Gathering of Heroes

[SteveC]

From today's Grand Rapids Press:
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The Flying Tigers
Wednesday, June 08, 2005

This week Grand Rapids is privileged to host a unique band of American heroes. Tomorrow through Sunday, members of the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers, will hold a reunion here. Prior to World War II, Claire L. Chennault, a retired Army Air Corps captain and advisor to the Chinese Air Force, organized the group of fighter pilots and others to help China fight against Japan.

The Flying Tigers -- known for the distinctive teeth-bared insignia on their P-40 fighter planes -- provided an essential air defense to southwestern China. Despite outmoded equipment, they fought with storied bravery and skill, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. They shot down 298 Japanese planes while losing 4 pilots of their own in aerial combat, another 20 in training and elsewhere. Originally the Flying Tigers had 300 pilots, ground crew and support personnel. Forty-one remain today. Twenty-one, from all over the country, will be in Grand Rapids for events sponsored by the Michigan Military History Institute. This may be the last formal reunion for the group, given the advanced ages of members.

In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt praised the Flying Tigers for "outstanding gallantry and conspicuous daring." The luster on that record has only increased with the years and with full revelation of what they did. We're proud to have such patriots in our midst.

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