The Snapshots in Time Collection

Bear Cub Mascot with Nose Ring, China-Burma-India Theater Camp, WWII

Bear Cub Mascot with Nose Ring, China-Burma-India Theater Camp, WWII

This candid photograph shows a young bear cub kept as a camp mascot by American or Allied forces stationed in the China-Burma-India Theater during World War II. Adopting local wildlife as unit mascots was a common practice among servicemen far from home, offering companionship and a touch of everyday life amid the hardships of jungle campaigns in the CBI Theater. Project: 218378