Chen Ruidian is a cool handsome man with a high nose bridge, deep eye sockets, sharp facial contours, and very obvious mixed-race characteristics. Coupled with a mustache, his hormonal male charm can simply enchant women.
die.
Unfortunately, the history of this air combat hero was very bumpy.
First of all, Chen Ruitian was born in Chen Jitang's warlord army. Although his achievements were long enough for the title of ace, the National Government has not publicized or commended him. Later, the commander-in-chief of the Taiwan Air Force, Lai Mingtang, fought against the injustice and said: "Chen Ruitian is Chen Jitang's Guangdong faction."
Although the army, not belonging to the Central Army, has shot down many Japanese planes, it does not count. It is really ridiculous!"
Secondly, although Chen Ruidian was promoted by the United States during World War II, he was not included in the list of American air combat heroes for a long time. Because he retired due to injury before the United States officially entered the war, and his record was achieved in China, he was not included in the list.
Recognized by the Selection Advisory Committee.
The ace pilot of the Flying Tigers, Ken Jernst, was a fan of Chen Ruitian. He constantly recommended Chen Ruitian to be selected into the list of American air combat heroes. With the continuous efforts of Jernst, it was not until 1997 that Chen Ruitian's name was engraved on the list.
He was on the list of American air combat heroes and was selected as the first American air combat hero in World War II.
Chen Ruidian was very happy to receive the news and planned to attend the commendation ceremony in person. But unfortunately, just one month before the ceremony, Chen Ruidian passed away, and his grandson could only attend instead.
What is even more unfortunate is that when Chen Ruidian was injured and seeking medical treatment, he encountered a Japanese air raid on Liuzhou. His wife, Ms. Wu Yuemei (daughter of Wu Tingfang), in order to save her husband, threw herself on Chen Ruidian and was unfortunately hit by shrapnel and died.
Chen Ruidian's second wife was an American nurse. After he recovered and was discharged from the hospital, he returned to China to participate in the Anti-Japanese War, and the two broke up. As a result, not long after Chen Ruidian returned to China, Japan announced its surrender before she even had time to participate in the battle...
If it were not for the purpose of downplaying the contribution of Soviet pilots this time, it is estimated that Chen Ruidian would still be unable to receive awards from the Chinese government until his death, just like in history.
Huang Xinrui, an American overseas Chinese who also belongs to the Guangdong Air Force, received much fairer treatment than Chen Ruidian. He has already received a three-star medal, will receive another today, and will receive another after he sacrifices his life.
Huang Xinrui was also a super ace. He participated in more than a hundred air battles in his life, shot down 8 enemy planes (some say 10), survived two parachute jumps, died in a plane crash in 1941, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel after his death.
Both of them are overseas Chinese in the United States and both came from the Guangdong Air Force. Why are they treated differently?
The biggest reason is probably because Chen Ruidian's wife is Wu Tingfang's daughter. His uncle Wu Chaoshu once served as an important member of Chen Jitang's Guangzhou National Government, and was also associated with Sun Ke. He has always been regarded as a thorn in Chiang Kai-shek's side. Although Wu Chaoshu
He has been dead for many years, but as Wu Chaoshu's brother-in-law, he is still looked down upon by Chang Kaishen.
As for why there are so many overseas Chinese from the United States in the Chinese Air Force, it’s because the overseas Chinese are patriotic.
A few years ago, not only Zhou Hexuan opened an aviation club in the United States, but also overseas Chinese in the United States directly opened aviation schools, among which the American Overseas Chinese Aviation School (Portland) and the Chinese Aviation School in the United States (San Francisco) are the most famous.
Less than three weeks after the September 18th Incident broke out, preparations for the Overseas Chinese Aviation School in the Americas began. The purpose of the school is: to train aviation talents, to consolidate national defense externally, and try our best to resist enemies; to develop the aviation industry internally, and never participate in any political disputes or internal struggles.
According to statistics from 1932 alone, there were more than 5,000 overseas Chinese pilots in the United States who were required to enter aviation schools for training in order to return to China to participate in the war. About 200 overseas Chinese pilots in the United States returned to China on the eve and early days of the Anti-Japanese War, which was almost close to the number of Chinese fighter planes. This was still
Excluding overseas Chinese pilots who returned from Southeast Asia, there were also overseas Chinese aviation schools in Southeast Asia at that time.
