SALUTE TO WWII CHINA VETERANS & FAMILIES 向二戰援華抗日老兵 二戰援華抗日老兵/家眷致敬宴會 老兵 家眷致敬宴會
American Volunteer Group
China Air Task Force China Burma India
Air Transport Command
10th Army Air Force
Los Angeles, September 21, 2012
14th Army Air Force
Program__________________________________________________ 5:30 pm
No-host Bar and Social Hour
5:30 – 6:30
Exhibition of Flying Tigers Artifacts and Information, produced by Pedro Chan Viewing of Video on Captain Moon Fun Chin, China National Aviation Corp (CNAC), produced by Chinese American Heroes & Charles Bond, American Volunteer Group (AVG), produced by CCTV
6:45
Appetizers on Tables
7:00
Opening - James Whitehead, Major General, USAF (Ret.) & Chairman of the Board American National Anthem Led by Pek Chan Chinese National Anthem Led by Yaowan Hong Introduction of Kerry Brogan by Michael Bianco, Director, Flying Tiger Historical Organization and recognition of Miss Kerry Brogan as FTHO’s Goodwill Ambassador, plaque presented by General Whitehead. Master of Ceremonies: Kerry Brogan, Flying Tiger Goodwill Ambassador. Welcome by: - Captain Larry Jobe, United Air Lines (Ret.) & President of FTHO - Honorable Judy Chu, Member US House of Representatives - Sun Weide, Deputy Consul General, PRC, Los Angeles Nell Calloway, Granddaughter of General Claire Chennault & Director of Chennault Aviation and Military Museum Cynthia Chennault, Daughter of General Claire & Anna Chennault Special announcement by Bill Macdonald Introduction of WWII China Veterans or Their Family Members and Presentation of Certificates of Appreciation by Nell Calloway, Cynthia Chennault and Gen. Whitehead. Representative of Flying Tigers Veterans - Bill Behrns on behalf of veterans group Lingui County Flying Tigers Heritage Park Delegation Dinner – Nine course Chinese Dinner Erhu Musical Performance by Jack He 1. Spring Time. 2. Heart Will Go On. 3. Horse Racing. Live Auction- Kerry Brogan Auctioneer Thanks to All Sponsors & Chinatown Community by Pedro Chan, Event Organizer Acrobatic Acts by Sha Sha End with Taps
Honorees (in alphabetical order)_______________________________________ Captain Bill Behrns, Ace, CBI, US Army Air Corps.
Capt. Behrns was a P-38 Fighter pilot. 32 pilots from 32 states were assembled and sent to Chittagong, Burma. They received 25 P-38’s and were ordered into combat against an estimated 550 Japanese fighter planes. Despite these odds, they successfully destroyed over 200 Japanese fighters and kept them from expanding into India. Twenty-eight of their pilots were killed in action. Capt. Behrns was shot down, but was rescued the following day. After years of attempts, and documented help from the Japanese archives in Tokyo; the State of California declared him an Ace.
Manuel Gallardo, Pacific Fleet, SS Seaman
Robert Hong. U.S. Army Air Corps Born in China Bob immigrated to the United States in 1936. He joined the Air Corps on August 18, 1942. Served as an air cadet, gunnery instructor and later served with the 15th AAF.
William Jung aka Jeong Gim Yin 鄭金源, 廣東恩平, 14th AAF, 2121 QM Truck Company, Tech 5. Now 105 years old.
Eduardo Perez, Pacific Theater, 1st Calvary, 12th Regiment. Albert Robles, Pacific Theater, 103rd Regiment, Corporal Tech.
Stanley Schwartz, CBI, US Army Air Corps. In 1942. Stanley was sent to Kunming for one day and onto Quelin. He attached to the 23rd Fighter Group under Casey Vincent. There were 12 gunners with him, but no bombers in sight. Then in June 1942 the B25’s arrived from India. They made their first bomb mission on Shanghai. The bombers had hours, not missions. Their job was to look for Japanese shipping, battleships and subs and to fly along the Yangtze River where there were Japanese strongholds and to bomb and strafe them. He completed his contract with Uncle Sam in February or March of 1943, but there were no replacements for them. He got home July 19th, 1943, three days before his 21st. birthday. Then he was sent to Chanute Field in Champagne, Ill. In Oct. 1944, he requested to be sent back overseas. He then left in Nov. 1944 and wound up in Kunming until the war ended. Their job at that time was the same. But they basically owned the skies then and they just had to be aware of Ack Ack fire. At this time, the 12th Bomb Squad was melded into the 1st. and 2nd Bomb Squads. He came home in Nov. 1945 and was honorably discharged on Jan. 9th, 1946.
Donald Westfahl, CBI, Second Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. He flew missions to collect weather data and report to Air Transport Command so that they might determine weather conditions over the hump.
James Bok Wong 黃煜臻, 廣東台山; 第 407 空勤中隊, 14th AAF, 407th Air Service Squadron, Staff Sergeant.
K. Yuey Wong 黄啟銳, 啟銳 廣東台山, 第 407 空勤中隊, 14th AAF, 407th Air Service Squadron; Private First Class.
Fulton Yee 林日新, 廣東台山, 第 407 空勤中隊, 14th AAF, 407th Air Service Squadron; Private First Class
Joe Loy Yung 甄崇運, 廣東台山 49 永丰村; 1942 -43 為中國特遣隊 China Air Task Force and 1942 – 43, 第 987 信號中隊 987 Signal Company, Staff Sergeant.
