Show the utmost respect!
The tower controller only repeated the six simple words of the military leader, but Chen Xu, who was a soldier, and the co-pilot were filled with infinite emotion and honor.
I was moved because of the attitude of the military leaders. Such simple words carry more weight than Mount Tai;
I am honored because the leaders of the military region have given me the permission to fly this Boeing 747 passenger plane to represent the military region in the skies over Spring City to greet the more than 20 American Flying Tigers members on board and the more than 20 Chinese nationals waiting at the airport. The Flying Tigers paid the highest respect among pilots.
The huge sense of mission made the two pilots sit upright. Chen Xu looked at the co-pilot beside him, whose eyes were already red, and suddenly said to him: "No. 2, you are in charge now!"
When the captain controls the aircraft, the second co-pilot has no control rights. His task is to complete various deputy primary tasks assigned by the captain, such as retracting and extending flaps, controlling the throttle, opening or closing the landing gear, but once When the captain says the words "your command", it means that the captain hands over the driving power to the co-pilot.
For such a significant matter, the co-pilot did not expect that the captain would suddenly hand over the driving right to him. He instinctively wanted to refuse, but Chen Xu said again very firmly: "Once again, you are in charge now."
The co-pilot was stunned for three seconds, then nodded solemnly and said with great excitement: "Understood, let me take command!"
After saying that, the first officer immediately entered the state and said: "Tower, Air China CA will make two or three turns to request the altitude to drop to 300 and start flying around the field!"
The control tower immediately replied: "Air China makes two or three turns and can descend to 300. Spring City Airport has been cleared for you!"
The captain was in an excited mood, turned on the cabin announcement, and said in proficient English: "Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished members of the Flying Tigers, this is the captain announcement. Thank you for flying on the Air China charter flight. We are very honored to be on board. For this flight mission to China, our plane is about to arrive at China Chuncheng Airport. We have just received a request from the Chuncheng Military Region. The airport has been cleared for us. Our plane will be at 300 meters, which is nearly 1,000 feet. We will fly around the field at low altitude for five times to show the Chinese people's greatest respect for you. Our aircraft will tilt to a certain extent when flying around the field. Please fasten your seat belts. We will fly around the field after the circle. landing."
"Flying around the field?!" The American Flying Tigers on the plane were extremely excited when they heard the news. They cleared the entire civil aviation airport in a short time just to allow the plane to fly around the field at low altitude. The Chinese side did give them very generous support. Expected respect and attention.
They have been in the United States for so many years after the war and have never received such courtesy. The American people do not know much about the Asian battlefields of World War II. In addition, there are many people of European descent in the United States, so Americans pay much more attention to the European battlefields than to the Asian battlefields. On the battlefield, in the United States, although World War II veterans are very respected, the most respected ones are those who served on the European battlefield. The most respected ones are those who participated in D-Day, which is the Normandy landing. Although these Flying Tigers I don't care about this, but I have been relatively neglected for so many years. Now that the Chinese people take him so seriously, it gives them great comfort.
When the Air China 747 descended to an altitude of 300 meters, this behemoth could be seen very clearly from the ground.
More than 20 veteran Chinese Flying Tigers sitting on the stools stood up excitedly when they saw the large passenger plane with the familiar shark mouth painting beginning to lower its height.
No one told them which plane those American pilots arrived on, but when they saw the shark's mouth, everyone knew it was coming!
The shark is coming!
The Flying Tigers are coming!
The old comrades are here!
These Chinese Flying Tigers who were waiting for their old comrades from across the country did not expect to see such a spectacular and familiar scene. This was indeed a huge surprise.
The shark mouth in this cartoon is of great significance to the veteran American Flying Tigers, and it is also of great significance to the Chinese Flying Tigers.
The plane got closer and closer, and then it did not align with the runway for landing. Instead, it changed direction not far from the end of the runway, tilted the fuselage and began to fly around the field.
The veteran Flying Tigers know this move too well. During the war years, the highest way for fighter pilots to show respect was to fly the aircraft around the field at low altitude!
The old Chinese Flying Tigers members spontaneously saluted and paid attention. Their bodies could not help but turn as the plane circled, always looking at the plane and the familiar, bloody shark mouth.
One lap! Two laps! Three laps…
These old Chinese Flying Tigers couldn't help but burst into tears. It seemed as if the world had undergone earth-shaking changes, as if the surroundings were no longer modern civil aviation airports but the crude military airports of the past, as if what was in the sky were not modern civil aviation aircraft. It was the Flying Tigers fighter jets back then, as if they had instantly returned to their twenties. The unique engine sound and roar of propeller aircraft seemed to be ringing in their ears, as if they heard the long blast of air defense sirens, as if they heard the instructions from their superiors. The expedition order, the blend of history and modernity, made them tremble with excitement.
After five laps, both in the plane and on the ground, the veterans were in tears. The 747 finally aligned with the runway. The huge passenger plane gradually lowered in the air with its nose raised, like a ferocious shark emerging from the water, steadily. After landing, reverse thrust and deceleration, the aircraft left the runway and entered the taxiway, taxiing towards the area that had been prepared.
