Beijing Review: The Flying Tigers and their legacy of China-U.S. WWII cooperation

BEIJING, Aug. 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This year is the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the World Anti-Fascist War (World War II), and the founding of the United Nations. These milestones serve as powerful reminders of a time when global unity overcame global challenges. Amid these commemorations, one enduring symbol of China-U.S. wartime collaboration stands out: the Flying Tigers.

The Flying Tigers, officially known as the First American Volunteer Group (AVG), were a squadron of American pilots who had volunteered to fight for China against the Japanese invasion during the World War II. Credited with destroying nearly 300 enemy aircraft, the Flying Tigers not only provided crucial air defense but also forged a strong bond of cooperation and friendship between the two nations, a legacy that continues to be honored and remembered.

At the forefront of preserving this legacy is Jeffrey Greene, Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation. A former U.S. Marine pilot turned historian and documentary filmmaker, Greene has spent over three decades chronicling the stories of the Flying Tigers.

His journey began in 1998 when he traveled to China with surviving members of the AVG, the original Flying Tigers. Led by General Claire Lee Chennault, these pilots played a critical role in defending Chinese cities such as Kunming, Yunnan Province, from Japanese aerial attacks. After a pivotal air battle on December 20, 1941, Kunming residents began calling the American pilots "Feihudui," or the Flying Tigers, a name that has since become a lasting emblem of shared sacrifice and friendship.

"A tiger who flies cannot be defeated and is immortal, and it was given to them by the Chinese people," Greene told Beijing Review in an exclusive interview. According to Greene, more than 3,000 American airmen died while serving in China. Their sacrifices kept key cities out of enemy hands and ensured the survival of crucial supply lines, including the perilous flights over the Himalayas known as "The Hump."

One of the most poignant episodes Greene recounted was the Doolittle Raid in April 1942. Following a bombing mission over Japan, American pilots, running low on fuel, crash-landed in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, East China, where local villagers bravely risked their lives to save them. "That kind of solidarity forged a people-to-people bond that still resonates today," Greene said.

Officially founded in 1998, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation has evolved into a vital bridge of remembrance and cross-cultural cooperation. Through its programs, more than 500 veterans and their descendants have returned to China, reconnecting with the places and people linked to the Flying Tigers' legacy. One of its most impactful initiatives is the Flying Tigers Friendship School and Youth Leadership Program, which now connects approximately 70 schools in China with 30 in the U.S.

In a letter dated September 12, 2023, to Chairman Greene and Flying Tigers veterans Harry Moyer and Mel McMullen, Chinese President Xi Jinping recalled the past, the peoples of China and the U.S. jointly fought Japanese fascists, withstood the test of blood and fire, and forged a profound friendship. He expressed his hope that the spirit of the Flying Tigers would be carried forward by future generations between the two peoples.

Last summer, a group of American students traveled to China through the program. Their visit included tours of historical sites and cultural exchanges with Chinese students—experiences designed to deepen mutual understanding and appreciation. Despite current visa-related challenges, Greene remains optimistic about expanding the program in both directions. "They saw the battlefield, they saw China and the Chinese people—they understand the history," Greene explained. "It shows them the connection we have with the Chinese, and the Chinese have with us. That's the significance of our program."

"China and the U.S. are the two most important countries on the planet. That's the legacy we have, the shared American and the Chinese legacy of the Flying Tigers gives us something to hold together and introduce and develop," Greene said.

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SOURCE Beijing Review