China Pilot: Flying for Chennault During the Cold War

by Felix Smith, Anna Chennault (Foreword by)

Overview

A pilot for the China-based airline reputed to be the most shot at in the world, Felix Smith recounts in vivid detail his experiences ferrying troops and equipment for the Nationalists during China's civil war; providing medicine and supplies to war-torn regions; and flying under CIA contract during the French war in Indochina, the Korean War, America's secret war in Laos, and the Vietnam War. China Pilot provides a rare view of the Cold War in Asia, documenting not only the hair-raising adventures of Civil Air Transport's pilots but also those of the men and women behind the scenes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781560983989
Publisher:	Smithsonian Institution Press
Publication date:	08/17/2000
Pages:	336
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

During his thirty-year career in Asia, Felix Smith flew ten different types of airplanes more than eight million miles. He lives in rural Wisconsin.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Foreword Part 2 Preface Part 3 1. The Yangtze River Part 4 2. Footsteps Part 5 3. Missionaries Part 6 4. CAT's Wings Chapter 7 Hawaii Chapter 8 Hungjao Chapter 9 Chennault Part 10 5. Licking the Wounds Chapter 11 Earthquake Magoon Chapter 12 Shanghai Chapter 13 Oil Explorers Chapter 14 The Renaissance Man Chapter 15 China's German City Part 16 6. China's Civil War Chapter 17 A Militia Leader Chapter 18 The Fall of Tsinan Chapter 19 The Head of the Giant Chapter 20 A Warlord and His City Chapter 21 The Battle of Hwai-Hai Chapter 22 Bob Snoddy Chapter 23 The Fall of Tsingtao Chapter 24 CAT's Navy Chapter 25 Across the Yangtze Chapter 26 The Fall of Shanghai Chapter 27 Northwest Warlords Chapter 28 Bradley's Death Part 29 7. Hong Kong Capers Chapter 30 Earthquake Missing Chapter 31 The Pirate Chapter 32 The Defection Chapter 33 The First Trial Chapter 34 The End of the Southwest Chapter 35 The Tin Heist Chapter 36 Earthquake Returns Part 37 8. Free China Chapter 38 The Rebel Monk Chapter 39 The Korean Trade Mission Chapter 40 The Newcomers Part 41 9. A Foot in Both Wars: Korea and Indochina Chapter 42 French Indochina Chapter 43 The Paris of the Orient Chapter 44 Korea Again Chapter 45 The Lights of Vladivostok Chapter 46 The French Air Force Chapter 47 The Last Flight of Earthquake Magoon Part 48 10. Buol's Freedom Chapter 49 Dr. Tom Dooley, USN Part 50 11. The Kingdom of Laos Chapter 51 An American Original Chapter 52 Kong Le's Coup Part 53 12. Chennault's Farewell Chapter 54 The Downing of Cathay Pacific Chapter 55 The Stewardess Chapter 56 A Warrior's Child Chapter 57 The Mechanic Chapter 58 The Pink Airplane Chapter 59 Voices Chapter 60 CAT's Death Chapter 61 Cheong's Funeral Chapter 62 A Summer's Day Chapter 63 Ghosts Part 64 Epilogue

Editorial Reviews

After WWII, Claire Chennault, founder of the Flying Tigers, organized a collection of pilots into a company called Civil Air Transport (CAT), which delivered food, ammo, medical supplies and reinforcements to the Nationalists during China's 1946-1949 civil war. The author of this vigorous, anecdote-packed memoir was one of their number. Here he recalls his adventures in the wild blue yonder and some of the raffish characters he met on terra firma, many of them straight out of "Terry and the Pirates": Y.L. Yang, the Cigarette King, who helped finance the airline; Chiang Hseuh-liang, the Young Marshall, whose feud with Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek became legendary; James "Earthquake Magoon" McGovern, the Falstaffian CAT pilot who went down in flames on a relief mission to Dienbienphu. Smith describes CAT's involvement on the margins of the wars in Korea, Laos and Vietnam and its role in establishing the Nationalists on Taiwan. He further reveals how the airline retained its private identity after becoming a major air arm of the CIA. His view of the various wars is unabashedly romantic, but the memoir as a whole is wonderfully entertaining. Illustrations. (From Publishers Weekly; Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

This is one of thoe rare treats for aviation history enthusiasts: a book by a superb pilot who also happens to be a first-rate writer. (Carl Molesworth)

Better than anyone else [Felix Smith] evokes the sights, smells, and sounds of China. . . . China Pilot is a wonderful book. It belongs on the shelf of every admirer of Chennault and his unorthodox forces..... (Air & Space)

From the Publisher

Better than anyone else [Felix Smith] evokes the sights, smells, and sounds of China. . . . China Pilot is a wonderful book. It belongs on the shelf of every admirer of Chennault and his unorthodox forces.

Air & Space Smithsonian