![]() The Air Medal: A military decoration for serving with the USAF, in distinguishing himself with heroic or meritorious achievements in aerial flight.Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal (Silver Star): A military service decoration or his participation and contributions to Americans’ Asia Pacific campaign during the World War II.The Distinguished Flying Cross: A military medal awarded for his “heroism or extraordinary achievement”, in aerial flight.Consequent, in recognition of his heroic acts and meritorious achievements during the Second World War and the post war rescue efforts, he was duly decorated by the US government: Subsequently, Chairman Chin upon hearing the news of the distress situation, personally took upon himself the risk and flew a PBY Catalina “flying boat” located the distressed crew, landed in the turbulent water, and rescued all of the six personnel. There were already two USAF amphibious aircrafts on location but the pilots and crew were reluctant to risk their own lives to execute a rescue operation. His most extraordinary heroic act of rescue occurred during the post war year of 1954, when he was already the “Chairman of the Board” for Foshing Airlines, when a US Air Force C-119 crew bailed out over the stormy sea between Taiwan and Guam. In one particular incident, at Myitkyina, after loading 80 passengers on his aircraft, Moon flew non stop to Calcutta with Dolittle on board as well! Likewise, he was involved in rescue missions to evacuate civilians from distress regions to safety. Moon also ferried in his aircraft many American navy personnel to and fro the Gobi Desert where the American Navy had a weather station. He rescued Dolittle and transported him from Kuming to Myitkyina, a city in northern Burma. Among those military personnel he daringly rescued, was Lt Col James Dolittle who led the USAF squadron in the bombing of Tokyo following the attack on Pearl Harbour in 1942. During the World War II (1939 to 1945), even though Moon was only a civilian aviation pilot, he volunteered actively in frequent military rescue missions and subsequently secured the lives of many US military personnel. The CNAC was later taken over by the Chinese Nationalist Air Force and in collaboration with the US Air Force during the ensuing second world war years. The Loening Seaplane was one of the first of the “shoehorn-float” civilian aircraft that could land and float on sea water.īy the time Moon became a captain, he flew on several other types of aircrafts, such as the Stinson, Douglas Dolphin, Sikorsky S-38, DC-2 and also the DC-3. Moon was only 20 years old when he began his flying career as a co-pilot in the Loening. From time to time, Moon would fly to Rangoon (Burma) and Hanoi (Vietnam) when needed. He flew transport missions that included flights over the Himalayas. En route to Chongqing, he picked up tourists who visited the Yangtze River and other passengers who wished to continue on their journey to Chengdu. Everyday, he flew on the Chengdu – Chongqing route. As a captain, he flew on a “Stinson” which was based in Chengdu. ![]() ![]() While on the ground, he still multi-tasked as a mechanic. Two weeks later, Moon was finally given the opportunity to be a co-pilot of an aircraft on a Shanghai-Beijing route. However, Moon commenced work in CNAC not as an aviation pilot, but as an aviation mechanic due to his prior work experience before joining CNAC. Upon hearing that CNAC intended to expand its operations in 1933, Moon’s uncle coaxed his young, energetic nephew to come to China to meet with Bond.īond decided to hire Moon for CNAC. However, Pan-Am took over from Curtiss Wright In 1933. In 1931, Bond was the Operations Manager for the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC), a joint venture airline operated by Curtiss Wright and the Chinese Nationalist government. Moon’s uncle had a friend whose name was William Langhorne Bond. Soon after completing his high school education, he decided to enroll in Curtiss Wright Flying School and graduated with a Commercial Pilot Licence.Īs good luck would have it, Curtiss Wright had a joint venture with the then China’s Nationalist government to operate a major airline in China. At a young age, Moon had already exhibited a keen interest in aviation. Moon’s family moved to Baltimore where he later completed his high school education. His father who was an American citizen of Chinese descent, took the young Moon to Seattle, Washington in USA. Moon Fun Chin (Chén Wénkuān, 陈文宽) was born in 1913, Zhongshan, Guangdong province in China.
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