The Flying Tigers: Why Their Spirit Endures 85 Years On

BEIJING, July 31, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report from China.org.cn on the 85th anniversary of the "Flying Tigers":

This summer, a number of provinces in China have welcomed a special group of young visitors from the United States. They enjoyed robot dance shows and viewed precious relics witnessing World War II. They also played table tennis with Chinese students and became good friends.

These energetic young participants are student representatives from the Flying Tigers friendship schools.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the "Flying Tigers," officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force. Established in 1941 by U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault, the unit fought side by side with Chinese soldiers and civilians, cementing a deep friendship forged in the shared struggle against Japanese fascism.

Back then, Flying Tigers pilots traveled thousands of miles to China. During the war, they destroyed more than 2,900 enemy aircraft, sank or wrecked 44 Japanese naval vessels along with merchant shipping totaling 2.23 million tons, and brought down over 60,000 Japanese troops.

When Flying Tigers pilots were forced to parachute amid emergencies, Chinese people risked their lives to rescue them time and again. In 1944, a U.S. B-29 bomber crashed in east China's Jiangsu Province. Five pilots parachuted to the ground. Local villagers and troops rushed 30 kilometers to reach the crash site. They stood guard through rain, and fended off repeated assaults by Japanese troops and their puppet forces. At the cost of more than a hundred casualties, they safely evacuated the downed airmen. In another battle, a rescued Flying Tigers airman was sheltered by villagers. To mislead nearby Japanese forces, a villager slipped on the pilot's boots and walked across farmland, leaving a trail of footprints leading away from the village. The ruse drew the enemy off and kept the airman safe.

Throughout the War of Resistance, more than 2,000 American Flying Tigers personnel lost their lives in combat. Over 200 pilots were rescued and thousands of Chinese civilians sacrificed their lives while saving downed U.S. airmen.

This friendship forged in life-or-death moments embodies the purest human kindness. It also reflects cross-border trust and a shared resolve to uphold peace.

After victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the China-U.S. friendship born from the Flying Tigers lived on. Anna Chan Chennault, wife of General Chennault, drew on her public influence to boost China-U.S. ties and launched a charity initiative to support schools in poor regions of western China. Elyn MacInnis, daughter-in-law of U.S. Flying Tigers Lieutenant Donald MacInnis, set up the "Friends of Kuliang." Working alongside Chinese partners, she leads efforts to salvage and documents the history of early exchanges between China and the West in Kuliang. Historian Jeffrey Greene founded the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation. He has brought over 500 Flying Tigers veterans and their families to revisit China. In 2022, he launched the Flying Tigers Friendship Schools and Youth Leadership Program.

Eighty-five years ago, the Flying Tigers and Chinese people stood shoulder to shoulder to secure a shared victory. In the decades since, countless ordinary citizens have carried this legacy forward, deepening mutual understanding and sustaining the friendship between the two nations. Their ongoing efforts, together with the heroic wartime stories, form the full fabric of the Flying Tigers Spirit.

At a time when the world faces mounting complex challenges, this treasured friendship and shared trans-Pacific history offer valuable inspiration. It reminds these two great nations to walk hand in hand to advance peace and progress for all of humanity.

China Mosaic
http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/

SOURCE China.org.cn