Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco hosts a reception Thursday welcoming the returned “Flying Tigers” who made the final Hump fly in China. (Han Shasha/People’s Daily Online)

San Francisco, Dec. 15, ——“Larry Jobe cried into my arms as I hugged him after the aircraft landed in China’s Guilin”, said K.C. Ma, vice president of the Flying Tigers Historical Organization at the welcome reception held by the Chinese Consulate General in San Francisco on Thursday.

Larry Jobe, president of the historical organization, among other 4 crew with an average age of above 70, re-flied the “Hump”, known as the most dangerous aircraft route in China during World War II.

Larry Jobe spoke at the reception that “Obstacle and barrier after barrier loomed in our path, from mechanical and political issues to weather. Each was overcome in turn.” “This truly turned into a flight of friendship and relationship building as we progressed along the nearly 7000-mile route in a 72-year old aircraft.”

The Flying Tigers Historical Organization bought a 1944 C-47 aircraft from Australia. Five crew flied the aircraft, named Buzz Buggy, from Australia, through Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar and "across the hump" to Kunming, then on to Guilin, China from August this year. However, the old aircraft had a catastrophic engine failure and made a single engine landing halfway on its journey in Surabaya, Indonesia On 17 August. This is just one of the adventurous stories.

Luo Linquan, consul general of China’s Consulate General in Francisco commented that “It is noteworthy that the volunteer crew headed by Larry Jobe, President of the American Flying Tiger Historical Organization, worked painstakingly and even risked their lives to make this impossible mission possible during the 3-month flight journey, experiencing tons of untold hardships, including two engine failures.” 

With the help from relevant countries and organizations, the plane landed in Guilin, southeast China’s Guangxi province after 97 days’ flights. As planned, the plane will be permanently stationed and displayed in Guilin Flying Tiger Heritage Park.

During WWII, Japan invaded and controlled the coast areas of China, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and then Burma. "Flying the Hump" was the only option to re-supply the forces fighting the Japanese from within China. And it was one of the most dangerous flying routes at the time. About 600 Allied Aircraft were lost crossing the Himalayas to supply the Flying Tigers in China.

Luo said, “there are countless moving stories about the Flying Tigers and their friendship with Chinese people. General Chennault and his Flying Tigers are heroes known to every household in China and their heroic endeavors wound up as a brilliant chapter in Sino-U.S. cooperation in fighting fascism during WWII, which forms an important component in the history of Sino-U.S. relations, and which will never be forgotten by Chinese people.”

Luo also emphasized Florence Fang’s support to the historical organization. Florence Fang, chairwoman of the Florence Fang Family Foundation, donated USD $175,000 to help the organization buy the aircraft.