On the 28th of July, 1958, a headline in the New York Times announced the death of General Chennault, former head of the Flying Tigers/AVG from World War II. Chennault single-handedly brought together a group of rag-tag fighter pilots and radio men, installing them along the Burma Road to fight off the advancing Japanese forces. Before America joined the war after Pearl Harbor, Madame Chiang Kai-shek employed Chennault to build up the Chinese air force. Chennault was the man to do it. He was a crack pilot and a visionary who studied the German flying style, combat, and communication. He pled hard for his concept of communication bases located all over where the pilots would fly, but the American brass turned him down. He had his chance in Burma, and the Flying Tigers forever changed American air battle strategy! His men adored him because he left them alone and let them be brave. In one day alone, 2 Flying Tiger pilots took down 15 Japanese planes and set 10 on fire. By the spring of 1942, their services were no longer needed, and so the AVG broke up. Some of the men stayed in China and other parts of Asia, flying and running the communications points. Others returned stateside and then traveled to Europe to fight. Despite their short sojourn together, they remained a tight-knit group, hosting anniversaries over the years, including one in 1952, ten years after they disbanded in 1942. They were a brave, noble group of men who followed their fearless, visionary leader into the fray, and we are all the better for it.
Bibliography
deLuce, Daniel. “AVG Exploits: More about Flying Tigers.” The Sun. March 27, 1942. Pg. 2.
“General Chennault is Dead at 67; Headed Flying Tigers in China.” New York Times. July 28, 1958. pp. 23-24.
“Events of Interest in Aviation World: Reunion of Flying Tigers is Planned to Mark 10 Years Since Group Disbanded.” New York Times. March 25, 1952. Pg. 55.
Smith, Robert M. With Chennault in China: A Flying Tiger’s Diary. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Tab Books. 1984.
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