Meet 104-year-old Chen Ping Ching, the last living member of ...

Officially known as the First American Volunteer Group (AVG), the Flying Tigers consisted of pilots from the U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC), Navy ( ... ClosethiscontentReadfullarticleCarlSamsonOctober30,2021,12:06AM·6minreadOnAug.15,Japanenteredthe76thyearsinceitsdefeatinWorldWarII.Addressingacrowdoflessthan200people—thesmallestaudiencesincetheannualcommemorationbeganin1963—EmperorNaruhito,forthethirdconsecutiveyear,expressed“deepremorse”overthecountry’swartimepast.PrimeMinisterYoshihideSuga,whomadehisfirstappearanceattheevent,promisedthatJapanwillneverwagewaragain.Whilesuchstatementsmaybecomfortingtohear,noJapaneseleaderhaseverofficiallyapologizedforthewarcrimesthecountrycommitted.Japan’satrocitieswerelargelyfeltinAsia,whichImperialleadersattemptedtouniteundertheGreaterEastAsiaCo-ProsperitySphere(GEACPS).TheconceptaimedtouniteallAsiancountriesandfreethemfromWesternrule.Suchanidealcameatthecostofmillionsofinnocentlives.Whiletheconceptinitiallyappealedtomanyforitspan-Asianagenda,itsimplementationendedupbeingabrutalanddeadlyassertionofJapan’ssuperiorityovertherestofitsneighbors.OfthecountriesJapanhadsoughttoruleover,Chinasufferedthemostcasualties.IntheeightyearsthatImperialJapanpursuedtheRepublicofChina(ROC)—beginningfromtheSecondSino-JapaneseWarin1937toJapan’ssurrenderin1945—upto20millionChinesepeopledied,whileawhopping100millionmorebecamerefugees.Defendinganationwithhalfabillionpeoplewasfarfromaneasytask.Countlessmorewouldhavesufferedandperishedifitweren’tforabravegroupoffighterswhohadtosacrificetheirownlives.EntertheFlyingTigers,agroupofAmericanandChinesepilotswhosworetodefendtheROCfromImperialJapan.OfficiallyknownastheFirstAmericanVolunteerGroup(AVG),theFlyingTigersconsistedofpilotsfromtheU.S.ArmyAirCorps(USAAC),Navy(USN)andMarineCorps(USMC).TheywererecruitedbeforethePearlHarborattackunderPresidentFranklinRooseveltandcommandedbyClaireLeeChennault.TheywerealsomembersoftheRepublicofChinaAirForce(ROCAF),nowunofficiallyknownastheTaiwaneseAirForce.TheFlyingTigersconsistedofthreefightersquadrons,eachofwhichhadabout30aircrafttodeploy.TheyfirstarrivedinChinainApril1941andengagedintheirfirstcombatonDec.20,1941,12daysafterJapan’ssurpriseattackonPearlHarbor.Thegrouphasasignificantroleinhistory,havingachievednotablevictoriesduringthelowestpointsofthewarfortheU.S.andtheAlliedForces.ThiskeptalivethehopethatJapanwouldeventuallybedefeated.Recordsshowthattheymanagedtodestroy296enemyaircraftwhilelosingonly14pilots.AmongthesebraveheroesisChenPingChing,whoturned104thisyear.NextSharkhadthehonorandprivilegetotalkwithChenandhisfamily.Chen,whogoesbythenicknameJim,isthelastlivingmemberoftheFlyingTigers.Hisentryintothewarbeganin1941,whenhewassenttotheArizonaAirForceBasefortraining.Thefollowingyear,hegraduatedandwastransferredtoFloridatoreceivecombattrainingaspartoftheU.S.AirForce58thCombatBrigade.Priortoenteringthewar,Chenflewdifferentaircraft—includingP39andP66—andevenledanavalshiptoIndia.Hewaseventuallyincorporatedintothe14thAirForceand23rdGroup.AfterflyingaP40fighterplane,hisaircraftnumber13fromthe75thsquadronwasofficiallyincorporatedintotheFlyingTigers.ChenfoughtcountlessbattlesinthewesternChineseprovincesofYunnanandGuangzhouin1943.Inoneofthem,hewastheonlysoldierleftalive.