NEW YORK, May 29 -- A book about the United Statesand China fighting side by side against Japanduring World War II was added Friday to a global online library's collection in a ceremony held here during the 2015 BookExpo America (BEA).

Starting Friday, readers can have access to the book, entitled "Superfortress: Anti-Japanese History of U.S. 20th Air Force with Chinese People" on Gale E-Library of Cengage Learning, a U.S.-headquartered publisher of print and digital information.

"Those U.S. soldiers risked their lives and some of them even died in China fighting against Japanese imperialism," said Li Xiaowei, the book's author, at the Javits Convention Center in Manhattan, host venue of the three-day book fair.

"However, their stories remained largely untold in media coverage or military-related books," Li added.

The book, composed of more than 100 photos and memoirs of those who experienced the war, documents the days when the 20th Air Force, based in China's southwestern Sichuan province, fought together with the Chinese people against Japan, Li said.

Glenn Smith, son of a then tail gunner of the Superfortress or B-29, a heavy bomber primarily used by the U.S. Air Force combating Japanese imperialism in 1944-1945, thanked Li and the Chinese publisher, Sichuan People's Publishing House, for their "tireless efforts to thoroughly research the history" and "bringing this book to life."

The release of the book is part of a series of events to commemorate this year's 70th anniversary of the world's victory over fascism and refresh memories about wartime history during the BEA.

BEA, which dates back to 1947, is usually held in a major U.S. city in late May or early June. It offers the largest selection of English-language titles and is also the largest gathering of booksellers, librarians, retailers and book industry professionals in North America.

For the first time, China has been invited as the guest of honor at the BEA Global Market Forum.