"Harry Lim, Wilfred Eng, Tom Luey and Paul Ngim grew up in Oakland's Chinatown, riding their bikes in the quiet streets and graduating from high school together. In 1943, these sons of Chinese immigrants received letters that would change their lives, letters that began simply with "Greetings."

They were drafted into World War II and ended up together again, this time serving in the same all-Chinese American unit supporting the 14th Air Force's famed Flying Tigers. The fighter squadrons, flying the shark-faced P-40s, defended China against Japanese forces and will be the subject of a forthcoming film by action director John Woo.

More than six decades later, the Oakland boys are now octogenarians. Once a year, they get together to share stories, photos and memories - of flying "the hump," the aerial supply route over the Himalayas, and of returning after the war to a changed Chinatown and as changed men.

"When I got out of the service on Jan. 8, 1946, I was no longer a kid," chuckled Harry Lim, 84, at the Flying Tigers' recent reunion in Oakland. "I'd been around the world. I was proud I had served my time. We kind of proved we were not 'coolies.' "

Read more here:

WWII all-Chinese American unit reminisces

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"If you want peace work for justice" -Pope Paul VI

Jon

Thanks for the article. I was not aware that these units even existed. I knew of the Alaska Scouts (Native Alaskan Indians); the 100th and 442nd Infantry (Nisei-Japanese Americans); the 295th, 296th, and 65th Inf Regiments (Puerto Ricans); and the many all-black individual units and Divisions including the Tuskegee Airmen.

Cheers Jon, thanks for this info and link. I too was not aware that there had been an all Chinese unit made up of Chinese Amis. I always naturally figured that the AVG F/T had mainly relied on Members of the Chinese AF to help with their maintenance.

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Lost are only those, who abandon themselves) Hans-Ulrich Rudel.