Flying Tigers - A People at War

The American Volunteer Group (AVG) was popularly known as the Flying Tigers because of their aircrafts' distinctive shark's mouth paint scheme. The Flying ... Prelude toWar FlyingTigers The U.S.S.ReubenJames   "AChinesesoldierguardsaline ofAmericanP-40fighterplanes,paintedwiththeshark-faceemblem ofthe`FlyingTigers,'ataflyingfieldsomewhereinChina.". (NWDNS-208-AA-12X-21) ShortlyaftertheJapaneseattackedChinainJuly1937, andbeforetheUnitedStatesofficiallyenteredthewarwithJapan,Americans werefightingtheJapaneseinChina.Theywereonhandasobservers,advisers, andevenrecruitersforforeignairforces.Theyhadtobeextremelycautious intheiractivitiessincetheUnitedStateswasneutralatthattime. OneoftheseAmericanswasretiredArmyCapt.ClaireL.Chennault. Duringthesummerof1941,Chennaulthelpedformandtrain asmallgroupofformerArmy,AirForce,Navy,andMarineCorpspilots. TheAmerican VolunteerGroup(AVG)waspopularlyknownastheFlyingTigersbecause oftheiraircrafts'distinctiveshark'smouthpaintscheme.TheFlying TigersdidnotseecombatuntilDecember18,1941.OnJuly4,1942,the AVGwasdisbanded,andmanyofthepilotslefttoreturntotheiroriginal militaryservices.Thosefewwhoremainedformedthecadreofthe23rd FighterGroup.Thisunitwaspartofthe14thAirForce,whoseinsignia showsitslineage. SquadronComdr.GregoryBoyingtonwas ahighlysuccessfulTiger,afutureMedalofHonorwinnerandMarine CorpsfighteracewhoshotdownsixJapaneseplanesduringthisperiod. OnJuly4,1942,theAVGtransferredtotheArmyAirForceandeventually becamethe14thAirForce,whoseinsigniashowsitslineage.       Previous |Next|Back toTop include($_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/includes/components/web.trends.php");?>