Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-07-28
Gen. ChennouIt's Rites
Wednesday at Fl. Myer

VSuIISSUuy
Funeral services with full
military honors for 1t. Gen,
Claire chennault--leader Of the
famed Flying Tigers who died
yesterday at New Orleans-will
be held at l pm. Wednesday At
Fort Myer Chapel.
The body VIII be flown here
by an Air Force plane. arriving
about noon tomorrow. and viii
lie In state from l pm. Tuesday
10 10 am. Wednesday at Cav
ler's funeral home, 1856 Penn
Sylvania avenue NV. Burial
win be In Arlington Cemetery.
Gen. Chennault, 81. had been
III with lung cancer for several
months. but he considered him.
self grounded temporarily" and
last Friday doctors had taken
him OF the critical list.
Yesterday he suffered q mas
sive arterial hemorrhage and
died at Ochsner Foundation
Hospital. With him at the end
was his Chinese-born wife.
Anna Chan Chennault.
Third Star Awarded
Just nine days ago Presi-
dent Eisenhower signed an
emergency bill giving the Air
Force leader his third star.
Among those saddened by
the fighting generals passing
was Madame Chang Kai-shek,
wife Of the Chinese Nationalist
leader. Speaking to Washing
tons Chinese American COM
munity last night, she asked for
a moment of prayer for him
"A great friend Of the Chinese
people and the cause we stand
for"
Today condolences came
from Chang Kai-shek. who
told Mrs. Chennault that "the
exploits of the Flying Tigers
will long be remembered as
the epitome Of American hero
ism. for which the American
people should be justly proud"
Life Of Adventure
Gen. Chennault, whose life
was one big adventure, probably
best epitomized this spirit at
his last press conference.
Deploring that he was born
so years too soon, the crusty
old flyer said he would like to
be aboard the first space ship
to reach the moon.
Gen. Chennault already had
won most of the honors and
acclaim a military man can
reap on this earth. AS a daring
young aviator of the Billy
Mitchell school. as leader of
the famed Flying Tigers of
China and later of the l4th
Air Force there, he made his
way along a heroic if contro-
versial path.
Even after World War II his
affinity for China took him back
to help against the Chinese
Communists and In Korea be-
fore at last the ravages of lung
cancer forced him to return
to Louisiana for his final days.
Undoubtedly he always will
be- remembered most romanti-
cally for his Flying Tigers
Winston Churchill remembered
him well when he was pointed
out at the Cairo Conference.
I'm glad he's on our side, 81
the British Prime Minister said.
Retired as an Army Air Corps
captain only a few months be-
fore because of deafness from
open cockpit flying. Gen. Chen
nault was invited by Nine
Chang Kai-shek in 1887 to
rebuild and train the Chinese
Air Force to combat the ex-
pected japanese invasion.
Developed Tactics
The flyer was well qualified,
for in the spirit of Gen. Mitch
ell, he had developed fighting
tactics controversial in their
time but later adopted through
out the world. He also pioneered
the dropping of paratroops.
His skill and daring was
demonstrated soon after his in
fantry service in World War I
Re-enlisting, he turned to
aviation and became an out
standing flying instructor and
tactician at Brooks and Max
we'll Fields.
Gen Chennault reached
China none too soon. Thirty
seven days later Japan began
hostilities. With less than 100
combat planes. he began teach
ing Chinese that quality could
triumph over numerical superb
ority.
In l941 Gen. Chennault re-