China said farewell to the man who had fought for her so long with so little. Major General Claire L. Chennault, genius of the Flying Tigers and commander of the Fourteenth Air Force, was going home.
Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek gave him a dinner and the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun. Lieut. General Albert C. Wedemeyer, commander of U.S. forces in China, gave him an Oak Leaf Cluster for his Distinguished Service Medal. In mass tribute, 163 grateful Chinese organizations gave him 500,000 Chinese dollars ($12,500 U.S.), a gold key to Chungking, an embroidered umbrella, a souvenir book and...