China's last 'Flying Tiger' dies at 91

Old photo: Long Qiming and the plane he used to drive as a Flying Tigers pilot.[Photo/IC]

CHONGQING - The last Flying Tiger pilot in China died of lung failure at 91 at a hospital in southwest China early Wednesday.

Long Qiming, who was being kept alive by a respirator at a hospital in Chongqing Municipality, passed away at 12:35 am.

The Flying Tigers, officially known as the American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force, were a group composed of ex-pilots from the U.S. military.

Commanded by Claire Chennault, the Flying Tigers flew over China to combat Japanese invaders during World War II, as China's air force was destroyed not long after the war began.

Long's daughter, Long Yulan, said that the last wish of her father was to go to Beijing next year to attend the assembly marking the 70th anniversary of China's victory in the war against the Japanese invasion.

She said her father had also wished to go back to his hometown of Shunde in south China's Guangdong Province, which borders Hong Kong.