Lily Pons At Ribbon Cutting For Stilwell Road

The American opera star Lily Pons stands between conductor Andre Kostelanetz, her husband, and Brigadier General Lewis A. Pick just prior to the formal ‘ribbon cutting’ ceremony demonstrating the completion of the Stilwell Road. On 4 February 1945 the first convoy from Ledo, with General Pick at the front, reached Kunming as firecrackers exploded, missionary nuns waved, and Chinese bands played. That night the governor of Yunnan Province gave a banquet with American operatic star Lily Pons and her husband, conductor Andre Kostelanetz, in attendance.

General Pick had led the convoy out of Ledo on 12 January, bound for Kunming, China. The 113 vehicles, driven by representatives of all the engineer units that had worked on the road, consisted of heavy cargo trucks, jeeps, and ambulances. Among the passengers were some 65 radio, magazine, and newspaper correspondents.  The convoy reached Myitkyina on 15 January, where it stayed until 23 January because of the tactical situation. On 28 January, Pick led the convoy into Wanting where T.V. Soong, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, welcomed him.