Mrs. Huang Huanxiao was the only nurse in the American Air Force Field Hospital on the route of "the Hump" during World War II. Now she is 90 years old and recently began to write her memoirs. The old lady, who was once called "Angel of the Hump", wants to leave the true stories of World War II and "the Hump" to her descendants.
Mrs. Huang was born in Xinhui City, Guangdong Province, and moved to Macao with her family when she was four years old. She joined the Royal Association of Nurses after graduating from the Nurses' School of Queen Marry Hospital. In 1942, she responded to a call made by Song Qingling (wife of Dr Sun Yatsen, founder of the Republic of China and one of the famous "Soong Sisters") and went back to the mainland to join the anti-Japanese war. Then she was sent to the Flying Tiger Hospital of America's Air Force in Yunnan Province. At that time, Huang was the only female nurse in the hospital although there were about 30 doctors and nurses in the hospital.
In 1941, the Japanese waged war on Southeast Asia. Yunnan turned to another battlefield. American general Claire Chennault formed the Flying Tiger Fleet which consisted of American volunteer pilots and supported Chinese people to fight Japanese invaders during World War II. They transported arms and other materials, and carried out air raids. The route was known as "the Hump".
"Those American pilots were all brave and noble-minded," Huang said. "At the beginning of the hump airline, many planes crashed when buffeted by unpredictable winds and storms of the Hump. After the opening of the airline, many wounded pilots of transport planes and fighter planes were sent to our field hospital everyday. Those serious wounded pilots would be sent to the rear hospital in Kunming after our emergency treatment to these patients."
The pictures, which were collected carefully by the old lady, show that the hospital was simple and crude. There were only several one-story houses which were used as patients' wards and emergency treatment wards. Most of the doctors and nurses lived in tents. "The time of working in the America's Air Force Field Hospital was the most memorable time for me though I was in danger and tired at that time. We saved many wounded heroes everyday and waited for the victory news everyday." According to statistics, 600 airplanes crashed and more than 1,500 pilots died and missing during May 1942 and March 1945 in "the Hump".
Huang and her husband lived in Kunming after the war. In 2002, her husband passed away. Then, her children accompanied her to visit her hometown Macao and some European countries, such as Germany, France, Belgium and Holland. Media from these places reported the lady's story. Her experience, especially the experiences in World War II, evoked people to reflect upon the war and brought her respect from peace lovers. Newspapers admired her for bringing peace and love from Asia to Europe.
Huang began to write her own memoir last year. She also concerned herself about the salvage of crashed Flying Tiger Fleet planes in Dianchi Lake in Yunnan. "There must be many crashed planes waiting for us to find them. I hope they can be discovered and let the spirits of the martyrs go back to their hometown as soon as possible."
(China.org.cn by Wu Nanlan August 25, 2003)
