Arthur Chin
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Arthur Chin | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Art |
Born | Portland, Oregon, U.S. | October 23, 1913
Died | September 3, 1997 Portland, Oregon, U.S. | (aged 83)
Allegiance | Republic of China United States of America |
Service/ | Republic of China Air Force |
Years of service | 1933–1945 |
Rank | Major |
Unit | Canton Provincial Air Force |
Battles/wars | Second Sino-Japanese War/World War II |
Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal |
Spouse(s) | Eva Wu †[1][2] Frances Murdoch Vivienne Yang |
Other work | Airline pilot, China National Aviation Corporation |
Arthur Tien Chin (
Early life and military career
Chin was born in
As full-scale war broke out with the Battle of Shanghai, he initially flew in combat with the 28th Pursuit Squadron of the 5th Pursuit Group of
In 1939, while flying a Gloster Gladiator, the fighter in which he scored 6.5 of his 8.5 aerial victories, he was hit by enemy fire and forced to bail out of his burning aircraft, and although he parachuted to safety, he suffered serious burn injuries. Nevertheless, after several years of surgery and recovery, and an escape from the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong,[10] he returned to China in 1944 to fly supplies over the Himalayas, a route known as the "Hump".[11]
Later life and legacy
Chin is recognized as America's first ace in World War II. A half-century after the war ended, the U.S. government recognized Chin as an American veteran by awarding him the
After his aviation career, Chin became a postal worker in his hometown of Portland. On January 29, 2008, Congressman
References
- ^ Cheung, 2015, p. 51. After Art Chin was badly burnt in the 27 December 1939 battle over Kunlun Pass, Ms. Chin (Eva Wu) took care of him in their quarters next to Liuzhou Airbase (Guangxi), in a heroic effort worthy of a Hollywood script, Ms. Chin sacrificed her life to protect her husband and two sons during an air raid... she took her children down to the basement bomb shelter, and then went back up to help her husband who was unable to move or see because of burn injuries and heavy bandaging... as Art Chin heard the shrieking of falling and exploding Japanese bombs moving closer to their quarters, Ms. Chin threw herself over her husband, as their surroundings exploded and collapsed, Ms. Chin took a fatal shrapnel... During an interview many years later Art said simply “I held her dead body to mine until help came.”
- ^ "World War 2 Flying Ace Arthur Chin's Amazing True Story". 7 October 2015.
- ^ Sun, Shen, Vlasova, Harmsen, Einreinhofer, Drea, Kuan... "Shanghai 1937 – Where World War II Began". SHANGHAI 1937: WHERE WORLD WAR II BEGAN. Archived from the original on 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
When did World War II begin? Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began answers that question in a way most audiences will find surprising. Americans might say December 7, 1941… The day the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For Europeans, it was September 1, 1939… When Nazi Germany invaded Poland. But in China, people will tell you a different date. August 13, 1937.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "World War 2 Flying Ace Arthur Chin's Amazing True Story". Disciples of Flight. 2015-10-07. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
- ISBN 9781472805614.
- ^ "Arthur Chin, Nominee" (PDF). National Aviation Hall of Fame. 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-06-03.
- ^ "中華民國空軍:黃新瑞". 20 February 2015.
- ^ "John Wong".
- ^ "Major 'Buffalo' Wong Sun-Shui".
- ^ Air Enthusiast #121 January/February 2006 article by Thomas, Andrew Oriental Gladiators The combat debut for the Gloster biplane pp73-75
- ^ "An American-Born Ace" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration.
- ^ Congress honors Chinese WWII Hero[permanent dead link]
- ^ GovTrack: H.R. 5220: Text of Legislation
- ^ White House News Release
Bibliography
- Cheung, Raymond. OSPREY AIRCRAFT OF THE ACES 126: Aces of the Republic of China Air Force. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2015. ISBN 978 14728 05614.
- 徐 (Xú), 露梅 (Lùméi). 隕落 (Fallen): 682位空军英烈的生死档案 - 抗战空军英烈档案大解密 (A Decryption of 682 Air Force Heroes of The War of Resistance-WWII and Their Martyrdom). 东城区, 北京, 中国: 团结出版社, 2016. ISBN 978-7-5126-4433-5.
External links
- Biplane Fighter Aces: China: Major 'Arthur' 'Art' Chin Shui-Tin a more detailed history of his military career.
- Blog entry in Chinese detailing his life and service