9G-2 Bing Jeng CHEN (陳炳靖公)

CHEN Bing Jeng (陳炳靖公) was born in 1918 in Fujian Province of China. He graduated from the Merchant Marine University and did his practicum in Shanghai. One year later, Shanghai was involved in the Sino Japanese War. He decided to serve his country and enrolled in the 12th Session of the China Air Force. After his training at the famous Whampoa Military Academy (黃埔軍校), he graduated as a Lieutenant and was sent to Kunming (昆明) for his flight training. In 1941, he was sent to the US for more advanced training. When he came back to China in 1942, he was transferred to the U. S. Fourteenth Air Force , 23d Fighter Group (Flying Tigers), 75th Squadron (14 航空隊 23 大隊 75 中隊). (The above links are in English).

After many combats in the air with the Japanese, his plane was shot down on October 13, 1943. He was injured; but was able to parachute safely to a remote area in Vietnam. He struggled in the bushes for six days and was rescued by a French solider whose country had an agreement to cooperate with the Japanese. Mr. Chen was treated well in their hospital; but, after seven days, he was handed over to the Japanese army. They took him to their hospital for more treatment and eventually transported him to an underground jail in Nanjing. He was badly treated there. One week later, he was again transferred to a Concentration Camp in Shanghai where the US soldiers were kept. Mr. Chen finally got his wound fixed up in the hospital there. About three weeks later, he was sent back to another Concentration Camp for Chinese soldiers in Nanjing. There were about 800 Chinese soldiers there who were also badly treated. Mr. Chen was there for 21 months and finally released on August 22, 1945 after Japan surrendered.

After the war, Mr. Chen returned to the Air Force, working in different areas. He also served as the Military Attaché for the Chinese Embassy in Philippines. In 1959, he retired from his Air Force career, having the rank of an Air Force Lieutenant Colonel. In between, he married our 9G Barbara (璇君) on November 8, 1949. They are now living in Hong Kong.

For more details, in Chinese, about Mr. Chen, check out 美國十四航空隊23大隊75中隊 陳炳靖

More information, in Chinese, about Mr. Chen and the Flying Tigers in China :

- Mr. Chen was invited to the pre-0pening of the Kunming Flying Tigers Memorial Museum in 2012 (昆明飛虎隊纪念館)

- Also check out 十四航空隊中美空軍混合團CACW for more details about the Flying Tigers in China.

- Mr. Chen was interviewed in a video 台湾演义台湾飛行史 . The part about the Flying Tigers in China is at time mark between 13:49 and 31:17, for about 18 minutes.