August 1, 2021 marks the 80th anniversary of the establishment of the American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, more commonly known as the Flying Tigers. Under the leadership of Claire Lee Chennault, a retired captain of the United States Army Air Corps, the Flying Tigers shot down 229 Japanese aircraft in the air and destroyed an additional 68 on the ground during the group’s existence between August 1941 and July 1942. During the same time, only 14 AVG pilots were killed, captured, or missing in air combat against the Japanese Army Air Force. In addition, another six of them were killed in accidents and a pilot and a ground crewman were killed on the ground when Japanese bombers attacked their bases.
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