Camp 14
Kunming
Kunming was the first stop for most men after flying over "the Hump" into China.
Fleet Radio Unit, China (FRUCHI)
The Fleet Radio Unit, China, was originally established in Chungking but moved later to Kunming. Five supplementary radio stations were located in various parts of China with one in India.
The purpose of this unit was to develop raw intelligence and to disseminate to all air combat units in the theater, both Chinese and American, information of both tactical and strategic importance. The details of work performed by FRUCHI and the Staff Communications group was classified.
The Postal Service
The original postal service was set up at Headquarters but was moved to Kunming in 1944.
This office together with a master directory of all U.S. Naval Group personnel, and an experienced navy mailman in charge diminished complaints of poor mail service. In establishing Kunming U.S. Navy Post Office as a Central Distribution Terminal, all navy mail for China was first handled at Kunming and regardless of U.S. Navy Number for China used, mail was properly sorted and made up.
With the firm establishment of the Navy Post Office in Kunming, things in general began to run more smoothly, although lack of sufficient transportation to Eastern China continued haunt the Post Office. To relay mail to these various outlying units sometimes takes weeks, the delay especially affecting parcel post mail. And while mail on hand awaits transportation rats raised havoc with packages, books, and magazines stored at Kunming.
When mail arrived, not a minute is lost in commencing the sorting operation, regardless of the hour of the day, and it was not an uncommon sight to see the navy mail clerks working by candle or flash light. On occasion, also, post office personnel had to retreat to bomb shelters and slit trenches, while under enemy attack.