During the turbulent years of World War II, China and the United States stood shoulder to shoulder in defense of peace and justice. The “Flying Tigers,” a volunteer air unit led by U.S. General Claire Chennault, left an indelible mark in China’s war of resistance through their heroic deeds.
Recently, 67 wreckage pieces of a P-51 fighter aircraft from the Flying Tigers, which had lain buried for 81 years, were unearthed on Lishui Mountain, Hedian Natural Village, Lizhang Administrative Village, Yantou Town, Pujiang County, Jinhua City.
“These fragments carry with them 81 years of friendship between China and the Flying Tigers,” said Zhao Guoqiang, a local history enthusiast from Qingfeng Village, Yantou Town. At his home, Zhao displayed the newly discovered relics: 12.7mm machine gun bullets still gleaming with metallic luster, screws and rivets covered with rust yet firmly intact, discernible mechanical springs, and several heavy components suspected to be parts of the engine block.
One particular piece, measuring about 10 cm long and 5 cm wide, drew special attention. Marked with two sets of numbers—“L1698” and “14032-2”—it provided key clues for tracing the specific identity of the aircraft.
On September 16, 1944, at around 3:00 p.m., a Flying Tigers P-51 fighter crashed in the mountains of Pujiang, near the mid-slope of Lishui Mountain. At that critical moment, local soldiers and villagers risked their lives to rescue the American pilot, Chapman.
This dramatic and touching cross-national rescue has been compared by netizens to a “Chinese version of Saving Private Ryan,” symbolizing the life-and-death bond between Chinese civilians and American airmen during WWII.
“Without Yu Jun’s persistence, these relics might still be buried underground today,” Zhao noted.
Yu Jun, a member of the Doolittle Raid Historical Research Association in Quzhou, played a central role in the discovery. After reading online about local donations of Flying Tigers artifacts, Yu delved deeper into historical accounts of Pujiang villagers rescuing the pilot. A question arose in his mind: “If there were donation records, could more fragments remain hidden at the crash site?”
With years of field research experience, Yu immediately set the search in motion. He contacted Zhao, who was familiar with the terrain and had previously visited the crash site. Together, they launched a coordinated search plan.
Yu visited Pujiang three times, interviewing local elders and examining historical archives, finally pinpointing the approximate crash location. On July 20, equipped with a metal detector, Yu combed the area and unearthed multiple metal fragments buried 20–30 cm below the surface. Additional small parts were later recovered from a nearby creek bed, likely displaced over the decades by rain and soil erosion.
In total, 67 pieces were found scattered over an area of about 100 square meters.
Why did these wreckage fragments remain hidden for 81 years? A historical file from the Pujiang County Archives provides the answer. It records that after the crash in 1944, villagers not only rescued Chapman but also salvaged most of the aircraft’s major components—such as the engine shaft, gearbox, propeller, and radiator—collectively weighing over 150 kilograms.
“With no specialized detection equipment at the time, smaller fragments deeply embedded in the soil were overlooked,” Zhao explained. “Ironically, this allowed them to be preserved underground for 81 years, becoming living fossils of history.”
After cleaning and preliminary study, Yu and Zhao confirmed that in addition to numbered components, the fragments included standard 12.7mm ammunition used by the P-51, reaffirming the aircraft’s military identity.
“When we found the fragments, we were overwhelmed with excitement,” Zhao recalled. “During China’s most difficult wartime years, American allies crossed oceans and risked their lives to aid our resistance. These relics are a testament to their sacrifice for peace.”
“Memories may be buried, but they will never be forgotten,” Zhao emphasized. He hopes the artifacts will help future generations remember the story of cross-national friendship and carry forward the spirit of Sino-American people-to-people ties.
As for the fragments’ future, Zhao expressed willingness to donate them to local archives or museums, ensuring that more people can witness and remember this chapter of shared history and solidarity.
References:
- Pujiang County Archives, WWII crash records
- Interviews with Yu Jun and Zhao Guoqiang
- Historical accounts of Flying Tigers rescue in Zhejiang
