Researchers have found in southwest China a cemetery built
during the Second World War where about 300 air warriors of the
U.S. squadron "Flying Tigers" were buried.
The cemetery lies in the woods in Puzhao village in the
northeastern suburbs of Kunming, capital of Yunnan, said Sun
Guansheng, head of the Yunnan Flying Tigers Research
Association.
About 300 Flying Tigers members and 500 Chinese airmen were
buried in the cemetery when it was first built near a nunnery in
the village in 1943. The cemetery was moved to the current site in
1949, according to Sun.
"Many people came to pay their respect to the air warriors
before it was moved. However, few people are coming at present,"
Sun quoted local elder villagers as saying.
Many tombs have sunk decades after they were built, and the
cemetery as a whole lacks due protection, Sun said, adding that the
association has called on the local government to repair and
protect the cemetery.
On August 1,1941, the American Volunteer Group, nicknamed Flying
Tigers afterwards, was formed under the leadership of U.S. General
Claire Lee Chennaults to help China drive out the invading Japanese
troops.
The airmen, whose planes were painted with shark teeth, were
known in China as "Fei Hu" (Flying Tigers) for their courage.
According to the research of Sun's association, 2,264 U.S.
"Flying Tigers" members and more than 900 Chinese airmen who fought
along with them devoted their lives in the war against
fascists.
Between December 1941 and September 1945, the Flying Tigers shot
down and blew up 2,600 Japanese military planes, destroyed 44
warships and killed 66,700 Japanese soldiers.
(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)