Remembering Flying Tigers war heroes

The Flying Tigers Exhibition Hall in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality offers the latest collection of relics, historical information and pictures to Chongqing Economic Times, revealing little-known stories about the "Flying Tigers", an American air force fleet that helped China fight against Japan's invasion during World War II.

Member of "Flying Tigers" holds a Chinese baby. [Photo provided by the Flying Tigers Exhibition Hall]

The paper interviewed Anna Chennault, widow of Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault, who commanded the Flying Tigers, and Long Qiming, a member of the Flying Tigers, to commemorate the victory on the 68th anniversary of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, which ended on Aug 15, 1945.

Lieutenant General Claire Lee Chennault piloted the plane himself, bringing down 41 enemy warplanes while combating the Japanese army, which can be found in Chennault's letters to his wife and some historical documents, said Dai Qingbiao, deputy chief of the Flying Tigers Exhibition Hall.

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One of the items on display is a New Year Picture (a form of Chinese colored woodblock print, for celebrating the Chinese New Year or depicting current events). Images of aviators from the Flying Tigers were used to design the picture.

A New Year Picture of the "Flying Tigers". [Photo/Chongqing Economic Times]

The picture was used as a door god (a Chinese decoration placed on each side of an entry to a home and is believed to keep evil spirits away) by Chinese people, which reflects how important the Flying Tigers were in China.

People donated tens of thousands of small gifts to Chennault when he left Chongqing. The Chinese government gave him a golden key to the city, meaning that the door is always open for him.