The Story Behind the 20-Year Sentence of the Son of an American "Flying Tiger" Officer

Image of a Boeing aircraft. (AI-generated image)

[People News] The term "Flying Tigers" is familiar to many Chinese. Officially known as the "Chinese Air Force American Volunteer Group," this unit was primarily made up of American pilots who assisted China in its fight against Japan during World War II, mainly engaging in combat against Japanese forces in mainland China and Burma. The group was led by retired American Captain Claire Lee Chennault. In 1941, with the backing of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, he secured 100 aircraft from the United States through the Lend-Lease Act and recruited 100 pilots from America.

Initially, some members of the volunteer group proposed painting a shark's head on the noses of the planes to intimidate the Japanese. In December 1941, the air force achieved its first victory in combat over Kunming. Since the residents of mainland China had never seen a shark, they mistakenly referred to these planes as "Flying Tigers." The following day, a newspaper in Kunming used the term "Flying Tiger" to describe the aircraft of the volunteer group. A Chinese translator in the air force saw this and conveyed the name "Flying Tiger" to Chennault, and the other members found it appealing, leading to the official naming of the air force as the "Flying Tigers."

In the book "Prison Notes" by the late researcher Wang Xuetai from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, there is a recorded story about a father and son from the "Flying Tigers."

This officer, Peng Jiaheng (originally named Peng Huaqing), hails from Xingning, Guangdong, and was born in Kundi, Indonesia. He returned to China in 1936 to study at Xingning No. 1 Middle School in Guangdong. In 1937, he borrowed the high school diploma of a fellow townsman, Peng Jiaheng, to apply for the 17th class of the Whampoa Military Academy of the Republic of China, where he was accepted into the Overseas Chinese Corps. In 1938, he joined the transportation corps of the 4th Group Army of the National Revolutionary Army. He was admitted to the Central Army Officer School in 1940 and entered the Central Aviation School in 1941. In 1942, he trained at the Phoenix Advanced Flying School in the United States, and after returning to China in 1944, he joined the Flying Tigers, piloting fighter planes and completing 64 combat missions against Japan. He is the only pilot from mainland China to have received the American Distinguished Flying Cross.

In 1947, Peng Jiaheng retired and returned to Indonesia after refusing to participate in the civil war. In 1950, after reading about the Republic of China's 'Two Airlines' collaborating with the communists in the newspaper, he, lacking a clear understanding of the Chinese Communist Party, voluntarily returned to China and began working at the Civil Aviation Administration of the Military Commission as a co-pilot. In 1954, he was officially appointed as a captain, where he trained pilots for the People's Liberation Army. At the same time, he married his girlfriend, whom he had met towards the end of the War of Resistance.

Over the course of more than a decade, Peng Jiaheng undertook significant and dangerous missions, including charter flights, escorting, mineral exploration, and forest protection, amassing over 7,000 flight hours. Given such qualifications, it would seem natural for him to rise to a senior general position in the Chinese Communist Air Force. However, it is clear that due to his status as an overseas Chinese and his background of working for the Republic of China and the United States, this was utterly impossible, and he could not escape the iron grip of the Chinese Communist Party.

Wang Xuetai encountered Peng Jiaheng's son, Peng Zhuonan, while in prison. To Wang, Peng Zhuonan was a fearless young man, bold yet genuine, with a smile reminiscent of a middle school student. However, despite his youthful spirit, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison. What was the reason behind this? He was charged with 'counter-revolutionary class revenge murder,' specifically for seeking revenge against someone for the persecution his father endured, which resulted in serious injury to that individual.

Initially, after Peng Jiaheng returned to China, he lived a relatively comfortable life in the 1950s. However, as the Communist Party began to emphasise class struggle in the 1960s, his situation worsened. Due to his complicated background, he was frequently pressured to confess and explain himself, leading to control over his activities, demotion, and participation in criticism sessions at various meetings.

When the Cultural Revolution started in 1966, Peng Zhuonan was only 7 years old and did not fully understand his father's plight. It wasn't until he turned sixteen and entered high school that he discovered the appeal letter his mother had written to the authorities, detailing the years of misunderstanding and wrongful accusations against his father. The letter highlighted the particularly cruel behaviour of Zhang, the director of the Capital Airport Security Office, who used various methods to persecute Peng Jiaheng and physically assaulted him on multiple occasions.

After reading the letter, Peng Zhuonan was consumed with anger and sought an opportunity to take revenge on Zhang, whose daughter was in the same class as him. Although he was aware of the serious consequences of retaliating against a 'proletarian' like Zhang, Peng Zhuonan resolved to go through with his plan.

After making plans, Peng Zhuonan secretly took the national grain coupons and some money from his home and treated his friends, with whom he usually hung out, to a farewell meal. Then, one day after school, instead of going home, he went directly to Zhang's house armed with a dining knife. His classmate opened the door for him. He asked, 'Is your dad at home?' The female classmate replied that he was in the back room.

When Peng Zhuonan pushed open the door to the back room, Zhang was sitting on a small stool reading a newspaper. Peng Zhuonan approached, tore the newspaper from in front of Zhang, and angrily asked if he was the one who had beaten his own father during the Cultural Revolution. Zhang seemed confused and did not answer, but at that moment, Peng Zhuonan had already drawn the dining knife and lunged at him. Frightened, Zhang ran around the table, pleading for mercy. However, Peng Zhuonan was unyielding and stabbed Zhang four times, one of which struck his neck.

After the attack, Peng Zhuonan fled through the door. Initially, he intended to escape, but later, realising it would be difficult to do so, he went to the airport police station to turn himself in. This significant incident took place in 1976, before the arrest of the 'Gang of Four,' and at that time, he was still under 18 years old.

By the time of the trial, however, the 'Gang of Four' had already been arrested, and the Cultural Revolution had come to an end. This was also why Peng Zhuonan received a lighter sentence of 20 years, as there was increased sympathy for those who had suffered during the Cultural Revolution. In the 'rehabilitation' movement initiated by the Communist Party in 1978, Zhang, who had been seriously injured, was found to have connections with the so-called 'Lin Biao Gang of Four' group, leading to a reduction of Peng Zhuonan's sentence by over ten years. He spent only a few years in prison before being released.

While in prison, Peng Zhuonan felt a surge of excitement after a visitation day. He told Wang Xuetai, 'My parents have never treated me this well! If I had come in for 'playing around', they would never have come to see me.' His eyes sparkled as he spoke. Indeed, what parent wouldn't appreciate a son who stands up for them?

Thirty-three years later, Wang Xuetai and Peng Zhuonan reunited. By then, he was in his fifties and had travelled to many countries, including Japan and various nations in Europe and America. Like his father, he had spent a significant amount of time in the United States, earning some money by driving long-haul trucks. Ultimately, however, he returned to China.

In September 2005, during the sixtieth anniversary of the victory in World War II, Peng Jiaheng received a handwritten letter from then U.S. President George W. Bush, expressing gratitude for his contributions. It was only after this that Peng Jiaheng's achievements in the anti-Japanese war became known to the public. Peng Zhuonan shared in his father's joy and pride.

In 2009, Peng Jiaheng was diagnosed with leukaemia and underwent a bone marrow transplant from his son. In 2010, the illness recurred, and he passed away in Beijing in August of that year at the age of 89. In accordance with his father's wishes, Peng Zhuonan donated the remaining balance of over ten thousand yuan from his account.

Peng Jiaheng's moment of poor judgment not only affected him but also had repercussions for his son. Had he chosen to remain abroad at that time, with his qualifications and talents, he might have led a very different life. But life does not allow for a rewind.

(This article is sourced from the Dajiyuan website.) △