Flying Tigers veterans relive friendship between Chinese and American people during China tour
By Bai Ziwei, Liu Ge, Liu Lingling (Peoples Daily) 09:49, November 17, 2023
"Should old acquaintance be forgot, and auld lang syne..."
Accompanied by melodious accordion music, a delegation of the U.S. Flying Tigers veterans and their descendants joined teachers and students from the Kunming Foreign Language School, a "Sino-U.S. Hump Airlift Memorial School", in Kunming, southwest Chinas Yunnan province, in singing the song "Auld Lang Syne" during a visit to the school.
The song reminded Flying Tigers veteran Harry Moyer of the days when the Flying Tigers fought alongside the Chinese people against Japanese aggression and forged a deep friendship.
Members of a delegation of Flying Tigers veterans and their descendants listen to a docent telling the story behind a stone roller at the site of Chenggong Airport in Kunming, capital of southwest Chinas Yunnan province. Chenggong Airport was one of the main bases of the Flying Tigers in Kunming. During the construction of the airport, local people made tremendous efforts to level the runway with the stone roller. (Peoples Daily/Liu Lingling)
Reliving that history and seeing the smiles on students, Moyer was moved to tears by the performance of the song in the auditorium of the Kunming Foreign Language School.
The friendship did not come easily, said Moyer.
Their visit to the Kunming Foreign Language School was part of a recent China tour organized by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation for members of the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, known as the "Flying Tigers," and their descendants.
The delegation visited Chinese cities including Beijing, southwest Chinas Chongqing municipality, Kunming, and Liuzhou city of south Chinas Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, renewing friendship between the Chinese and American people.
Moyer told Peoples Daily that Kunming was the place he looked forward to visiting the most in this tour of China.
Flying Tigers veterans and their descendants sing the song "Auld Lang Syne" with teachers and students at the Kunming Foreign Language School in Kunming, southwest Chinas Yunnan province. (Peoples Daily/Liu Lingling)
The city was where the Flying Tigers first took off to combat in China, and also the starting point and logistics hub of the famous "Hump" air route, a vital airlift route over the Himalayas and the primary way the Allies supplied China between 1942 and 1945 in World War II.
In 1942, after Japan occupied Myanmar and cut off Chinas last international connection, the Flying Tigers blazed a new air route - the "Hump" route over the Himalayas. The route was extremely difficult to fly, but the fearless and selfless members of the Flying Tigers braved all challenges and built an "air bridge" over Kunming.
Back then, people in Yunnan also overcame tremendous difficulties to provide supplies for the Flying Tigers, and did their utmost to rescue downed members of the Flying Tigers, making the legendary American Volunteer Group a symbol of mutual assistance between the Chinese and American people.
During the visit to the Kunming Foreign Language School, members of the delegation watched the musical "Green Path and Rainbow: the Story of the Flying Tigers and the Hump", which showed the Flying Tigers adventure to open the "Hump" air route. The musical was voluntarily created by locals of Kunming.
As actors playing locals gave a thumbs-up gesture and praised the bravery of members of the Flying Tigers as "ding hao" ("top-notch") in local dialect, Moyer, sitting in the audience, also raised his hands and gave a thumbs-up to the actors on stage.
The American people speak a different language from the Chinese people, but the friendship and emotions between the two peoples are connected, said Moyers granddaughter Sarah Moyer.
Deeply touched by the performance, she said she will definitely pass on this sincere friendship.
At the Kunming Flying Tigers Museum, exhibits including pilot goggles, military oil stoves, and group photos of members of Flying Tigers and Chinese soldiers and civilians evoked memories of the Flying Tigers.
Jane Bonner Scott, daughter of Flying Tigers pilot Steve Bonner, couldnt help but shed tears as she saw her fathers photos in the museum.
Her father loved China very much, according to Jane Bonner Scott, who recalled that her father, who passed away two years ago, often talked to her about China and the Chinese people.
Coming to China to visit the place where her father had fought made her think of him a lot, Jane Bonner Scott said.
The history and memories of the Flying Tigers belong not only to her and her family, but also to the people of both countries, noted Jane Bonner Scott, who added that she hopes more young people will learn about the Flying Tigers story and cherish peace and friendship.
