What Is The Flying Tiger Historical Organization?
Larry Jobe is a retired commercial pilot and a real estate agent in Groveland. Additionally, Jobe is the President of the internationally recognized Flying Tiger Historical Organization.
Jobe was Thursday’s KVML “Newsmaker of the Day”.
The Flying Tiger Historical Organization was formed to recognize and commemorate the accomplishments and friendships forged between the Flying Tigers and the Chinese during WW ll.
In March of 2006, Jobe and Retired Major General Whitehead stood looking out over the Flying Tigers Field in Guilin, China where they could see a scene which lay basically unchanged since the days of World War Two. They were standing on the same rock that General Chennault stood on to watch his Flying Tigers engage the Japanese in aerial combat.
This rock is located in front of General Chennault’s operations and command cave which is situated on a hillside just above Yang Tang Old Air Field. That airfield was about to be built on and that scene forever erased. Whitehead commented that if something wasn’t done to preserve the command and operations cave, it also would be lost- and along with it the rich history of cooperation and friendship between the Chinese and Americans.
They approached the Chinese authorities with a proposal stating that: if they would come up with a fitting plan for a heritage and memorial site featuring the cave along with an estimate of the cost of construction, they would raise the money.
The Chinese plans and ideas were transmitted back in December 2006. The Chinese had chosen to make it a much grander site than Jobe had hoped for, offering to put 1.5 million dollars of their own money into the project and asking the Flying Tiger Historical Organization to raise $400,000. The Chinese have since increased the project to 300 acres and $23 million.
The Flying Tiger Heritage Park will honor and remember all US personnel who served in China during the Second World War. The Chinese have never forgotten what these brave men and women did for them during the dark days of World War Two. The Chinese do not distinguish between flying forces but rather consider all airmen who served in China to be Flying Tigers – Fighter Pilots, Bomber Pilots, Transport Pilots and ground crews.
The Flying Tiger Heritage Park will honor and remember all US personnel who served in China during the Second World War. The Chinese have never forgotten what these brave men and women did for them during the dark days of World War Two. The Chinese do not distinguish between flying forces but rather consider all airmen who served in China to be Flying Tigers – Fighter Pilots, Bomber Pilots, Transport Pilots and ground crews. Rescues were made at great risk to and sometimes death for the Chinese.
The specific purpose of this 501c3 tax deductible organization is to promote friendship, understanding, and an appreciation of the shared heritage of the United States and the People’s Republic of China and to educate people of today and future generations about the history and heroics of both countries and their people during World War II.
For more information click http://www.flyingtigerhistoricalorganization.com or http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Flying-Tigers-Historical-Organization/174323869281281
The “Newsmaker of the Day” is heard each weekday morning on AM 1450 KVML at 6:47, 7:47 and 8:47am.
Written by mark@mlode.com
