The most familiar pilots during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression were Gao Zhihang, Liu Pugang, Li Guidan, Le Yiqin and other air combat heroes, and then there was the story of the Flying Tigers led by General Chennault, who roared in the sky and defended Chinese airspace, which is still infinitely remembered for us. However, there is actually a group of Chinese-American pilots who voluntarily left a comfortable life and returned to China to participate in the battle, which seems to have been forgotten by future generations. Here, I would like to introduce a Chinese-American air force hero, Major Chen Ruidian, who was an "ace pilot" who returned to China from the United States to resist the War.
Chen Ruidian, born in 1913 in Portland, Oregon, the United States, the father is a Chinese in Taishan, Guangdong, the mother is Peruvian, he has a mixed Chinese and Peruvian face, a high nose bridge of the Westerners, a pair of blue eyes, plus a strong body, fair skin, it is difficult to think of his body shape and Chinese together.
Chen Ruidian has a strong interest in flying since childhood, high school into Portland's "American Overseas Chinese Aviation School" to learn to fly, in 1931 he obtained the United States flight license, the same year 9.18 incident broke out, when the whole United States overseas Chinese community was quite indignant, everyone paid for practical actions to support the Republic of China's war against Japan, Chen Ruidian Although he has the appearance of a South American, but there is Chinese blood in his bones, "the heart hears the country calling him", In 1932, he crossed the ocean to return to China with a young Chinese-American who graduated from the same aviation school and volunteered to join the Air Force of the Republic of China.
In China in the 1930s, in addition to the central Jianqiao air force system, some provinces also had their own independent air force, Chen Ruidian's father was a Guangdong native, after he arrived in China, he chose to join the local warlord Chen Jitang to lead the air force in Guangdong Province, as a warrant officer trainee pilot, in February 1933 promoted to second lieutenant. In 1935 he was sent to the Luftwaffe Bombing School in Munich to learn advanced fighter flight and tactics for his outstanding performance, and was promoted to lieutenant in September 1936. At that time, Chen Jitang launched the "Two Cantons Incident" to confront the Nationalist Government, and a major war broke out. However, Huang Guangrui, commander of the Guangdong Air Force, was not willing to be used by Chen Jitang, and Huang led more than 100 aircraft and more than 300 pilots of the Guangdong Air Force to fly north to Nanjing. Joined the Air Force of the Republic of China.
In February 1937, Chen Ruidian was assigned to the Hangzhou Jianqiao Central Aviation School as a fighter flight instructor, and in June of the same year, Chen Ruidian was promoted to deputy squadron leader of the 28th Squadron of the Fifth Brigade.
After the outbreak of the War of Resistance Against Japan, Chen Ruidian's Fifth Brigade was stationed near Nanjing, and August 16, 1937, was a day that Chen Ruidian would always be remembered. He piloted the American Hawker III biplane fighter, shot down the Japanese Mitsubishi bomber over Nanjing, this is chen Ruidian 4 years after returning to China, the first time to shoot down the enemy aircraft record, after that, Chen Ruidian in 1937 to 1939, participated in more than 15 air battles against Japan, a total of 6 Japanese military aircraft shot down alone, assisted in the annihilation of 3 Japanese fighters, he had courage and strategy in air combat, had courage and insight, his plane was unfortunately shot down by enemy aircraft 3 times, but he all jumped successfully and survived.
In order to recognize the war heroes of the Air Force, the United States has a definition of a standard, that is, any pilot who shoots down more than 5 aircraft can be named "ace pilot", and the Chinese-American Chen Ruidian shot down a total of 6 Japanese aircraft. Moreover, it took him less than two years to achieve such a good result.
On December 27, 1938, Chen Ruidian was promoted to deputy commander of the Third Brigade of the Republic of China Air Force, and on an escort to the bomber fleet of the Soviet Aid China Air Force, he was on the way to the air raid on Kunlun Pass. Chen Ruidian's landline was unfortunately hit by the Japanese aircraft, and at this time, the fuel tank suddenly burst into flames. Chen Ruidian chose to jump in a dangerous parachute, but as a result, his whole body was burned on a large scale, and his handsome and compelling face was also disfigured by fire. Only a pair of clear and sharp eyes remained, protected by goggles.
After Chen Ruidian was burned by the fire, he was arranged to receive treatment near the airport in Liuzhou, Guangxi. His first wife, Ms. Wu Yuemei, rushed to take care of her husband personally. Unexpectedly, the Japanese plane suddenly attacked Liuzhou Airport, and the airfield was surrounded by bombing focus, and At this time, Chen Ruidian was wrapped in bandages and had difficulty moving. Suddenly awake in his sleep, Chen Ruidian felt a familiar body and pounced on his own body to protect him, it turned out to be the body of his wife Wu Yuemei. After a loud bombardment sound, Chen Ruidian obviously felt that his wife's body was gradually becoming cold.
In order to protect Chen Ruidian, his wife used his flesh to resist the bombing shrapnel, and Chen Ruidian could never forget the love and sacrifice of his first wife.
Chen Ruidian later moved to Hong Kong, and returned to New York to treat burns with the help of Song Meiling and Chennault, and underwent more than 30 major and minor surgeries in 5 years. Through skin grafting and rehabilitation, although the scars overlapped and overlapped, the whole body was finally healed and discharged from the hospital. Chen Ruidian returned to the front of the American people and was welcomed by the heroes of the Overseas Chinese circles in the United States at that time.
After Chen Ruidian recovered, his patriotism did not change, but his physical condition could not return to the level of flying fighters in the past, and in 1945, he chose to serve as a pilot of a Chinese airline transport plane, and carried out the sinister task of flying military supplies from India over the Himalayas to Chinese mainland on the "Hump Route", known as the "Death Route", and continued to dedicate his flight expertise to the War of Resistance.
Chen Ruidian, a Chinese-American pilot who returned from the United States with full enthusiasm to participate in the war in his hometown of his father's generation, can be said to be a "foreigner" who joined the ranks of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and saved the country, shooting down a total of 6 Japanese military planes during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, and his military achievements were outstanding.
Major Chen Ruidian passed away on September 3, 1997, which coincided with the "Anniversary of the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression," as if to reflect the spirit of the Air Force of "I am dead and the country is alive," and also told the story of the period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in which a group of overseas Chinese who had been living for many years disregarded their personal safety and were concerned about the rivers and mountains of their homeland, and returned to China to participate in the war without hesitation.