General Tex Hill

General Tex Hill. Member of the World War II "Flying Tigers" Squadron.

He was born in 1915 to American missionaries in Japanese-ruled Korea, but spent most of his childhood in Texas. After paying $1 for his first airplane ride, the love of flying captured Hill forever. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree and then joined the Navy as an aviation cadet. He pinned on his wings and ensign’s bars in 1939 at NAS Pensacola, Florida. For 2 years he flew the Douglas TBD Devastator and later the Vought SB2U Vindicator from the latest carriers. As the Japanese threatened to overrun China in mid-1941, Hill left the Navy and joined the American Volunteer Group (AVG) commanded by retired Army Air Corps major, Claire Chennault.

He commanded the 2nd Squadron of the AVG, which later achieved fame as the Flying Tigers. In fact, John Wayne based his character on Hill in the 1942 movie by the same title.

When I went to the Airshow (Oct 2003), he sat beside Col. Robert Morgan, and was a kind gentleman. We chatted a bit, talked about his experiences in the Pacific theater during World War II, and then he signed a 'blood chit' for me.

Blood Chit is the common term for the written notice, in several languages, carried by Marine aircrews in combat. If their aircraft is shot down, the notice (1) identifies the Americans and (2) encourages the local population to assist them. When the mercenary Flying Tigers went to China in 1937 to battle the Japanese, they carried blood chits. These printed notices bore the Chinese flag and Chinese lettering which stated:

This foreign person has come to China to help in the war effort. Soldiers and civilians, one and all, should rescue, protect, and provide him with medical care.

Later, when the United States entered the war in 1941, it issued blood chits in almost 50 different languages. And, a reward was offered to those who assisted downed fliers. The U.S. government kept its word. The greatest reward ever given went to the family that aided a B-29 crew shot down on 12 July 1950, two weeks after the start of the Korean War. The crewmen, badly injured, were found by North Korean civilians. Yu Ho Chun found the blood chit in the pocket of one flier. He gave the Americans medical aid. Then, at great personal risk, he put them on a junk and sailed them 100 miles down the coast to safety. Two weeks later the North Korean Army found Chun, tortured him, and then killed him. But, 43 years later in 1993 the United States paid $100,000.00 to his son, Yu Song Dan. They are still in use today.