Air Art Northwest

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1-800-522-6111
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1-503-359-0424
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1-503-357-4647
EMAIL
airart@aracnet.com


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On May 7th, 1942, the Japanese Army began building a pontoon bridge across the Salween River in Southern China. Completion of this effort would allow full movement of troops and supplies into China making the fall of China imminent. To stem this tide, Flying Tiger Ace and Second Squadron Leader David Lee "Tex" Hill led a flight of four new P-40Es on a surprise bombing and strafing mission into the mile deep gorge. During the next four days, the Flying Tigers flew continuous missions into the gorge effectively neutralizing the Japanese force. From that day on, the Japanese never advanced farther than the west bank of the Salween. General Claire Chennault would later write of these consequential missions, "The American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) had staved off China's collapse on the Salween."