Officially known as the american volunteer group avg, the flying tigers. The story of claire chennault and the remarkable flying tigers is one of the most intriguing tales of modern war. Claire lee chennault september 6, 1893 july 27, 1958 was an american military aviator best known for his leadership of the flying tigers and the republic of china air force in world war ii chennault was a fierce advocate of pursuit or fighterinterceptor aircraft during the 1930s when the united states army air corps was focused primarily on highaltitude bombardment. Claire chennault was a proud man with stong convictions. Five books about the american volunteer group, mercenary heroes of burma and china daniel ford. This warbird books edition includes much new material. Chennault was descended from eighteenth century huguenot immigrants, related to sam houston on his mothers side, and related to. Samsons book, it fills in many gaps in the overall understanding of. During world war ii, in the skies over rangoon, burma, a handful of american pilots met and bloodied the imperial wild eagles of japan and in turn won immortality as the flying tigers.
Claire lee chennault was born in commerce, texas, on 6th september, 1893. Chennault was twice married and had a total of ten children. Claire chennault and the american volunteer group by daniel ford book. Claire lee chennault simple english wikipedia, the free. In this definitive biography of general claire chennault, veteran reporter jack samson offers a rare and fascinating inside look at this legendary man behind the flying tigers. It was only later that the avg became the flying tigers.
Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 ford. Popular flying tigers books meet your next favorite book. I, as is the line of chennaults i descend from, are not clearly recorded in the anals of history as a descendant of the general. Led by legendary army pilot claire chennault, these men left behind an america still at peace in the summer of 1941 using false identities to travel across the.
Chennault was a fierce advocate of pursuit or fighterinterceptor aircraft during the 1930s when the u. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 by daniel ford. Claire lee chennault went from being a school teacher in a oneroom school in athens, louisiana, on to become a general and leader of the famous flying tigers. He notes that its pilots were triple volunteers who had volunteered for service with the u. Following is a complete list of american volunteer group flying tigers pilots.
It was the first book to recount for americans the daring and skill of their wartime pilots, an enormous bestseller, one of the really great stories of military aviation. Lieutenant general claire lee chennault, a native of commerce, texas, earned his military pilots wings in 1917. See all 8 formats and editions hide other formats and editions. Though roosevelt was persuaded to postpone this plan, he did give chennault a consolation prizean air force of 100 fighter planes and the pilots to fly them. During world war ii, in the skies over rangoon, burma, a handful of american pilots met and bloodied the imperial wild eagles of japan and in turn won immortality. Born in commerce, texas in 1890, chennault received his education in louisiana colleges and even taught public school in that state before receiving a commission as a first lieutenant in the infantry reserve. Wendell willkie, special representative of the president in his capacity as commander in chief of the armed forces. Claire lee chennault project gutenberg selfpublishing. Claire lee chennault, lieutenant general, united states.
Flying tigers claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 chapter one. It reads like a fictional movie script, filled with drama and adventure such as most only dream of. The film is scheduled to start shooting in spring 2011 with no firm release date stated yet. Flying tiger famous flyers 0791072177 by rice, earle. Claire lee chennault september 6, 1893 july 27, 1958 was an american military aviator best known for his mercenary leadership of the flying tigers and the republic of china air force in world war ii.
Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 ford, daniel on. Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 during the dark, early days of world war ii, when the imperial japanese army, navy, and air force were running roughshod over asia and the pacific, it seemed that nothing could stop them. He was reared in louisiana where his father was a cotton planter. Anna chennault talks about her life with clair lee chennault, the american volunteer group, madame chiang kaishek and the legacy of the flying tigers in america and china. A few world war ii flying units have attained legendary status.
Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 1941. All about the american volunteer group avg flying tigers and their commander claire chennault files and images about the american volunteer group commanded by claire chennault. Chennault, claire lee, 18931958 social networks and. Claire chennault and his american volunteers the lady and the tigers remains. New book puts readers inside the watergate, one of washingtons most notorious addresses. He studied agriculture at louisiana state university but left to become a teacher in texas.
The first american volunteer group avg of the chinese air force. Led by legendary army pilot claire chennault, these men left behind an. Fourteenth will be the subject of a huge upcoming film from imax and director john woo. Army air corps was focused primarily on highaltitude bombardment.
