New generation upholds Flying Tigers legacy

Eighty-five years after American pilots fought alongside the Chinese people against Japanese aggression, the Flying Tigers legacy continues through a new generation of China-US youth exchanges and people-to-people ties.

For Peter Gresham Moyer, that history is deeply personal.

His father, Harry Moyer, who turns 106 in October, served as a P-40 fighter pilot with the US 14th Air Force in China during World War II under General Claire Chennault. Although the original 1st American Volunteer Group, known as the Flying Tigers, disbanded in July 1942, its mission and heritage continued through the China Air Task Force and later the 14th Air Force, which was established in March 1943. The US National Museum of the Air Force traces that direct lineage from Chennault's original volunteers to the 14th Air Force.

Harry Moyer arrived in China in January 1944 after earlier combat service in Europe. He flew with the 14th Air Force and carried out missions including escorting bombers operating from bases in China. Today, he is among the very few surviving veterans associated with the wartime Flying Tigers legacy.

"My father had a very wonderful experience with his volunteer work in China at the time, and just really fell in love with the Chinese people," Peter told China Daily.

"He was very proud to be there and be a part of that, the sacrifices that the Chinese people made during that time, and he wanted to help," Peter said.

This year marks the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Flying Tigers. In July, Peter traveled to China in place of his father, who was unable to make the journey because of his advanced age, to attend commemorative activities in Nanjing and other cities. At the Memorial Hall of the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs, he saw photographs documenting his father's wartime service.

"I'm very emotional and overwhelmed by the respect and the thankfulness that the people of China have shown me," Peter said. "It gives me great pleasure to know that he's one of the people who have been recognized."

The trip continued a family connection with China that has lasted for decades.

In autumn 2023, Harry Moyer, then 103, returned to China with fellow veteran Melvin McMullen and a delegation organized by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, or SAAHF. They visited Beijing and several other cities for activities commemorating the wartime cooperation between the two countries.

Before that trip, President Xi Jinping replied to a letter from Moyer, McMullen and SAAHF Chairman Jeffrey Greene, expressing hope that the spirit of the Flying Tigers would continue to be passed from generation to generation.

"My father is just very proud of his service to the Chinese people," Peter said. "We've been well received by the people of China, and we are just honored to do whatever we can to continue the legacy of the Flying Tigers."

Peter said he has promised his father that the work will continue.

"I've told my father that when he does pass, that I will continue his legacy and continue my work in going to China," he said. "My wife and I will be going to China again soon and promote the relationship between the United States and China."

That commitment increasingly extends beyond veterans and their families.

SAAHF has used the Flying Tigers story as the basis for educational programs linking schools and students in the two countries. Its Flying Tigers Friendship Schools initiative connects Chinese and American middle and high schools through history, cultural exchange and youth visits.

More than 100 schools in China had joined the program by July this year, with students from the two countries participating in summer camps and youth leadership activities centered on the Flying Tigers legacy.

Peter said hundreds of American students have already traveled to China through programs connected with the foundation.

"We have youth friendship schools, Flying Tiger friendship schools, where we take students from the United States to China, and Chinese students come to the United States," he said. "We're very proud of that operation. I think we've taken over 400 kids from the United States over to China, and it's a really big deal."

For Peter, those exchanges are also a way to preserve a part of shared history that he believes is still not widely understood in the United States.

"The legacy of the Flying Tigers needs to be taught much more in the US," he said. "There's a lot of people here in the United States who don't know about that legacy, and they need to."

He said direct contact can help deepen that understanding.

"It's important for the people of the United States to come to China to visit, to interact with the people and get to know the people of China," Peter said. "They need to visit China as much as they possibly can. I think it's extremely important."

"My father's relationship with China has always been very strong, and he always wanted to do whatever he could for China," he added.

Youth exchanges have also become an increasingly important part of broader China-US people-to-people engagement.

In November 2023, Xi announced an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study over five years. Chinese officials said earlier this year that more than 50,000 had already participated, reaching that target ahead of schedule.

During his state visit to Washington last month, Xi announced a new initiative to invite 100,000 young Americans to China over the next five years.

"The hope of the China-US relationship lies in our people, and its future lies with the young," Xi said at the White House.

Chinese Consul General in Los Angeles Guo Shaochun said the expansion from 50,000 to 100,000 represents more than an increase in numbers.

"Going from 50,000 to 100,000 is about much more than doubling a number," Guo said. "It is about bringing more young people together, deepening people-to-people ties, and building a stronger foundation for friendship between our two countries for generations to come."

Guo also expressed appreciation to Peter and his wife for carrying forward the Flying Tigers legacy and supporting continued people-to-people exchanges between China and the US.

"The warmth of China-US relations comes from mutual understanding and genuine friendship between our two peoples," Guo said, citing the Flying Tigers legacy and efforts to pass it on to younger generations.