USO Canteen FReeper Style ~ FlashBack Friday ~ March 14 2003

Friends of The Canteen

[SAMWolf]

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By remembering and paying tribute to the military past of our country,
we are paying tribute to those who are serving our country today.

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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.

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"A nation that forgets its past has no future."
Sir Winston Churchill

"Those Who Have Long Enjoyed Such Privileges As We Enjoy, Forget In Time that Men Have Died To Win Them."
Franklin D. Roosevelt

[LaDivaLoca]

Nope, my brother didn't write it although I don't doubt he is capable of writing such a piece. He found it and shared it with us.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Would it kill you to get me a piece of tuna?! A bald eagle with a disabled wing gives Jim Elliott a piece of her mind at a coastal development in Mount Pleasant, S.C., where hundreds of acres have been set aside to provide habitat for eagles, hawks and other wildlife. Elliot is the director of the South Carolina Center for Birds of Prey.

[LaDivaLoca]

Okee dokee, time for bed. Goodnight all and God bless you.

[Kathy in Alaska]

ROTFLOL!,Diva. I really like those "Friday" graphics.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep well, Diva. Be sure to do a good job when you wash your car.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, John Howard. And thanks, Chap Grant, for the posting.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thank you, AP, for the pillow for our Military and their families. G*d bless you good for finding just the right one each day.

Enjoy the weekend.

[Soaring Feather]

Work been a real drudge Kathy?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Oh my, you found my picture. And that is just the speed I am going at right now. Almost done and stuff prepared for Monday.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Nite Ladies!
God Bless You and everyone who helps the Canteen be such a nice place.

[Soaring Feather]

Good Nite Tonkin!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night, snippy. Have a good sleep. Thanks for the great graphics of the Tarawa.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good night and sleep well, Tonkin. God bless you good for your service to our country, both years ago and now in the Coast Guard Auxiliary.*HUG* Only 5 get-ups til helo ops night.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good job on passing your fire inspection, fatima.

[fatima]

Thanks Kathy but Geni did all the work and LuLu,I went to dinner and they cleaned.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks for bumping by you two. And thank you both for your service to our country.

[Soaring Feather]

Good Night Blessing for the Troops

Blessings on you this evening 
May the stars in heaven 
light your way into the 
Milky Way of dreams 


May your day tomorrow 
be filled with love 
laughter and joy... 


Taking away all heart ache 
left stinging... 
and unclouding your vision 
for clear sailing... 


bentfeather 



 

[Soaring Feather]

Good Night Canteen Crew
God Bless You Real Good.

[fatima]

Night.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good Night Blessing for the Troops. Thank you, ms feather. God bless you good for the wonderful and funny graphics you post reach day for our troops. I'm on my way home via WallyWorld to find care package stuff.