Nanjing Daily: Jeffrey Greene's Mission

NANJING, China, July 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ --  A report from Nanjing Daily:

"Only four original Flying Tigers veterans remain with our foundation. We must do everything we can to pass on their spirit while time permits."

This July, despite his failing health, 72-year-old Jeffrey Greene, Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, traveled across the Pacific with more than a dozen family members of Flying Tigers veterans to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall to attend the Commemoration of the 85th Anniversary of the Flying Tigers Coming to China. His long journey across the ocean stands as a heartfelt tribute to the profound friendship between the Flying Tigers and the Chinese people.

In 1941, a group of young American pilots, under the leadership of General Claire Lee Chennault, formed the American Volunteer Group (AVG) to come to China and fight against Japanese fascist aggression. The Chinese people affectionately dubbed this unit the "Flying Tigers." During their combat missions in support of China, numerous Flying Tigers members laid down their lives in battle.

Out of deep respect for the Flying Tigers, Jeffrey Greene founded the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation in 1998 with the support of a group of veteran Chinese and American pilots. Since the setup of the foundation, Mr. Greene has shuttled frequently between China and the US. He has brought over 500 Flying Tigers veterans and their descendants back to China, launched the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools & Youth Leadership Program, and spearheaded efforts to trace missing Flying Tigers members who aided China's resistance. To date, driven by Greene's persistent efforts, more than 170 schools across China and the United States have been designated Flying Tigers Friendship Schools. "With Flying Tigers, we've got the strongest thing in the world between the Chinese and American people. The more we do, the farther and wider the spirit of the Flying Tigers will spread," said Greene.

SOURCE Nanjing Daily