Zhou Zheng, principal of Shanghai No. 8 Senior High School, received a pilot jacket symbolizing the legendary Flying Tigers, a gesture she said filled her with the warmth and power of their spirit.
The jacket came as the school was designated a "Flying Tigers Friendship School", a program designed to share the story of the Flying Tigers with younger generations in China and the United States.
The honor was presented during the opening of a Flying Tigers photo exhibition at Huangpu Cultural Center on Tuesday, an event highlighting the profound friendship that developed between China and the United States during the World Anti-Fascist War.
Themed "Remembering heroes and creating the future together", the exhibition is co-hosted by the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation and the Huangpu District People's Government. Organizers hope the exhibit will encourage future cooperation between the two countries.
Running through Sept 14, the exhibit marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. It features more than 200 photos across five chapters, documenting the Flying Tigers' achievements and their efforts alongside the Chinese people during World War II.
The Flying Tigers, formally known as the American Volunteer Group, were a unit of US volunteer pilots formed in 1941 under General Claire Chennault. He first arrived in China in 1937 to survey the Chinese Air Force and decided to stay after witnessing the atrocities committed by Japanese forces against civilians.
During the war, the Flying Tigers fought Japanese forces in the air, flew supplies over the Himalayas into blockaded areas and trained Chinese pilots while helping civilians operate early warning systems. Thousands of Chinese civilians risked their lives to rescue pilots of Flying Tigers shot down while attacking Japanese troops.
From 1941 to 1945, the Flying Tigers downed more than 2,600 Japanese military aircraft, sank or damaged 44 Japanese warships and 13,000 river vessels, and transported over 736,000 metric tons of supplies to support the Chinese resistance. A total of 2,591 US pilots and 911 Chinese airmen died during that period, while more than 200 members of the Flying Tigers were rescued by the Chinese at the cost of many lives, according to the exhibition.
"That is the significance of all these photographs. It is the shared American and Chinese legacy of the Flying Tigers. It's sacrifice. It's love," said Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation.
Greene noted that the Flying Tigers, or fei hu dui in Chinese, was the name given by the Chinese people to the pilots. In Chinese mythology, a flying tiger cannot be defeated and is immortal, which was how many Chinese viewed the pilots who fought to drive out Japanese forces.
"The Flying Tigers are a symbol of China-America cooperation during wartime," Greene said. "This photo exhibition eloquently and powerfully speaks to the timeless truth of the remarkable relationship that developed between the people of China and the United States during the darkest days of WWII."
Chen Jing, president of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said at the opening that the Flying Tigers spirit denotes a heroic mission by both nations to stand together to safeguard peace, telling a story of enduring friendship that should be passed down through generations.
Three schools in Shanghai, including Shanghai No 8 Senior High School, were honored as Flying Tigers Friendship Schools during the ceremony.
"Looking back at history is about creating a better future," Zhou said. "Most of our students are 16 to 18 years old, a key period for them as they are shaping their world views. Becoming a Flying Tigers Friendship School offers us a valuable opportunity to promote exchanges and enhance friendship between Chinese and American youth. They will write the next chapters of the future."
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