Flying Tigers' relatives, scholars honor group's legacy at exhibition in south China

Relatives of the Flying Tigers and researchers focused on the group gathered on Sunday, Sept. 7 at an exhibition, which is hosted at the Liuzhou Military Museum and preserve the history of the U.S. volunteer pilots who fought alongside Chinese forces during World War II in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

Clifford Ray Long Junior, the son of veteran Flying Tiger pilot Clifford Ray Long, told Xinhua that three generations of his family have left footprints in China, pointing to two photos on permanent display at the Liuzhou Military Museum. One shows his father during a 2004 return visit to China, and the other features Long Junior himself with his grandson at the Great Wall in Beijing in 2023.

Clifford Ray Long joined the Flying Tigers at the age of 19 in 1941. Long Junior shared the story of one of his father's most perilous missions, during which his aircraft was attacked by 13 Japanese fighters. Despite sustaining severe damage, he managed to regain control of his plane and survived a crash landing.

That was his 23rd sortie, Long Junior said, adding that his father flew 104 missions in total, the last of which took place on his 20th birthday.

At the exhibition, Virginia Lynn Krippner, the niece of Flying Tiger Howard Lincoln Krippner, proudly recognized her uncle in a group photo of the U.S. pilots. She also donated a vase that had originally been gifted to her uncle by the Chinese people.

She expressed her hope that more people would be able to learn about this friendship through objects like the vase.

Ma Kuanchi, vice president of the Flying Tiger Historical Organization in the United States, remembers moving reunions that took place between American veterans and their Chinese wartime rescuers. They stood up, saluted and embraced one another with tears in their eyes -- and that's true friendship, Ma said.

Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, emphasized the importance of cooperation embodied by this shared history, speaking at the gathering. He announced plans to bring more American students to Flying Tiger friendship schools in China next year to enhance their understanding of WWII history and people-to-people bonds.

The exhibition opened on Sunday and features over 1,000 items, many of which were donated from China or the United States. Entrance will be free for the public long-term.

Source: Liuzhou Military Museum

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