“IwillneverforgetthatonedevastatingbattlethattookplaceonFridaythe13th,whenallmyteammateswerekilled,leavingmeasthesolesurvivor,”Chenrecalled.ThatfatefuldayoccurredinOctober1943,accordingtoChen’sfamily.Chenandhisteam’smissionwastobombHaiphongHarbor,NorthVietnam’sonlymajorport.ThiswouldstemthetransportofJapanesewarsuppliesintoChina.Targetsincludedtheharboritself,aswellasanyotherenemyvessel.ThewholesquadronwastoescortafleetofB-24bombers.JimflewaP40.AbattlebrokeoutwhenJapaneseZerofightersappearedintheskytoshootthebombers.Chenwasabletoshootdownanenemyplane,buthewashitfrombehindbyanother.Abulletpiercedhiswindshield,hitthecockpitandricocheted,buryingitselfinChen'srightshoulder.Chenmanagedtoejectfromhisplaneandlaunchaparachute.HelandedinthevirginforestbetweenChinaandVietnam.Thisbeganhisweek-longordealofjunglesurvival.Chensustainedawoundthatcausedimmensebloodloss.Heatethechocolateinhissurvivalkit,buttherevolverinsidewaslost.Ashewanderedintheforest,Chencamefacetofacewithanativeman.Bothsideswereastonishedtoseeeachother.Nonetheless,themanunderstoodthatChenneededhelp.Heprovidedhimfoodandshelter.Unfortunately,JimwaseventuallytakentoaFrenchpatrol,hisfamilysaid,whichthendeliveredhimtotheJapanese.HewasimprisoneduntiltheAlliedvictoryin1945.Chenis“eternallygrateful”totheU.S.forhelpingChinaresistJapaneseaggression.ThewarherosaidbeingamemberoftheFlyingTigershasbeenhislife’sgreathonor.“WhenJapaneseinvaderscametothreatenmyhomeland,theU.S.governmentprovidedfreetrainingandfundingformetobecomeacombatpilottobetterservemycountry.Thisopportunitychangedmylifeforever,”Chensaid.InJuly,hesentalettertoPresidentJoeBidenexpressinghiswishtohavehiscontributionsremembered.Hebelieveshisdaysare“numbered.”“IamreachingouttoyouinhopesthatyoucanrecognizeandacknowledgemyachievementsasaFlyingTiger,andthatallFlyingTigersinChinaandtheUnitedStatesinWorldWarIIhavesacrificedtheirlivesfordemocracy,freedomandjustice.”Chensaidallhisremainingphotos,documents,medalsandotherrelicshavebeendonatedtotheKunmingFlyingTigersMuseuminChina.Hisdyingwishissimple:berememberedasaFlyingTiger.“Ihopethatanotherhundredyearsfromnow,mywillistobeburiedintheTaiwanAirForceMartyrsCemetery,whereIwillstillbewearingourproudFlyingTigeruniform.“Oneday,IhopethatIwillbeinheaven,whereIcanbereunitedwithmyoldcommanderandformercomrades-in-arms.AndIsincerelyhopethatGodwillcontinuetoblessboththegoodpeopleoftheUnitedStatesandChinasowecancontinuejoininghandstobuildapeacefulandbetterworld.”AllImagesviaChenPingChingforNextSharkStorycontinuesEnjoythiscontent?ReadmorefromNextShark!MeetthecivilrightsleaderwhobecamethefirstfemaleFilipinoAmericanlegislatorintheUSFilipinoAmericanlaborheroLarryItlionginductedintoCaliforniaHallofFameMeettheKoreanAmericanherowhodiedfromcanceraftercleaningup9/11attacksiteGooglecelebratesMichiyoTsujimuraandherbreakthroughresearchongreenteawithaDoodleOurgoalistocreateasafeandengagingplaceforuserstoconnectoverinterestsandpassions.Inordertoimproveourcommunityexperience,wearetemporarilysuspendingarticlecommentingYahooLifeLisaRinnashutsdownage-shamerswithbikiniphoto:'I'm58andhereismyoldandugly'The"RealHousewives"starreachedforhertwo-pieceinresponsetoanage-shamingcommentsenttoPaulinaPorizkova.50magoTheNewVoiceofUkrainePutinisinchingtowardshisnukes,threateningtoannihilatetheworldifhefailstocaptureUkraine,saysforeignaffairsexpertTheworldhastostopRussiandictatorVladimirPutin,becauseheisanexistentialthreattothehumancivilization,internationalaffairsexpertIvanYakovinasaidinaninterviewwithNVRadio.Weprintaneditedtranscriptoftheinterviewbelow:2hagoBusinessInsiderARussiangeneralwhocommandedelectronicwarfareunitswaskilledinastrikethatkilled100soldiers,topUkraineofficialsaysMaj.Gen.AndreiSimonovwasreportedlykilledwhenUkrainianforcesbombardedaRussiancommandpostnearthecityofIzyum.6hagoWLS–ChicagoStaceyBacaannouncesdecisiontoleaveABC7LongtimeweekendmorninganchorStaceyBacaannouncedherdecisiontoleaveABC7,thankingviewersonEyewitnessNewsSundaymorning.3hagoTheDesertSunStagecoach2022:CarrieUnderwoodrockstheManeStagewithAxlRoseofGunsN'RosesTheheadlinersangamixofoldandnewsongs,andshockedthecrowdwhenshebroughtouttheGunsN'Rosesfrontmanasherspecialguest.9hagoUkrayinskaPravdaNationalGuardsmendestroyedRussianBMP-2,killedcrewanddisplayedtrophiesVALENTYNAROMANENKO-SUNDAY,1MAY,2022,2:02PMSoldiersoftheNationalGuarddestroyedaRussianinfantryfightingvehicle,killeditscrewandknockedoutanenemytankintheKharkivregion.Source:NationalGuardPressCentreDetails:Thepreviousevening,NationalGuardSpecialForcessoldiersnoticedseveralpiecesofenemyequipmentwithpersonnelstillinsideduringaraidononeoftheIzyumregionlocations.6hagoRollingStoneWatchCarrieUnderwood,AxlRosePerformGunsN’RosesClassicsatStagecoachSingersdeliver"SweetChildO'Mine"and"ParadiseCity"duringSaturdayheadliningset3hagoPeoplePrincessCharleneMakesFirstPublicAppearanceinOveraYear—andDebutsPlatinumHaircutTheroyalwasjoinedbyherhusbandPrinceAlbertandtheirchildren,PrinceJacquesandPrincessGabriella,forSaturday'sMonacoE-Prixrace3hagoDailyPawsWatchThisAustralianCattleDogGoBonkerswithJoyWhenHeFindsOutHe'sVisitingHisGrandparentsNowordonwhetherthejourneytookthemovertheriverandthroughthewoods.2dagoAssociatedPressNaomiJudd,ofGrammy-winningduoTheJudds,diesat76NaomiJudd,whosefamilyharmonieswithdaughterWynonnaturnedthemintotheGrammy-winningcountrystarsTheJudds,hasdied.NaomiJudddiednearNashville,Tennessee,saidastatementonbehalfofherhusbandandfellowsinger,LarryStrickland.TheCountryMusicHallofFamewillcontinuewithaplannedinductionceremonyforTheJuddsonSunday.22hagoBusinessInsiderGraphicvideoshowsaRussianinfantrysquadbattlingtorescueawoundedcomradewhileunderintenseUkrainianfireintheruinsofMariupolRussiantroopscomeunderfirefromUkraine'sAzovRegimentinararevideoshowingfrontlinefightinginbesiegedMariupol.Oneisshot.1hagoINSIDERMainegovernorthoughtTrumpwashavinga'nervousbreakdown'duringacallonwhichhecomplainedaboutGeorgeFloydprotests:bookFloyd'smurder"seemedtotriggersomethingelseentirelyinTrump"incomparisontoJoeBiden,perNYTreportersJonathanMartinandAlexanderBurns.21hagoTouchdownWire2022NFLdraft:FinalgradesforeveryNFLteamTouchdownWire'sDougFarrarandMarkSchofieldgivetheirfinalgradesforeveryteamandeverypickinthe2022NFLdraft.18hagoTheNewVoiceofUkraineUkraineArmydestroysRussiancommandpostinKharkivOblast,NationalGuardsaysTheUkrainianmilitaryhasdestroyedacommandpostofinvadingRussianforcesinKharkivOblast,theNationalGuardofUkrainereportedonFacebookonApril30.1dagoBusinessInsiderAKansascityvotedunanimouslytobanco-livinginrentalunits,effectivelymakingroommatesillegalTheShawneeCityCouncilinKansasvotedtobanco-living,apracticethathashelpedpeoplesplitrentasrentalandhousingpricesclimb.4hagoUSATODAYSportsRankingthe10teamsthatmostimprovedtheirSuperBowloddsduringtheNFLdraft|OpinionWhetheranotherlong-shotruntotheSuperBowlispossibleornot,theseteamsmadesmart2022NFLdraftselectionsandtradestoimprovetheirodds.14hagoUkrayinskaPravdaRussiansoldiersinterceptedcall:StormofDnipropetrovskRegionimminent,aviationreinforcementhasarrivedAlyona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