In Memory of __________________________________________________
From Left: Larry K J Cheng, Harold Fenton, Bock G Jang and George Tom.
Larry Keung J Cheng 鄭作强 鄭作强, 廣東恩平, 14th AAF, 2121 QMC Truck Company. Harold Fenton, 14th AAF, 425th Bomb Squadron, Tech Sergeant; President, 14th Army Air Force Ass’n, 1995.
Bock G Jang aka Bock F Lee 李栢歡, 廣東新會古井, 14th AAF, 555Air Service Squadron. George Tom 譚繼曾, 廣東順德, 14th AAF, 555th Air Service Squadron, Tech Sergeant.
Julius Sue, MD 簫甫怡 醫生, 廣東中山, 14th AAF, Headquarters, 14th Air Service Group, Major.
Special Honored Guests __________________________________________________ Nell Calloway 嘉蘭惠 granddaughter of General Claire Lee Chennault. Currently, she is the Director of Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, Monroe, LA.
(L) Chennault Aviation and Military Museum - Director Nell Calloway (Left) and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Yesui (Middle), Courtesy of CAMM; (R) Nell Calloway meets with Chinese defense minister Liang Guanglie at the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC. (Photo/CNS)
Cynthia Chennault, Ph.D. 陳美麗 daughter of General Claire and Anna Chennault. Currently, she is Associate Professor, Dept. of Language, Literature and Cultures, University of Florida. Her research focuses upon Chinese lyrical poetry, society, and history during the Six Dynasties and early Tang periods (roughly from the 4th through 7th centuries). A particular interest is to examine the cultural context in which new forms and themes of poetry develop. She also edits the multidisciplinary refereed journal Early Medieval China.
(L) Cynthia Chennault, Courtesy of Cynthia Chennault; (M) Anna and Cynthia Chennault at John Chennault’s Gravesite, Courtesy of Cynthia Chennault; (R) General Claire and Anna Chennault with their twin daughters. (Press Photo)
Our Mistress of Ceremony____________________________________________________ Kerry Brogan 凱瑞 Goodwill Ambassador of Flying Tigers Historical Organization. She is an American actress based in Beijing who plays Western female characters in Chinese films and dramas. She is also well known for her work in promoting better Sino-American cultural understanding.
Kerry Brogan on the set of ‘The Great Rescue’, a mini-series about the Flying Tigers filmed on location in Yunnan, China.
List of Sponsors ___________________________________________________________ WWII Veteran James B Wong and Betty Yeow WWII Veteran William Jung Wayne Tam Air China Air Lines San Francisco Office
Acknowledgement________________________________________________________ Cathay Bank, Chris Cheung, Chinese Historical Society of Southern California, Pedro & Pek Chan, Stephen Fong, Lee Kum Kee, Lilian Lee, Edward Wong, Esther Wu, David & Sue Armstrong, Clay Lacy Aviation, Jim & Saundra Whitehead, Larry & Nina Jobe.
Chinese Leaders ___________________________________________
“中國人民不會忘記與中國軍隊并肩作戰并為中國運送戰略物資 而冒險開辟駝峰航線的美國飛虎隊.” -- 胡錦濤 2005 年 9 月 3 日在紀念抗戰勝利 60 周年大會上的講話 The Chinese people will not forget those American Flying Tigers who fought side by side with the Chinese Army and those Hump Pilots who transported war supplies to China. Hu Jintao, September 2005
“這是一位在中國抗 這是一位在中國抗日戰場英勇獻身的美國飛行員, 中國人民將 永遠記住他的名字: 吉米, 福克斯.” -- 江澤民 2002 年 10 月 “He was an American pilot who valiantly sacrificed his life in China for the war against Japanese Aggression. The Chinese people will forever remember his name, James R Fox, Jr”. Jiang Zemin, October 2002
About Flying Tigers Historical Organization 飛虎歷史學會______________ http://www.FlyingTigerHistoricalOrganization.com Founded in 2007, The Flying Tiger Historical Organization is a non-profit 501(C) 3 organization. It preserves the shared history, sacrifices, and heroics between the American and Chinese peoples during World War II. The Flying Tiger Historical Organization promotes continued friendship, cultural understanding, and cooperation between our peoples by developing the Flying Tiger Heritage Park and restoring General Claire L. Chennault's Command and Operations Cave. FTHO Board of Directors: Chairman of the Board Major General James T. Whitehead, Jr., USAF (Ret)
President Larry Jobe, UAL Captain (Ret)
Vice President KC Ma, President Asia Holiday Travel
Treasurer Louis J. Barbich, MBA, CPA
Secretary David E. Thuillez, Licensed Architect Board Member Phil VanZandt, Historian
Board Member Michael Bianco, Chairman and CEO, American Capital Markets Group
FTHO Advisory Board: Mel McGowan Business Owner & Executive
Simone Wright Flying Tiger AVG
Thomas K. Jue CPA
Charles Michel Ret, Account Executive
Clay Lacy CEO Clay lacy Aviation
Rob Custer Retired County Officer
Paul Murphy Patrick Bergin Exec. V.P.Spiers Invest. CFO Tel-Tec Security
Dr. Pedro Chan Collector/Donor of Flying Tiger Items
Judge Michael J Ward Administrative Lawyer
Darrell Scott China Liaison
Victor Tong Webplus Ventures
General Claire Chennault
Museum takes shape