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”
And as Taylor Swift once said, to live for the hope of it all.