Chen Qian/Shanghai Daily news

Du Chongshi (left), a 93-year-old resident and Chinese veteran of the legendary Flying Tigers, shakes hands with his former companion Glen E.Beneda yesterday when the American veteran visited the city. Beneda and 43 other Tigers were invited to Shanghai to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China’s victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression. — Wang Rongjiang

Local resident Tong Chunhua, 83, a veteran of the legendary Flying Tigers, was happy to see his former comrades in arms yesterday - a reunion after 60 years.
Tong worked as a pilot during 1944 to 1945 together with more than 10 Chinese soldiers and about 200 American soldiers.
"I haven't seen those comrades for almost 60 years and I needed some time to recognize them one by one," Tong said excitedly. "Because when we worked together, we were all young men."
Forty-four former Tigers, all in their 80s or 90s, were invited to the city to celebrate the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. The first one Tong recognized was Mon Fun Chin, a 92-year-old veteran. "You were one of the best pilots," Tong recalled. "I've never forgotten you."
Tong learned of the Flying Tigers veterans from the radio yesterday. "I wouldn't miss the chance and I was so eager to see them again."
About 10 young Chinese men joined the group at that time, Tong recalled, but about half of them died during the war.
Flying Tigers is the nickname of the American Volunteer Group of fighter pilots that fought in Burma and China against the Japanese troops during the World War II.
In early 1942, all offshore and onshore routes linking China with the outside world were cut off and military materials could only be transported by air via India to Burma and then to Kunming in southern Yunnan Province.
In the next three fighting years, the Flying Tigers helped to transport about 800,000 tons of military materials including gasoline between hump-like peaks along the Hengduan Mountains and the Himalayas in order to avoid attacks from the Japanese fighter aircraft. The route was called the "Hump Route" and pilots referred to "flying the Hump." The Flying Tigers shot down hundreds of Japanese fighter planes. But they also lost 500 aircraft and 1,500 members.
Several other residents also welcomed the veterans yesterday. All of them saved some lives during the war.  Huang Xingliang, 82, recalled he saved a flyer 60 years ago. "One day in April 1945, I saw an injured American pilot jumped from the aircraft with a parachute." Huang saved him and found him a doctor.