CHENNAULT, CLAIRE L(EE)

born Sept. 6, 1890, Commerce, Texas, U.S. died July 27, 1958, New Orleans U.S. brigadier general who commanded the U.S. Army Air Forces in China (1942-45) and created the American Volunteer Group (AVG), best known as the Flying Tigers. After 20 years of service with the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps, during which he led a flying act known as "Three Men on a Flying Trapeze" and wrote an aviation textbook, The Role of Defensive Pursuit (1935), Chennault was retired because of increasing deafness. Following the Japanese invasion of China (1937), he became air adviser to Gen. Chiang Kai-shek and formed the Flying Tigers to combat Japanese air superiority. Achieving an outstanding combat record, the group was incorporated into the regular U.S. Army Air Forces and Chennault was recalled to active duty. He resigned in 1945, but he and his Chinese wife, Anna, remained strong supporters of Chiang.