Shanghai Daily news

Former Flying Tigers pilot Edward J. Komyati (left) visits Yuyuan Garden yesterday as a part of his two-day visit to the city. The American Volunteer Group, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, helped defend China against a Japanese invasion during World War II.

Former Flying Tigers pilots mourn their fallen comrades during a visit to a memorial park in Nanjing on May 19.(Photo: Xinhua) 

American Edward J. Komyati, a former pilot of the legendary Flying Tigers, said yesterday he plans to invite more "tigers" to visit the country, which they once helped defend against an invasion of Japanese troops during the World War II.
The 84-year-old veteran arrived in Shanghai yesterday for a two-day visit after traveling to Beijing, Xi'an, Kunming, Chongqing, Wuhan and Nanjing.
The Flying Tigers, a nickname for the American Volunteer Group, supported the Chinese army in the anti-Japanese War between 1941 and 1945.
"I came here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of victory in the antifascist war," Komyati said.
The neatly dressed, silver-haired gentleman said Shanghai is one of his favorite cities.
"The first time I came here was in 1985 after I retired," he said, adding that he had never flown here during the war.
The Flying Tigers were a squadron of about 200 voluntary pilots, gunmen and radiomen organized by US Army Colonel Claire L. Chennault in 1941 to help China fight Japan.
During the World War II, the Flying Tigers shot down hundreds of Japanese planes in the China-Myanmar-India theater and transported more than 800,000 tons of military supplies including fuel and gasolines from India to southwest China to help halt the Japanese advance.
The American Volunteer Group received a Presidential Citation for extraordinary heroism. "I joined the Flying Tigers in 1944," Komyati said. "I mostly transported gasoline, which was desperately needed by the Chinese army."
Komyati said Shanghai and Nanjing were occupied by the Japanese army at that time. "We only flew from India to Kunming in Yunnan Province."
The American Volunteer Group was disbanded in 1942, when the China Air Task Force of the United States Army Air Force took over air operations in the country. Chennault remained in command and the Flying Tigers nickname survived.
Komyati was not alone on the trip, he brought 16 pilots from the American Civil Air Patrol. They visited the Yuyuan Garden yesterday afternoon and will visit the Jade Buddha Temple today.
Only 14 Flying Tigers are alive including 82-year-old Long Qiming, who lives in Chongqing.