Small Scale Military Headquarters

Flying Tigers alumni gather for reunion

The Associated Press

Alumni of the Flying Tigers, the famed volunteer force of U.S. pilots who fought in China at the start of World War II, had what could be one of the last reunions for the group as its numbers continue to dwindle.

The 300 Flying Tigers who made up U.S. Army Gen. Claire Chennault's famed group of pilots, are down to 19. Just eight of those made it to a reunion in San Antonio on Friday.

"We're the last of the Mohicans," said Chuck Baisden, 88, of Savannah, Ga., the second-youngest Flying Tiger alumnus alive. "That's the way it is. You come and you go."

The Flying Tigers' official name was the American Volunteer Group. The unit was formed with the financial backing of the Chinese government to help defend Chinese cities from Japanese attack before the United States entered World War II.

The unit was credited with destroying 296 Japanese aircraft during seven months between 1941 and 1942.

The pilots flew Curtiss P-40 fighters, first tangling with Japanese pilots about two weeks after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. They racked up a 15-to-1 kill ratio and likely stopped the Japanese from conquering China and threatening British-held India.

"You know, they used to call us a bunch of renegades, but then they found out the facts," said Flying Tigers crew chief Ed Stiles, 88, of Poland, Ohio. "Even though we were paid pretty good for what we were doing, we were over there trying to protect a certain area from the Japanese."

Time has claimed almost all the Tigers, including their most famous member. Retired Texas Air National Guard Brig. Gen. David Lee "Tex" Hill died last year at 92 in San Antonio. He shot down more than 18 planes.

A crowd of military and civilian Flying Tiger aficionados gathered Friday at the History and Traditions Museum at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio for the reunion of some of the remaining members of the unit. They were surrounded by dozens of adoring fans armed with photos, posters, autograph pens and cameras.

"It's something special - very, very, very special," Gloria Cortez, 51, of San Antonio, said after taking a picture of the Tigers. "It's history. History sitting right here in front of you."

I had a doctor who once asked me what it was I did for a living and when I said I was a painter and I like to paint ww2 airplanes, she said do you know who my father is? And of course I said no, and she told me her dad was Charlie Bond and explained who he was. She commissioned me to do this painting for his I think 88th? birthday. He took this card down to the San Antonio Gathering that year and actually got it all signed up for me. I was amazed that he remembered to do it and that he bothered. The painting is now in the Cavenaugh flight museum with a collection of relics from bond's career. I even made a print of it and had him autograph a bunch for me if anyone is interested.
Ignore the contact info on the image, all that is old news.

I also have a painting on my wall of Charlie's #5.
It is signed by all the AVG members at the 50th reunion.
Charlie even brought it to me, personally.
He signed it again, to my wife and I.

It is one of my most treasured possessions.

The don't get any better than Charlie Bond.

I have seen your painting Cabe, and it is truly a work of art.

wow thats great you saw it.
I got to hang awhile with Bond. I went by his house here in Dallas a few times when I was getting them signed and then dropping some off. It was weird, Ok I am driving to meet a WW2 ace at his house.........ok

he showed me around to all the things on his wall, his blood chit and vases that he received as gifts and medals ect. and other dignitaries gave him, All these pics of him with people over the years and artwork given to him by the greats. It was a small retirement condo, but it sure was loaded with museum artifacts and history.