Posted by Donald Kiefer on September 14, 2000 at 01:00:18:
In Reply to: Beginning of the Flying Tigers posted by Bill Cosson on July 06, 2000 at 15:43:44:
I agree with written accounts of the overwhelming superiority of the Flying Tigers and can confirm from personally witnessing one great air battle over Kunming in l943 when about thirty Japanese heavy bombers tried to reach Kunming airbase but were turned back with devastaing losses inflicted by the Kunming based AVG, who were that year assigned to the l4th Air Force. That was the last great battle over Kunming before the AVG were returned to the U.S. As to their origin, it is my
knowledge that the AVG was formed and commissioned to fight the Japanese in French Indo China in l939.How long the individual members fought on the side of French forces in French Indo China is anybody's guess.