The name "Flying Tigers" can be frequently seen along the streets of Kunming, where there are buildings, avenues, theme restaurants, among other facilities named after the Flying Tigers, which have become a vivid demonstration of the profound friendship between the Flying Tigers and the Chinese people.
Nell Calloway, granddaughter of U.S. General Claire Lee Chennault, who led the wartime Flying Tigers pilots to fight Japanese invaders in China during World War II, has visited Kunming more than once.
All the members of the Flying Tigers she knows have told her that they received warm welcome and support from the Chinese people, said Calloway, who disclosed that she was present at the opening of the Kunming Flying Tigers Museum.
During her recent visit to Kunming, Calloway expressed her heartfelt wish for the deep friendship between the Flying Tigers and the Chinese people to continue to be passed down from generation to generation, and for a continuation of the beautiful story of friendship between the American and Chinese people.
责任编辑:胡明政- 【咱们青岛人】山海相拥,跨越4000公里!11名藏胞来青免费接受手术治疗
- 孟加拉国今年已有1520人死于登革热 创历史新高
- 淮北市新增一家省级技术转移服务机构
- 定向可转债新规出台!证监会:将持续深化并购重组市场化改革
- 工伤认定的范围具体是怎样的,工伤认定的范围有哪些
- 澳新南威尔士州高院:必要时可向“耶和华见证人”患童输血
- 倒计时 1 天!时代少年团演唱会快手独家直播即将热力开唱
- “2023数智长江文化论坛”聚智汇能 —— 让数字长江在云端奔腾
- 突发!叙利亚美军基地遭袭
- 沪渝蓉高铁泰州段最大跨度连续梁拱全面开建
- 一年致死13.6万人!37国暴发疫情,世卫组织紧急呼吁
- 杭州男子被确诊癌症晚期!才38岁,这几个习惯害惨了他
- AMD举办“Advancing AI” 迅速扩大的AI客户和合作伙伴生态系统
- e线追踪:信号塔有了新“信号”?
- 文旅丨苏州水杉即将进入最佳观赏期!
- 网易云音乐下载安装2023最新版本
- 王牌装甲师下载2023安卓最新版
- 消费数据不佳、沃尔玛预警,美欧假日季消费还火得起来吗?
- 天天王者联盟合成游戏分红
- 前10月江苏中欧班列跑出“加速度” 开行数及货值双双增长
- 醉美app下载
- Keywords of The Sunnylands Statement between China and U.S. ⑦: 2035 NDCs
- 通过加油机作弊“偷油”!浙江多个加油站被查
- 长三角文博会上江苏展示文化产业创新发展 融合向新,文化“江河”潮赶潮
- 水费多少钱一吨 水费一般多少钱一吨
- ?????????硱ֻҪ10??Ǯ??Ǯ?????Ρ?????Ȧ??ƭ˭?? ??????ǧ ??̨?????? ???????? ?????????ص???????վ
- 涉企虚假不实信息举报专区
- e线问答:购二手房未满一年如何提取公积金?
- 局地最高气温达37~38°C!山东发布高温黄色预警,注意防暑降温
- 考公考研是不是很多人逃避现实,继续啃老的理由
- e线问答:荆州区域内,货车哪些时段禁行呢?
- 爆品打造、商城冲高、全域突破,抖音商城双 11 助力品牌大促生意爆发
- 全国高校评分里边被辅导员看到了会怎么办哈哈哈哈哈哈
- [ 百科] 荆州市司法局深入开展法律援助进社区志愿服务活动
- [ 时尚] 装修避坑!这几个血泪经验,看完直接省钱!
- [ 休闲] 上海六成以上粮食来自江苏 “水韵苏米”香满申城
- [ 休闲] 果断报警!绍兴外卖小哥接到代购敌敌畏订单
- [ 综合] 采埃孚宣布将在西安扩产 公司产品将提供给小米汽车
- [ 休闲] 姑娘两脚悬空坐在绍兴一座大桥上,两名小伙冲了上去……
- [ 探索] 考公考研是不是很多人逃避现实,继续啃老的理由
- [ 时尚] 长三角文博会上江苏展示文化产业创新发展 融合向新,文化“江河”潮赶潮
- [ 时尚] 上海交通大学携手富士instax传递影像文化 让电子照片更有温度
- [ 休闲] 开心消消乐下载2023安卓最新版