(1890 - 1958)

Organizer-commander of the famous "Flying Tigers" of the China-Burma-India theater in World War II. An outstanding air strategist, Chennault had retired from a pioneer flying career when, in 1937, he was asked by Gen. Chaing Kai-Shek to help China develop an air force to combat threatening raids by Japan.

Four years later, with World War II spreading, he received permission from the U. S. to seek a corps of American airmen to help train the Chinese. A total of 252 men—87 pilots and 165 ground personnel—joined the "American volunteer group." Its popular name resulted from a misunderstanding of the sharks' teeth painted on the noses of the aircraft.

The Tigers formed three squadrons—"Adam and Eve," "Panda Bears," and "Hell's Angels"—supported by the expert pilots of the China National Aviation Corps, a daring supply transport group. So effectively had Chennault studied Japanese air tactics that his tiny band officially destroyed 539 enemy aircraft while losing only 90 itself. During 1941-1942, they checked Japan's invasion of China, then joined regular units.

Jack Cornelius, also a native of Commerce and a close friend of Chennault's, was a member of the first pursuit squadron of the Tigers.

{Sub marker}
Chennault was born in 1893, but some documents recorded



1890, possibly for him to attend college immediately after graduating high school.

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Show me all markers in:  Commerce, TX  |  Hunt County  |  75428  |  Texas  |  United States of America

Site of Commerce Churches
First Baptist Church of Commerce
Incorporation of Commerce
Historical Stop - Downtown Commerce
Commerce Post Office
Jernigin's Store
Bruce B. Williams American Legion Post No. 1
Site of Early Commerce Schools
Greenville Cotton Compress
Site of Phillips Field/Majors Stadium

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