Memoirs of a Second War Chinese Combat Pilot : China-U. S. Composition Air Wing

By Lee Hsueh-Yen

Born in relative poverty, struggling against his short-sighted father, Lee Hsueh-yen ran away from home and after a series of failed attempts, he was admitted to the newly established Chinese Air Force Academy in 1932 and graduated in the Third Epoch Class. He was immediately called to duty and piloted Curtiss Hawk III biplanes. During the early phases of the Sino-Japanese War, he fought with other brave Chinese pilots, and had caused the complete annihilation of the invading Japanese Kisarazu Squadron on August 14, 1937, a day now remembered as the Air Force Day in Nationalist China. He went to the United States to receive flight training and en route on SS President Coolidge, Pearl Harbor was attacked. Upon his return, General Claire Chennault proposed the formation of the China America Composition Wing, and Lee was appointed the head the Chinese part of the Composition Wing. He led many successful missions in the South China Sea as well as in Chinese mainland to attack Japanese supply ships and military targets. He became involved in the organization and improvements of the infrastructure of the Chinese Air Force. Even so, his interest in flying never waned, and in 1959, he even flew a supersonic jet F-100, making him one among very few combat pilots whose flying careers spanned from biplanes into the supersonic jets. After his retirement, he was appointed full professor in the prestigious Cultural University in Taiwan, which has trained many generations of successful personalities in liberal arts, performing arts, music, among others. All his five children are well educated and have become role models in society.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1475293410
• ISBN13: 9781475293418
• Release Date: May 2012
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"