Therefore, during the Anti-Japanese War, China did not lack pilots, but it lacked aircraft. Many overseas Chinese pilots had no aircraft to fly, so they signed up to join the army, and countless passionate young people sacrificed their lives on the anti-Japanese battlefield.
At the time, more than three-quarters of the pilots of the Guangdong Air Force under warlord Chen Jitang were overseas Chinese. These overseas Chinese came back to serve the motherland. As a result, Chen Jitang actually started a civil war and hired Japanese to command the air force. So before the war started, the Guangdong Air Force
He flew more than 100 planes and directly defected into the arms of Chiang Kai-shek.
I guess Chen Jitang wanted to vomit blood when he heard the news. This was an air force that he spent a lot of money to build. He didn't do anything and just "funded the enemy".
"President Chiang and Mr. Zhongzheng are here!"
The air force athletes accepted the review in high spirits, but there were dozens of Soviet pilots who looked like an eyesore, and Kurishenko stood upright in the front row.
Lao Jiang smiled and waved, and said as he walked: "You have done a good job, boosting the morale of the Chinese people, suppressing the arrogance of the Japanese invaders, and letting the whole world see the power of China! China's war of resistance is just, and justice must be done.
Evil will be defeated, and the righteous side will surely win the final victory!"
Zhou Zhirou and Feng Yong followed Lao Jiang, and the three of them walked slowly towards the rostrum.
Chiang Kai-shek stood in front of the microphone and began a lengthy lecture, which lasted for more than 40 minutes, and finally began to award medals to the Air Force athletes.
The first person to be awarded the medal was Mao Yingchu, which was directly the second-class Renaissance Medal, and all the pilots were dumbfounded.
As expected of a fellow countryman, special treatment.
Fortunately, the Medal of Datong has not yet been established. Otherwise, as the deputy commander of the Air Force Theater, Mao Yingchu would have been able to directly obtain a Medal of Datong.
But Kurishenko, who really made great contributions, only received a five-star medal, which is much lower than Mao Yingchu's Renaissance Medal.
Immediately afterwards, ace pilots such as Chen Ruidian and Huang Xinrui also received Star Medals with varying numbers of stars. Each pilot who participated in the bombing mission also received a combat medal, and were awarded commendations and bonuses.
Under the frenzied taking of pictures by reporters from the Central News Agency, Lao Jiang unexpectedly gave Zhou Hexuan a surprise on the spot without warning him in advance.
After conferring honors on the pilots, Chang Kaishen said with a smile: "I would also like to commend one person, and that is Mr. Zhou Hexuan. Mr. Zhou personally invested in purchasing dozens of fighter planes, trained outstanding pilots for the country, and carried out the bombing mission
Immediately he achieved great success. Here, Lieutenant General Zhou Hexuan is specially awarded the third-class five-star Lion Awakening Sword!"
Damn!
Zhou Hexuan unexpectedly walked over to take the knife and couldn't put it down. The handle and scabbard were decorated with golden lion reliefs, and the tassel was woven with gold and red silk. When the knife was taken out of its sheath, one side of the knife was engraved with "Disaster".
"Ding Gong", with "I am Wu Weiyang" engraved on one side.
From an artistic point of view, it is far more pleasing to the eye than the Qianlong Imperial Sword.
The Lion Awakening Sword is specially awarded to those who are above the general level in the sea, land and air, and whose medals have been promoted to the highest level, and who have achieved outstanding meritorious service, and are awarded only if there are no suitable medals to be awarded.
This kind of sword is divided into nine grades and nine stars. Chang Kaishen directly awarded Zhou Hexuan a third-class five-star sword, which shows how happy he is today.
Of course, this is also a way to win over Zhou Hexuan, and by the way, he will also be rewarded for his efforts in securing a loan from the United States last year.
Zhou Hexuan naturally had to reciprocate the favor and said on the spot: "Thank you very much, President. I will contact the Soviets immediately and donate another US$3 million in aircraft!"
Well, I am donating airplanes, not money.
Chiang Kai-shek was very happy after hearing this. Soviet aircraft were cheap, and he could buy more than 80 aircraft for 3 million US dollars. He suddenly wanted to replace the third-class five-star sword with a first-class nine-star sword, maybe he could get 10 million US dollars!
