Chennault comes to China:.
It is estimated that China had some 62 airfields in use prior to Chennault’s arrival. About 1/2 were used for commercial transportation. Normally these were close to, sometimes within major cities. Few had actual terminal buildings, though most could boast a control-tower and radio communications. Only the most basic instrumentation was used, and aerial mapping was almost non-existent. In fact, many maps used were from French or British ground surveys of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Heights of mountains and their actual location were most often incorrect, or missing. Visual navigation a necessity! Weather was responsible for more commercial accidents than mechanical failures or pilot error, however.
Chiang Kai-shek was unable to buy the aircraft he felt would turn the tables on the enemy because those industrial nations who might have previously had bombers & fighters to sell, were at the time either preparing for, or at war with the Axis powers. Japan was robbing raw-materials, enslaving industry and workers from within China and Korea to further fuel their war machine… the Generalissimo had enlisted the aid of possibly the best American aerial tactician – and between them they need convince America to spare additional aid.
Finally, through the efforts of T.V. Soong, Madam Chiang and Chennault, the US President found merit in Chennault’s plan to stem the tide of Japan’s aviation expansionism; protect China’s overland route to obtain goods of all kinds, and the realization of keeping China in the war to tie up masses of Japanese troops who might otherwise be engaged in the capture of India, and further allied holdings in the Far east.
FDR signs an un-publicized order releasing pilots, mechanics, other servicemen who will then “volunteer” to join China’s Air Force. America gains release of 100 Curtiss P-40 aircraft which had been ordered by the British, but rejected in favor of a better version. Chennault had boasted months earlier that ‘given 100-fighters, well-trained pilots & support personnel, he could beat the Japanese Air Force in China.’ He was about to get them!
As a cover, these men & women were transported to China as non-military civilians. Most arrived thru the Port of Rangoon, Burma… as did the disassembled aircraft. A Chinese company, CAMCO was set up to assemble the aircraft, house, and otherwise provide & pay salaries & ‘incentives’ for the first American Volunteer Group “officially” to have joined the CAF. Those ‘incentives’ were a bonus of $500 for each enemy plane destroyed and - added to mostly triple the US military pay quickly brought in recruits… it was the summer of 1941.
Each member of the AVG signed a 1-year contract, and a Loyalty Oath to the CAF by July 5, 1941. Then class-room training from 6-9 hours daily began in earnest. Within 6-weeks aircraft familiarization and some flight check-outs had begun. There were a few drop-outs, some training accidents (mostly on the ground). By the end of September about 82 pilots and 79 serviceable aircraft were available for practicing Chennault’s attack sequences, which essentially were to get above the enemy; behind if possible and use the P-40s powerful dive to shoot at Japanese bomber squadrons and escape any fighter cover they might send. No actual dog-fights, because the American aircraft had neither the ceiling capability, rate of climb, nor could they stay with the newer; light-design Japanese fighters in a spiral. It was ‘Hit ‘n’ Run’ and repeat. Knowing the vulnerable places on the enemy’s aircraft, and being heavily-armored, American pilots had better protection, and took advantage of surprise.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and the US declaration of war against Japan, actually occurred weeks before the AVG’s first battle, but Chennault had formed them into three squadrons; given each a name and assigned certain pilots to planes sequentially-numbered. A decal designed for each squadron and a vertical color stripe nearer the tail adorned the fuselage; the wings carried large CAF roundels top and bottom. The upper surfaces of the aircraft had come in OD and the lower sides were re-painted in light bluish-gray to make them less visible against the sky, but they were still drab appearing.
A few of the pilots had requested Chennault approve the painting of a Tiger-shark’s jaws on the mid-line of the forward engine-cowling, as the Chinese had picked-up on the nick-name given by the AVG ‘biographer’ to a NEWSWEEK magazine reporter… Olga Greenlaw had said they were “Flying Tigers” either at Toungoo or Magwe, and in China they became known as “Fei Hu”.
An eye was added to the upper cowling because Chinese vessels had always had one on each side near the bow – it was to help navigation in the fog, and to see one’s way home, and after all these were certainly ‘ships of the sky’.
Many of the aircraft also had patches of lighter brown added to help camouflage them as they were often dispersed at the edges of the jungle surrounding Burmese airfields. This began with the third squadron, known as “Hell’s Angels” when Chennault stationed two squadrons at the new base in Kunming, intending to rotate them.
Eventually all but one of the remaining P-40s sported the Tiger-shark motif and eye; tongues were added for effect and eyes became more menacing. The most famous WW II aircraft décor was born from the pages of a borrowed magazine, that showed similar on a squadron of British P-40s in North Africa.
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The name, regardless of where it originated, became synonymous with two emblems – the shark’s jaws and the Disney studio design, first embodied on a pin which appeared in the summer of 1941.
