Flying Tigers rekindle passion for peace between US and China

Veterans and their relatives maintain efforts to secure mutual understanding across cultures

Bill Peterson, 95, who lives in Denver in the United States, wears his Tiger military hat every day when going out. He looks forward to telling people the story about the Flying Tigers and his friendship with the Chinese people thousands of miles away.

He was one of a group of pilots fighting alongside the Chinese army and people against the Japanese invasion during World War II. After victory during the war, the group was named the Flying Tigers by locals.

Peterson went into service in 1943 in China and spent many of his 240 combat hours flying over the Himalayan Mountain hauling gasoline and supplies to Chinese and allied forces. He recalled that when the soldiers had a night off, they went to nearby villages, where they came across children and gave them US-made food packages including candy bars.

"We would sit down and stare at them while they were eating. We could not speak Chinese, but we could tell from their eyes what they felt in their hearts," he said.

The experience led Peterson to forge a deep friendship with the Chinese and he is willing to do all he can to promote friendly relations with China. "I mention China at least three times a day to people I interact with. I believe that if the US people could meet the Chinese people in person, they could understand how peaceful and loving they truly are," he said.

The veteran recalled that upon arrival in China, General Claire Lee Chennault, who headed the Flying Tigers, told them to respect the Chinese, because they are wonderful people.

There is no doubt that the establishment of the Flying Tigers is part of Chennault's legacy, who accepted the invitation to go to a foreign land he had known little about. Nell Calloway, Chennault's granddaughter, said: "When we are recounting the heroic actions of the Flying Tigers, my first thought is of a man who had the courage to say yes before he assembled a squadron of Tigers or built runways out of dirt fields."

According to Calloway, when her grandfather arrived in China and saw what the Japanese were doing to the Chinese people, he decided to help regardless of the political turmoil or unseen political discourses of the future. Despite the challenges, what really mattered were the people.

Five years ago, Calloway helped to found the Chennault Aviation Academy in an effort to continue her grandfather's legacy and to teach the history. She is now the CEO and president of Chennault Aviation and Military Museum.

She always remembers the closing sentence in her grandfather's book Way of a Fighter in 1949, which says:"It is my fondest hope that the sign of the Flying Tigers will remain aloft just as long as it is needed on both shores of the Pacific as the symbol of two great peoples working toward a common goal in war and peace."

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Flying Tigers coming to China. At a themed summit, Calloway said via video link: "We should all strive to see each other's humanity and appreciate the difference in cultures, regardless of political affiliation or ideology."

Larry Jobe, president of the Flying Tiger Historical Organization, said: "The lesson we need to take from the Flying Tigers is that understanding, cooperation, perseverance and sacrifice. We hope remembering the past will open the doors to cooperating in the future for the betterment of all mankind. Nothing can be lost and much can be gained by working to provide better understanding between peoples, cultures and nations."

caoyingying@chinadaily.com.cn