FLYING FOR CHINA

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 258, 30 July 1942, Page 3

FLYING FOR CHINA

Magical Figure Of U.S. Air Ace Brigadier-General C. L. Chenuault, the American ace airman, the leader of the Flying Tigers, who fight for China against Japan, was reported in a recent cable message to have said, when commenting on the bombing of Tokio: "All the cities under Japanese occupation will be bombed. Aon can draw your own conclusions what will happen.” Chenuault is an almost incredible figure in air warfare. According to William Clemmens, in “The American Legion” the “Flying, Tigers” were formed at the'end of 1941. Four days before Christmas seven Japanese raider planes tooff off for Kunming, the Burma Road terminus, expecting no difficulty against the effete Chinese. Of those seven only one returned to tell the tale. Chennault.s "Tigers,” fighting in pairs, had begun their work, which has now,made this historic group famous. Chennault was a tall, wiry 51-year-old school teacher of Waterproof, La., when he conceived the notion of flying for China. In the 90 days which succeeded that December 21 the»Tigers are credited with having destroyed -157 Japanese planes—3o for every American plane knocked out; 9,2 Japanese airmen killed for every American Volunteer Group pilot lost — a record unequalled in any war. The secret, of their amazing victories is said to lie in their new technique, taught, them by their dogged weatherbeaten leader. Born in Texas, the son of a cotton planter, Chennault was brought up in Louisiana, and was educated in the university of that State. He was a schoolmaster for seven years, and was father of three boys when he enlisted in the American Air Force, in 1917. A second lieutenant in aviation when the Armistice came, he stayed on to become one of the army's best, pilots. He had revolutionary ideas about the air—about, dropping troops and cannon from planes, but no one was interested save three Russian observers. He was great on team work, and taught his men always to fly in teams of two, flying close together. Had Chennault's pleadings io Washington been favourably regarded Japan's success in certain theatres of war would have been curtailed, but Washington was not responsive. It sent him no boniliers! So he secured 12 obsolete Russian bombers from somewhere, and with them put Hanoi, the big Japanese naval base, out. of commission for some days. Chennault's capacity to fight effectively with old machines and a minimum of supplies became traditional —he became an almost magical figure. Chennault, utter five years on the retired list with the rank of captain, was commissioned a briga-, dier-general on active duty? in April ol this year.