Hilton Axford flew 'the Hump' in World War II

Hilton Axford flew 'the Hump' in World War II. . , The Axford name has been part of Oxford's history from the beginning. Brothers Samuel and Morgan were among the early settlers when they helped organize the township in 1837. The pioneering spirit was passed on to Hilton Worth Axford (born Jan. 16, 1909) a gifted pilot who went from performing aerobatics over his hometown to fighting the enemies of freedom halfway across the world., Initially, Hilton followed in his father's footsteps and worked for Farmers State Bank in downtown Oxford. But Hilton had an adventurous spirit. The thought of being stuck behind a desk was no match for the thrill of sitting in a cockpit and soaring through the skies. He soon had a plane, a hangar and an airfield near his family home in the Village of Oxford., In August 1933, a man named Lyman Fuller went for a ride with Hilton, who was "in the mood (to do) some daring stunts," such as a "tailspin, nosedive and roll," according to the Oxford Leader. "When they landed, Hilton was about to ask Lyman how he liked it, but after one look, he decided that Lyman was in no condition to express his sentiments," the Leader reported., Hilton turned his passion into a career as a flight instructor. He trained pilots at three flight schools in Grayling and Lansing, Michigan and Tulare, California. Following the United States' entry into World War II, Hilton joined the Army and entered Active service on July 4, 1942. A member of the Army Air Forces, he held the rank of first lieutenant and spent 25 months as a service pilot., Hilton spent two years in India fighting the Japanese Empire in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater of Operations. According to the Library of Congress, this theater "took a back seat to Europe and the Pacific in terms of manpower, resources and press coverage." It's often referred to as world war two's "forgotten theater." , While serving in the CBI Theater, Hilton flew a perilous route that pilots nicknamed "the Hump" because it included the eastern end of the Himalayas, a mountain range known for its soaring peaks and rugged, isolated terrain. This roughly 500-mile route was a critical lifeline used to transport hundreds of thousands of tons of supplies and equipment to Allied Forces in China. "Terrain and weather complicated operations over the Hump, creating a flight path as dangerous as any bombing mission over Europe... Turbulence from 100-mile-per-hour winds, monsoons, dust storms or Himalayan blizzards could be disastrous for a crew." -- National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. It's estimated that about 600 U.S. planes crashed. This led to the route's other grim nickname, "the Aluminum Trail." Survival depended on skill and luck., Hilton separated from active duty on March 12, 1946. He returned to Oxford and his family's home at 73 Hovey St. He died on Dec. 21, 1997 and is buried in the Oxford Township Cemetery on W. Burdick St.