Below, Rosie Mok, friend of all ‘Tigers’ & the owner of a popular restaurant in Kunmimg, China, frequented by the AVG. Rosie opened the restaurant at the request of General Chennault to entertain the Flying Tigers and often extended credit to them between their pay checks. Rosie also owned a transportation company and traveled between Rangoon and Calcutta to supply the Flying Tigers with medicine, liquor and personal articles. Rosie is shown wearing the famous pin, often sent to American wives & sweethearts.
Both emblems would continue long after the AVG was disbanded, but the nick-name “Flying Tigers” was to continue on with American Forces – even to the present day!
The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Chiang’s Nationalist government threw in with the allies – China & all of free Indo-China became an added “theater of war” in which Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek was to assume the office of Supreme Allied Commander for American, British & Chinese forces.
The AVG had thus far been mainly based for training at the Keydaw airdrome near Toungoo, Burma. The Chinese were preparing quarters (hostels) for them at Kunming in Yunnan province along a large airstrip still under construction. Chennault saw the wisdom of deploying one squadron in Kunming to protect the city from Japanese bombing raids. The others were in Burma, closer to the port city of Rangoon, and to the enemy. The Japanese had approximately 1,500 aircraft within Indo-China at the time.
However, it was not until December 22nd, when the AVG was first bloodied in battle against their sworn enemy – China’s “early warning system” a product of ingenuity and re-design by Chennault and hundreds of villagers, as well as army listening-posts, telephoned word that a sizeable force of Japanese Bombers were enroute to Kunming.
Chennault scrambled his men & machines; holding back those in Burma. The pilots were excited and somewhat confused, but up against merely 10 bombers they attacked wildly and dispatched nine. One pilot shot down two; others ganged-up on single aircraft; one chased after them so far that he ran out of fuel on returning, crash-landing in a rice-paddy. Chennault lectured his warriors on their mistakes, and told them: “Next time – Get ‘em all!”. While the AVG defended Kunming, the enemy never again came to bomb the city!
Although this was the first encounter, it would be in the air-battles over Rangoon that they exhibited the bravery and accuracy which hallmarked the Flying Tigers. In ten weeks of defending the city and the Burma Road, “Chennault’s boys” had destroyed 217 of the enemy’s aircraft and probably an additional 43, while losing 5 pilots in exchanges with approximately 1,000 of the Japanese Imperial Air Force. 16 P-40's were destroyed, and this left less than 56 serviceable aircraft after the first 31 sorties.
Planes and men had done more than expected. Chennault was confident the “Flying Tigers” would be able to hold the Japanese at bay, as long as he could get ammunition, replacement parts and fuel… this was proving a difficult supply situation, and damaged aircraft kept some pilots side-lined. Japanese attacks on the airfields in Burma were becoming more prevalent as the enemy retaliated for its losses.
February, 1942 brought Chennault a problem that would hamper his continued efforts to re-build the Chinese Air Force; in the form of General “vinegar Joe” Stillwell. Effectively, Gen. Stillwell became Chennault’s superior, and commanded the Army. The AVG remained a volunteer organization under contract to the CAF – only until the US decided to induct them as airmen into the Army Air Corps. Most were tired and asked only to return to the states for a month, but the emissary sent by Stillwell and the US Army treated their request poorly, and Chennault was forced to set a deadline for their induction and/or replacement. No one acknowledged their previous efforts or the fact that they had set a record of aerial victories never before, or since, equaled… they were considered “mercenaries”, and to Stillwell, who’s plans called for driving the Japanese from Burma using American & Chinese ground troops, they were not a consideration!
Only by assuring Chiang that an air force would replace the “Flying Tigers” and Chennault would continue to command it, was the deed done. In truth, Chennault received almost nothing new, except pilots un-trained in war tactics against the Japanese, and the five AVG who stayed on. Many more volunteered an extra two weeks to help in the transition.
On July th. 1942 the AVG was disbanded; not the name though… Chennault would command the new Flying Tigers until the Army re-retired him summer of 1945, shortly before Japan’s surrender.
On July 4, 1942 the formation of an interim group, known as the China American Task Force (CATF) incorporated the new Flying Tigers and set the way for Chinese to fly in combat as well… It was the beginning of the US 14th. Air force, placing all the old P-40's and some B-25's Chennault had acquired as well as transport aircraft into the 23rd. Fighter group and Combat Carrier wings.
During this period the American forces relied heavily on the Chinese for the construction of new airfields, expanded hostel facilities, base offices and revetments, as well as maintenance, guards and mechanics. This job essentially fell to one man, Lt. Gen. Jen Lin Huang who formed the War Area Services Commission (WASC). Lt. Gen. Huang had been with the Nationalist administration from the time of Sun Yat-Sen. He’d become a close friend of Chennault’s as well as confidant to the Chiangs.
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