From Grits to Chopsticks

Seventy years ago, on September 2, 1945, the Japanese foreign affairs minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender on board USS Missouri.  Prior to the Japanese surrender, the American Volunteer Group fought alongside the Chinese from their base in Kunming.  This cooperative effort is memorialized inside of the Kunming City Museum:Their nickname, the “Flying Tigers,” came from their amazing success as fighter pilots:Contrasted with our modern military equipment, it is interesting to see the implements that these pilots used for navigation and survival:If you’re ever in Kunming, the Flying Tigers exhibit is worth a visit:Based on a comment from a friend, we recently discovered that Susan had a minor connection with the Flying Tigers.  During the 1970’s, she attended church in South Carolina where this man was a member:Even though he was quite old at the time, Dr. Greene Strother showed a spirit of enthusiasm during each service.  Interestingly, he was in Kunming long before us – serving as the chaplain for the Flying Tigers!