The Yunnan Provincial Military Region coordinated with the Yunnan Provincial Armed Police Corps. The Chuncheng Airport Fire Squadron, which has been stationed at the airport for a long time, dispatched six fire trucks and prepared on both sides of the taxiway several hundred meters away from the red carpet reception area. When the plane was about to taxi over, Six fire trucks on both sides sprayed out high-pressure water jets to form three huge water gates. This is a very high etiquette in the modern aviation system. It is also to pay tribute to these veteran American Flying Tigers who have made outstanding contributions to China. We have the utmost respect.
The veterans were pleasantly surprised again.
Even their relatives felt extremely incredible!
Flying around the field at low altitude and being greeted by water gates on the ground, the etiquette given by China really exceeded everyone's expectations. No one expected that they would receive such grand courtesy from China.
Through the window, the elderly and their families on the plane saw the fire officers and soldiers standing saluting on the roofs of six fire trucks. Although they did not know whether these officers and soldiers could see them, the elderly by the window raised their right hands immediately. , return the military salute to these young fire officers and soldiers.
No matter how many times the two countries have had hostilities and conflicts in recent years, it has not affected the respect that young Chinese soldiers have for these veterans at all.
Li Mu, Liu Xinxin and representatives of the military region and Chen Chengwu, who came in casual clothes, stood at the front of the red carpet. Behind them were more than 20 veteran Chinese Flying Tigers and their relatives. Next to them were more than 30 people wearing black suits. Young men in trousers and white shirts, these people are members of the military band of the military region. This time they came with musical instruments to perform the ceremonial music.
The Yunnan Military Region put a lot of effort into this reception, but considering that the Veterans' Immortal Charity Foundation is a private charity organization, and inviting American veterans over is also a private exchange event, it is not appropriate for officials to directly participate, so it The commander arranged for Chen Chengwu and the members of the military band to all wear plain clothes. The chief was very thoughtful. He was not worried about causing any trouble to himself. The most important thing was that he did not want people to think that there was something involved when the Veterans' Immortal Charity Foundation was made public. official involvement.
Private public welfare organizations should ensure their purity. They can seek official help when it is legal and reasonable, but cannot be influenced by the official. This is what the chief asked Chen Chengwu to bring to Li Mu and Liu Xinxin. It is his attitude. , and also his encouragement to the Veterans Immortal Charity Foundation.
The plane passed through three water gates, slowed down, and finally stopped steadily in front of the horizontal red carpet. The ladder truck immediately drove up and docked with the door, and then the flight attendant opened the door from the cabin.
Before the veterans started to get off the plane, Chen Chengwu waved his hand, and the more than thirty military band members in casual clothes immediately stood up and prepared their instruments. A conductor walked in front of everyone and raised the baton in his hand. , always be prepared.
Finally, Paul Crawford, the oldest among the American Flying Tigers, slowly walked out of the hatch with the support of his son and granddaughter. When he took the first step on the ladder, everyone was stunned. All the veteran Chinese Flying Tigers members saluted the military salute in unison, and the old man immediately stopped and raised his hands to return the military salute.
At this time, the conductor of the military band made a starting gesture, and the military band played "Old-Soldiers-Never-Die, They-Just-Fade-Away", the most famous military song of the United States during World War II.
Douglas MacArthur, the famous American general in World War II, once quoted the title of this song in his farewell speech. Veterans never die, they just wither.
The music started playing, and all the old Flying Tigers members were filled with emotion.
This song is extremely familiar to Western veterans who have experienced World War II, and it is no stranger to these Chinese Flying Tigers. The American Flying Tigers and even Chennault often played this song on their phonographs. Although the overall cultural level of the Chinese army at that time was very low, the Chinese soldiers who could join the Flying Tigers had a very high cultural level. They had been taught by Western instructors, and English was a compulsory course. After becoming comrades with American pilots, they had to learn English. Speaking skills are excellent.
One after another, American veteran Flying Tigers stepped off the plane. Li Mu, Liu Xinxin and Chen Chengwu were at the front, bowing and shaking hands with each veteran Flying Tiger who got off the plane, and welcomed them to China. After arriving in Spring City, the volunteers guided the American veteran Flying Tigers one by one to the Chinese Flying Tigers who had been waiting for a long time.
This group of American old men and Chinese old men have been staring at each other for a long time. Over the past fifty or sixty years, everyone's faces have undergone earth-shaking changes, and almost no one can recognize who the other is.
Paul Crawford, who was walking at the front, began to shake hands with the first Chinese Flying Tigers player, Mr. Sun Xiaozhong, who Li Mu personally visited. Then, Paul Crawford excitedly introduced himself: "Hello, My name is Paul Crawford."
"Paul?!" Old man Sun Xiaozhong asked him in English in surprise: "Are you really Paul?"
"It's me, you?"
"I am xiaozhong, SunXiaoZhong!"
Paul Crawford hugged Sun Xiaozhong excitedly and burst into tears: "Oh my God! XiaoZhong! My friend! My brother! You are still alive! For more than fifty years, I often dream about us With the help of Chinese villagers, we were hiding from the Japanese soldiers in the cellar. God knows how much I have missed you over the years. I have always thought that the person I want to see again before I die is you. I never expected It really came true!”
(End of chapter)