That boast made in september 1937 by claire lee chennault turned out to be a prescription for the american volunteer group he would bring to asia in the summer of 1941, to win immortality as the flying tigers of burma and china. Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942. Claire lee chennault september 6, 1893 july 27, 1958 was an american military aviator. That book talked about the flying tigers and their commander claire chennault. Claire chennault and the american volunteer group daniel ford on. From 1947 until his death in 1958, he married chinese reporter anna chennault.
However i come by the name honest and true yet the story is not as. Depicted in the foreground of roberts dramatic and spectacular combat scene are two p40 tomahawks of the 2nd pursuit squadron, the panda bears, as they pull out of their diving. It was the first combat sortie for the flying tigers, and their spirits were raised further when they learned from later reports that three more of the enemy bombers had failed to return to base. Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 during the dark, early days of world war ii, when the imperial japanese army, navy, and air force were running roughshod over asia and the pacific, it. He was a chainsmoking, bourbondrinking, womanizing man. Claire lee chennault a guide to his papers in the hoover institution archives, the guide unveiled many of the precious documents associated with general chennault and his flying tigers. On both flights he was flying typical military aircraft, on his way from and to typical military destinations of the time. The illustrated story below, as found in real heroes no. Starting in 1940 by president roosevelt, claire chennault was the first in the group. Capturing perfectly the spirit of the flying tigers chennaults flying tigers portrays a scene typical of the distant war fought by this tiny band of warriors.
Famous flyers highlights aviators who influenced popular culture during the early 1900s, world war i and ii, and the cold war. Read flying tigers by daniel ford for free with a 30 day free trial. Ironically, chennault had ups and downs in his career that matches those of chennault air base in lake charles, which was named for him. In 30 weeks of battle, the tigers lost 14 planes but downed 100 japanese planes. Claire lee chennault landed at tucson twice, on november 30, 1927 as a lieutenant, and on april 4, 1930 as a captain.
Claire lee chennault, leader of the famed flying tigers in china, has long been recognized as one of top u. Nice closeup of the sharks teeth marking on the nose of the p40 warhawks. For the tigers, chennault, with his unique relationship with the generalissimo and madame chiang, was the driving force providing cohesion for this small organization from inception up to their dissolution. Sam kleiners the flying tigers uncovers the hidden story of the group of young american men and women who crossed the pacific before pearl harbor to risk their lives defending china. This series combines history and pleasure reading in a fastpaced narrative of the lives of some of the most famous, and infamous, aviators of the 20th century. During the first seven months of world war ii, the pilots who would become known as the flying tigers soared.
The avg flying tigers defended burma and china with their sharkfaced p40 tomahawks in the opening months of the pacific war, december 1941 july 1942. Chennault, claire lee national aviation hall of fame. One of americas most famous combat forces, the tigers were recruited to. The founder of the flying tigers american volunteer group, fighter pilots who fought the japanese in china the year before the u.
On a sunny october afternoon, quint matthewss red ford truck roared along the endless gray highway that stretched through the wideopen spaces of far west texas. Claire chennault and his american volunteers, 19411942 paperback aug. Chennault pulled together an unlikely group of undisciplined, harddrinking men and built the most successful and unorthodox outfit of world war ii. Five books about the american volunteer group, mercenary heroes of burma and china. The flying tigers, under the leadership of claire chennault, fought legendary air battles in the skies over burma and china.
The incredible story of the daring and heroic american pilots known as the flying tigers and of the famous american general, claire lee chennault 18931958, whose genius formed these fighters into the most formidable military groups in american aviation history is told in this stirring book by his beautiful young widow. Unlike eisenhower and macarthur, chennault was no saintly military leader. The true story of general claire chennault and the u. He was best known for his leadership of the flying tigers and the republic of china air force in world war ii. Claire chennault, legendary hero of the air war against the japanese, grew up in louisiana.
Chennault, and pilots like david tex hill and scarsdale jack newkirk. Members of the tigers would soon become familiar figures. Despite being severely outnumbered the flying tigers were very successful. A story of the flying tigers tales of the flying tigers an avg bibliography a short guide to avg films, past and present wow. During world war ii, in the skies over rangoon, burma, a handful of a. Raf fighter commands the few, the tuskegee airmen, and vmf214 the black sheep. Japans aggression on the mainland of asia had begun more than forty years before.