Posted on 08/31/2009 1:14:33 PM PDT by PGR88
Charles R. Bond Jr., a retired Air Force major general and one of the last surviving Flying Tigers, died Aug. 18 of dementia at Presbyterian Village North, an assisted living community in Dallas. He was 94.
In September 1941, he left the Army Air Forces to volunteer for service in China as part of a secret program, the American Volunteer Group, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, under Gen. Claire Chenault. Made up of about 400 pilots and ground personnel and based in Burma, the Flying Tigers protected military supply routes between China and Burma and helped to get supplies to Chinese forces fighting the Japanese.
The group's exploits became legend. Flying the P-40 aircraft, their fuselages painted with a toothsome tiger, the Flying Tigers were credited with shooting down 299 enemy planes and destroying 200 on the ground, even though the Japanese at times outnumbered Chenault's group 15 to 1. On one day in late February 1942, the Flying Tigers downed 28 Japanese planes while losing none.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Rest in Peace valiant warrior.
RIP.
I love the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. First model I ever built.
The New England Air Museum in CT by Bradley International airport. There is a huge display on the Flying Tigers that is quite impressive. One whole room with lots of video and artifacts. I recommend a trip if you're in the area.
Gen Bond, what a man....he loved God, his family and his Country.
I've changed the old “where did we get such men” to “will we ever see men like this again.”
Who dies of dementia? You die of other stuff, you die WITH dementia. Poor writing, great hero. Waggle the wings one more time, Chuck.
Colonel, USAFR
Yep. I know it wasn't the hottest thing in the air by the time we entered WWII, but it sure was an handsome aircraft.
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Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. |
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Rest in Peace General Bond.
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