My Friendship with the Flying Tigers

“I believe I owe a debt to the Chinese people… It’s so huge there’s no way I can pay it back.” This is what Flying Tigers pilot Glen Beneda said to his family time and again.

I have been working in the CPAFFC for over 10 years now， and my feelings for the Flying Tigers have deepened over time. I had heard of its WWII exploits as a child and I knew it was led by General Claire Chennault. I first came into direct contact with the organization in October 2002， less than three months after I joined the CPAFFC， when I was assigned to receive Rosemary Simrall and Nell Calloway， respectively the daughter and granddaughter of General Chennault during their visit to China. Though the visit lasted only five days， Rosemary’ eyes and chin， which looked so much like the photographs I had seen of General Chennault， and Nell’s southern American accent left a deep impression on me. Since then， Nell and I have occasionally exchanged emails and MSN dialogues， and even made phone calls. This constant contact has not only helped enhance my understanding of the Flying Tigers and General Chennault， but also deepened my feelings for this American family that has such a profound relationship with China.

Entrusted by the Chinese Government， the CPAFFC invited over 110 American World War II veterans and their families to visit China in the early autumn of 2005 to participate in the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Rosemary and her family were among them.

When visiting the Palace Museum in Beijing， the 77-year-old Rosemary had to use a wheelchair as she had some trouble walking. I helped maneuver her up and down the wheelchair ramps. On level ground， I sometimes pushed her round and round just for fun. At such times， we felt like members of the same family. For the rest of the visit， she would introduce me as her “Chinese grandson”， and so I had an “American granny” for the first time.

Flying Tigers veteran Glen Beneda was also among those invited. On May 6， 1944， Glen’s plane was hit by Japanese gunfire and crashed into a lake in Jianli County， Hubei Province. The 19-year-old pilot parachuted down and was rescued by local peasants， who then risked their lives to keep him away from the searching Japanese.

They managed to get him to the headquarters of the Fifth Division of the New Fourth Army headed by Li Xiannian. Undergoing 60 days of hardships and dangers， Glen Beneda was able to return safely to the American air base. In the process， he developed a profound friendship with Li Xiannian.

Sixty years later， during his visit to China， Glen Beneda， for the first time， met Li Xiaolin， daughter of Li Xiannian and then a Vice President of the CPAFFC， and many Chinese peasants who had taken part in his rescue as well as their children and grandchildren while revisiting Jianli County. Hundreds of people from different parts of the country came to see this American veteran pilot who had help China in its resistance war.

It was a warm and moving scene when Glen and his rescuers were moved to tears as they embraced each other. A friendship renewed after six decades， which then created in Li Xiaolin’s mind the idea of filming a documentary about the story of Beneda and cooperation between China and the United States during WWII. This eventually appeared as Touching the Tigers.

For the filming， in October 2010， Glen defied nine heart bypass operations to visit China again with his family and see again those who had saved him. I accompanied the 11-member Beneda family on its visit to Beijing， Hubei and Shanghai. Taking into consideration of Glen’s health conditions， we arranged for a doctor from the Beijing Hospital to accompany the delegation throughout the visit. It was also arranged for Glen and his wife to visit the site of the Headquarters of the Fifth Division of the New Fourth Army in Dawu County， instead of Jianli County that was further away. Three days after Glen returned home， he passed away.

Today， I still clearly remember that weekend five years ago when I looked at the unknown phone number of an incoming call on my mobile phone， wondering if I should accept the call. It was from Edward， the eldest son， informing me of the sad news. He consoled me， saying that his father’s passing was a natural cause of old age， not because of the travel fatigue from his last China visit. Glen and other members of his family said many times that Glen’s life had been given by the Chinese people and that without the Chinese military and civilians who risked their lives to save him， neither he nor his family could have enjoyed the happy life of the subsequent 60 years or so.

According to his last wishes， his widow Elinor and his two sons came to China and placed part of his ashes in the memorial park of the former residence of Li Xiannian in Hong’an County， Hubei Province in May 2011. At the ceremony， I， for the first time， sang both the Chinese and US national anthems before a large number of Chinese and foreign guests as a way to bid him farewell. After the ceremony， Elinor came over to me. With tears in her eyes， she held my hands for quite a while. I had gained another “American granny”.

Time flies. Now we are in 2015， the 70th anniversary of war victory. The CPAFFC mounted an exhibition For Justice and Peace — Photo Exhibition on China-US Cooperation in World War II in Washington DC on June 24. The 94 photos on display were arranged in four parts， namely， China and the United States in a Fight Against Fascism， Americans the Chinese Define as Heroes， The Friendship the Chinese and American Soldiers and Peoples Shared， and Salute to Friendship， vividly representing the history of the military and civilians of the two countries fighting the enemy shoulder to shoulder and the profound friendship forged during the process.

When attending a reception at the exhibition， Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong who was in the United State to chair the Sixth Round of China-US High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchanges said it would never be forgotten that over 70 years ago， a large number of American young pilots， with passion and sense of justice， came to China to join the unbending Chinese people to build a new Great Wall resisting Japanese aggression. According to incomplete statistics， during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression， about 250，000 Chinese military and civilians took part in various actions to rescue American soldiers and many thousands died as a result； among the 18，000 American airmen aiding China in its resistance war， 2，193 Flying Tigers pilots died， but more than 200 escaped death with the help of Chinese military and civilians. American war veterans visiting the exhibition suggested that more of their compatriots should visit the exhibition so as to learn the unknown history of cooperation between China and the United States during WWII.

Looking at these photos at the exhibition， recalling different scenes in the documentary Touching the Tigers， and remembering the little things I shared with Rosemary and Glen Beneda during their visits in China， many thoughts and feelings passed through my mind. Though both of them have passed away， their smiling faces， the expression in their eyes， their love of China still touches me deeply.

I am fortunate to have chosen the path of people-to-people diplomacy， for along this path there are numerous such moving stories about people’s friendship. In those days， to uphold justice and peace， a group of young Americans resolutely traveled to a country about which they probably knew little， where they fought fascist aggression together with the Chinese people. Today， it is my belief in making friends for the country， my high respect for the Flying Tigers and also my profound friendship with the families of General Chennault and Glen Beneda that make me determined to continue to do a good job and contribute something to the cause of people-to-people friendship.