Flying Tigers Reunite in the Big Apple

Last week, twenty or so veterans, Chinese-Americans who served their country during War World II, walked slowly down a quiet street in New York City’s Chinatown.    Family and friends, about two for every one vet, accompanied them to Kimlau Square.   Once there, a TV crew shot footage of a wreath-laying ceremony that paid respect to their fallen comrades.

These men, some as young as 14 when they answered the call to duty in 1943, were once part of the 407^th Air Service Group, the 555^th Air Service Group, the 987^th Signal Company and other all Chinese-American units.   These outfits supported the “Flying Tigers,” U.S. pilots who flew fighter missions in China and Indochina where they gained air superiority over the invading Japanese forces.

Coming from towns and cities across the country, including Chinatowns both large and small, these support squadrons traveled half way around the world to serve at bases throughout China.    They repaired aircraft, handled cargo, loaded munitions, stored and issued supplies, established communications, drove trucks, and performed, (as so many job descriptions read in the military), “other duties as required.”   They also made contact with Chinese nationals, which resulted in valuable intelligence for the United States.

Before attending their re-union (they've met off and on since the mid-fifties) in New York last week, I knew next to nothing about these World War II heroes.   In 1946, many of these vets formed the 407^th Air Service Squadron Veterans Association, which became the largest to stay together after war’s end.   The better half’s father, Jerry Chew, was among them.    

 
We arrived on Tuesday and spent three full days and evenings with them.   The highlights for us included a visit to the Intrepid Air and Sea Museum, honoring the vets at the BR Kimlau American Legion in Chinatown, a visit to the Museum of Chinese in America where several of the veterans spoke before an audience of students and adults, and a bus tour of Manhattan.   The reunion coincided with the convening of the United Nations General Assembly that created traffic delays, but also served as a reminder that some of the world is still in the grip of tyrants.

I’d like to extend a big thank you to Christina Lim for providing the kind of leadership that is needed to make reunions run smoothly.   She is co-author, along with her brother Sheldon Lim, of “In the Shadow of the Tiger,” a fantastic book about the 407^th as well as co-editor of the reunion journal.  A salute also to Mack Pong for being the guiding light for the vets' reunions all these years.  

Thanks, too, to these former servicemen and their families who shared their time and stories with me and my wife.   She now knows more about her father’s service during the war, and we both have come to a greater appreciation of the sacrifices these men made more than 60 years ago.    A more friendly group of folks I have not met.

This Veterans Day, and every day, let’s continue to remember their unique contributions to our nation’s freedoms and democracy.

"Gung ho!!" 

 

 

 

Comments

[Wilfred Eng]

Special thanks to Mack Pong, whom has held us together during these last 66 years after VJ day. He was our mail man whom had a good relation with every individual in the 407th Air Service Squadron. He has a remarkable memory of every comrade, even their middle initials. When there's a duplicate of first and last name, he would differentiate them by their serial number.
Yes, we are a "gung ho" group. We would gather to go to bat for anyone in our organization.
Wilfred R Eng

[Darrel "H" Woo]

Very nice discussion. Wish my mother Pearl, wife Nancy, daughter Alyson, and I could have been there, but, with the exception of Pearl,were just in NYC for the OCA National Convention.

Our veterans are our legacy and should be cherished for the sacrifices they made for our country and for their families. Much history has been recorded. A copy of each program is located at the Library of Congress, as is a panel discussion video recorded in 2005.

We hope to meet you next year in Oakland. Thank you for recording and sharing your thoughts on this reunion.

Darrel, son of Harmon Wong-Woo, 987th Signal Company.

[Jay]

Thanks Wilfred and Darrel. It was my pleasure to write about the re-union. Everyone was super friendly and had great stories.

Is the re-union in Oakland or Portland?

Take care.