The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Claire Chennault & "The Flying Tigers" - Mar. 14th, 2003

http://www.acepilots.com/misc_tigers.html ^

[SAMWolf]

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General Claire Chennault & "The Flying Tigers"

The Flying Tigers were a group of American fighter pilots that flew for China in the early part of 1942. Led by a controversial American, Colonel Claire Chennault, they were actually called the "American Volunteer Group" (AVG), and achieved good success in their aerial battles against the Japanese.

They were a relatively small group of pilots, and never had more than 100 Curtis Warhawk P-40's (decorated with the famous red shark mouth) available. But at the time they were flying (early 1942), they were the only Americans doing ANYTHING against the Axis. With an American public reeling from Pearl Harbor and anxious to strike back "NOW!" the Flying Tigers were "the only game in town" at that point. Thus they received a lot of favorable press coverage, from reporters anxious to write about the only only Americans doing ANYTHING ANYWHERE against the Japanese.

The Flying Tigers comprised three squadrons:

1st Squadron - "Adam and Eves"
2nd Squadron - "Panda Bears"
3rd Squadron - "Hell's Angels"

The top aces of the Flying Tigers were: David Lee "Tex" Hill, Robert Neale, and Chuck Older. James Howard flew with the AVG; he later earned the Congressional Medal of Honor while flying P-51s for the 354th Fighter Group (Ninth Air Force) in Europe. Pappy Boyington was another Tiger who went on to greater fame; he had a falling out with Chennault, who gave him a Dishonorable Discharge. The mercurial Boyington never forgave him.



"Colonel" Claire Lee Chennault had been in China since the mid-Thirties; he called himself "Colonel," though his highest rank had been Major. An outspoken advocate of "pursuit" (as fighter planes were called then), in an Army Air Force dominated by strategic bomber theorists, he alienated many of his superiors. But in China, equipped with P-40's, he developed the basic fighter tactics that American pilots would use throughout the war. The Japanese planes used over China were much more maneuverable than his Warhawks, whose advantages were: speed in a dive, superior firepower, and better ability to absorb battle damage. Chennault worked out and documented the appropriate tactics that capitalized on the relative strengths of the American fighters: intercept, make a diving pass, avoid dogfighting, and dive away when in trouble. This remained the fundamental U.S. fighter doctrine throughout the Pacific War. My appreciation of the pilot's bravery and Chennault's tactical skills, however, doesn't change my assessment of the unfortunate and perhaps distracting role they played. The Chinese politics and Chinese-American relations at the time were quite complicated. The titular leader of China, Generalissimo Chiang Kai Chek, of the Kuomintang, was engaged in an endless three-way war: his Kuomintang vs. Mao's Communists vs. Japan. And his own power within the Kuomintang was dependent on balancing various warlords, cliques, and factions. Given the understandable problems posed by this situation, he always wanted more and more American aid, which he and his generals then wanted to use against internal enemies as well as Japan, or perhaps, not to use at all, but to hoard as symbols of their power.

General Chennault, got the Generalissimo's ear, and persuaded him that air power could sweep the Japanese from China, almost effortlessly and painlessly, just a few score American B-17 bombers would do the trick. Thus Chiang Kai Chek, General Chennault, Madame Chiang Kai Chek, and the powerful China Lobby used their combined influence with the American government to push Chennault's air power scheme.



Unfortunately, the adressing real issues in Nationalist China -- development of democratic or at least stable institutions, the rooting out of corruption in the Kuomintang, the training and deployment of useful Chinese infantry forces against Japan, improving the life of the ordinary villagers, etc. -- had no priority with the Generalissimo. Chennault's proposals seemed to offer such a promising way out.

The American government had its own problems, and couldn't scrape up the numbers of bombers envisioned. But keeping China in the war against Japan was understood to be in America's strategic interest (even before Pearl Harbor). What could be offered to Chiang was about 100 Curtis P-40 Warhawk fighter planes with volunteer military pilots to fly them. They fought with distinction, largely in the defense of Burma, and were absorbed into the United States Army Air Force's 23rd Fighter Group in July, 1942.

[painter]

I know a guy who flew with the Flying Tigers.I haven't seen him in years.A really nice guy.I asked if he would tell me his experiences,he wouldn't talk much about it.

He did tell a story about one day he was taking off on a mission. He was a couple hundred feet off the ground after take off (in his P40) when his engine quit! Fortunetly he had room to "belly" it in and walk away.

Later in the war he flew P51 Mustangs when his group was absorbed by the USAAF.

Here is an interesting note:After the AVG was absorbed by the USAAF Rush Limbaugh's father flew a Mustang with them.

[SAMWolf]

Yes, Boyington was a Marine Aviator,joinerd in 1935, got into trouble, resigned from the Marines in 1941 and signed up with the AVG, he got into major disagreements with Chennault and quit the AVG in 1942(Chennault gave him a dishonorable discharge) he went back to the States and the Marines reinstated him (they needed flyers real bad) as a Major in 1943,

[SAMWolf]

Thanks, painter. I didn't know that Rush's dad flew Mustangs.

[GATOR NAVY]

Interesting info-thanks!

[SAMWolf]

No, Thank you. You gave me a good idea for another Foxhole Biography.

[painter]

"Thanks, painter. I didn't know that Rush's dad flew Mustangs."

Several years ago Rush talked about it on his show.

[Iris7]

Some few years after I got back from Viet Nam I saw a young fellow wearing an old A4 with the AVG blood chit on the back.

I asked, "Is that real?"

He nodded.

I asked, "Do you realize what that is?"

He answered, "It's my Dad's. He flew with the Flying Tigers."

I spluttered on for a while, expostulating on the irreplaceablity, the utterly incredible value of the garment. And I did not mean dollars.

I never saw the guy again. Hope the old A4 is in good hands.

[SAMWolf]

I hope so too, I hope he was able to pass it down to his son.

[Paulie]

You should start charging tuition. Sad to say, but I've long wondered exactly what the Flying Tigers was. I must have goofed off in school more than I thought.

Thanks again for "learn'n me a thing or two". I know our history is far from spotless, but I'm increasingly proud of our boys and girls.

[SAMWolf]

You should start charging tuition

LOL. Don't feel bad, schools don't really teach our history any more.

[BnBlFlag]

Claire Chennault of Lake Charles, La., my mother's hometown.

[apackof2]

Excellent as always
I love the pictures of these "Flying Tigers"

Duty, Honor and Country bump

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the bump.

[JWinNC]

BUMP

I hope this thread stays here, I've bookmarked it. The pictures alone are incredible.

I wonder if you said "flying Tigers" to someone in China today if they would have any idea what you're talking about?

Peace,
JWinNC

[SAMWolf]

Thanks.

I can't guarantee the graphics will always be on the thread but the text should be here as long as FR lets it stay.

[Chico]

Please REMOVE me from you extensive ping correspondence, this is far from my first request! Will report you.

[Jen]

I have removed you already Chico. You are replying to an old thread.

[Cannoneer No. 4]

A P-40 Tomahawk flown by Steve Hinton and an A-10 Thunderbolt piloted by Air Force Capt. Matt Kouchoukos fly in close formation near Langley Air Force Base, Va., on June 4, 2004. This formation represents the heritage between the 23rd Fighter Group of World War II which stood down to become the famous Flying Tigers, and the legacy which continues today. The P-40 was brought to Langley for the Flying Tigers Reunion.

[SAMWolf]

Great picture, Cannoneer No. 4! The A-10 is my favorite jet.