US 'Flying Tigers' families cherish lasting bond with China
To fulfill his father's wish and educate younger generations, Beneda committed himself to documenting and publicizing the US-China relationship in the war that brought the two countries close together as friends and allies.
For 63-year-old James Bryant, son of Flying Tiger veteran James E. Bryant, who joined the army in the early 1940s and went to China after receiving pilot training in 1944, it was the shared dream by peoples of the United States and China that created miracle in the wartime history.
Bryant told Xinhua that he honored all of the American and Chinese veterans during the wartime for their bravery and sacrifice. "The world that I grew up in would have been a lot different if America and China had lost the war," he said.
"Friendship never happens accidentally. They're the consequence of shared dreams and common experiences during the Flying Tiger times. So, that's exactly what evolved between the Flying Tigers and the people of China," Bryant emphasized.
Bryant's first trip to China was in 1992, and he spends quite a lot of time in China each year.
He visited places where his father had battled against Japanese troops and visited Flying Tigers museums, where he learnt more about what his father and other veterans did during the war.
Bryant believed that his father's great impact on him is his vision of globalization, so he linked his business with global cultural exchanges.
"Flying Tiger is a symbol of China-US friendship and cooperation, and I expect it can last long," Bryant said.
Jeffrey Greene, chairman of SAAHF and expert on Flying Tiger history, said, in the past 24 years, his foundation has arranged China visits for hundreds of Flying Tiger veterans and held related forums and activities in a number of US cities, promoting further understanding and friendship between of the peoples of the two countries.
"It is important to remember the US-China friendship that was established during WWII and it's a proved victory," Greene said.
