Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-02-25
The Flying Tigers: ScarsdIaIe Jack
Dies and BECOMES AVG Legend

presented by Chennault's offer. and
he was off for Asia and his destiny
in July. l94l. writing back TO his
bride of a few days, the former
Miss Virginia Jane Durham of
Lansing, Mich:
This isn't going to be a yaca-
ton I'm effect We are going
tn challenge the whole agrees
sive movement In the Far East
We must set such an ex-
ample with our small force that
our Oriental adversary can Judge
the callber Of any future action
our country may take"
He endured the dangers and
hardships of those first days in
Burma. when others resigned from
the AVG and returned home, be-
cause:
81 can't leave until this Job Ia
finished. There are certain
things In every mans life which
he cannot bear to leave undone,
II he Is manly. Murder and
bullying of peaceful, innocent
peasants Is one Of those things
i can't stand for. Until / have
done all In my power to relieve
the situation, cannot leave IL
for the other fellow"
HONORED BY SCHOOL
On May 16, Rensselaer, Poly
technic Institute, which Jack New
kirk attended in 1886. conferred
upon Jack, posthumously. the first
alumni medal for distinguished
service which the school had
awarded in its 1lS years OF ex-
istence.
On April 2. Governor Lung Yum
of YunnaR Province entertained
his favorite fiiers at the guber-
material mansion on a high hill
overlooking the city of Running.
The boys parked their cars near
beautiful garden, and walked
along a green aisle on a carpet Of
pressed pine needles.
Colonel Tong OF the Chinese
Army introduced them 10 the gov
ernor. once a famous war lord
and foe of Chang Kai-Shek. now
fervent patriot OF the new China
in which he was reputedly one Of
the richest men.
The AVG was also introduced
for the first time to absinthe, Of
the innocuous taste and the cata-
ipult effects.
MAKE MANY FRIENDS
Those OF the AVG who had been
in the Rangoon fighting luxuriated
amid the pleasures of life in Kun
ming. They made many friends
among the Chinese. and every
where were saluted with the
thumbs up" gesture, and the call
Ding Hao"-"You are No. l."
They played baseball and bas-
ketball with the Chinese. and were
amazed TO find. in this ancient,
remote Oriental mountain town.
shortstops as handy as any they
had seen on the sand lots OF
America.
On April 6, the AVG took on
the Chinese in a basketball game
which attracted a crowd of many
thousands, and raised $4,000 for
China relief. The score was China
81. America %. the six-foot Ameri-
cans having no chance against
their light-footed little rivals.
Initiation and its effects proved
an unending puzzle TO the men of
the AVG confronted with the wide
Ifluctuation in value of the Chinese
dollar.
When they had first come over,
the exchange was Is Chinese for
one dollar American. Although at
tempts were made TO peg the
Idifferential around 20 for l. the
return on the black market scared
as high as so for /.
Thus the boys were constantly
using telephone numbers" in
their bank accounts. purchases.
and the eternal games OF red
dog and "acey deucey."
RADIOS ENTERTAIN THEM
The new radios they had sal
vaged from the JapS at Rangoon
were their principal source of
entertainment in the evening.
AS the AVG IN Burma and China
waited for new airplanes and re-
pair OF the old ones, the advancing
Japs Systematically blasted cities
and towns of Burma in the rear