[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10789-10790]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     APPRECIATING THE FLYING TIGERS

  (Mr. WILSON of South Carolina asked and was given permission to 
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to recognize 
the Flying Tigers, a courageous group of volunteer pilots of World War 
II who carried out strategic air support missions to protect the 
citizens of the Republic of China. This elite group became the 14th Air 
Force and included my father, First Lieutenant Hugh de Veaux Wilson.
  Through the leadership of General Claire Chennault, the Flying Tigers 
achieved impressive victories, destroying 296 enemy aircraft, stopping 
the invaders, and saving millions of Chinese lives.
  America is always appreciative to the Republic of China military who 
rescued most of the crews after 15 U.S. planes crashed into China 
following the Doolittle Raid in 1942. This raid was formed in my 
hometown of Springdale at Columbia Army Air Base in South Carolina.

[[Page 10790]]

  I have visited President Jiang Zemin at the Presidential compound in 
Beijing on a delegation led by Congressman Curt Weldon. Upon hearing of 
my father's Flying Tiger service, President Jiang Zemin interrupted the 
meeting to announce his view that, because of the Flying Tigers, ``the 
American military is revered in China.''
  In conclusion, God bless our troops, and may the President by his 
actions never forget September the 11th in the global war on terrorism.

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