US force's presence in Yunnan in the 1940s forged lasting links with locals

A photo of the countryside near Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, taken by the US army doctor Clinton Millett in the 1940s. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

To help promote friendly China-US exchanges, Flying Tigers veterans Harry Moyer and Melvin McMullen began a 10-day trip to China on Oct 28, together with nearly 30 relatives of veterans from the well-known combat team.

Moyer, 103, and McMullen, 98, arrived in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, on Nov 2.

Their first stop was the Kunming City Museum, where they visited the Flying Tigers Memorial Hall. Then they paid a visit to the former site of the United States Air Force General Hospital and the headquarters of the Flying Tigers.

The team's ties to China were forged decades earlier.

Two US soldiers and a Chinese man pose for a photo on the Yuantong Hill in Kunming. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In 1941, a group of volunteer US pilots — later known as the Flying Tigers — stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the Chinese people to fight invading Japanese troops during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). The group consisted of three fighter squadrons of around 30 aircraft each. Two of the squadrons were based in Kunming.

They flew over the Himalayas during the invasion, helping deliver strategic supplies to break through the Japanese blockade.

The delegation's recent visit has rekindled the city's memories of its connection with the US Army during the war — particularly a US medical officer, his color photos and his descendants' friendship with the city and its people.

On Jan 31, 2004, an email sent from the US caught the attention of Jin Feibao, general manager of a travel agency in Kunming at the time.

A woman carries a bouquet at the flower market in Kunming. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

The email came from a man named Gregg Millett, who expressed his desire to visit Kunming and hold a small photo exhibition there during his trip. Jin asked Millett to send him a few photos to preview.

When Jin received the photos, he was shocked. The scenes of Kunming that were depicted were clearly taken during the war.

Jin did some research and discovered that color reversal film was not available until 1942. Realizing the historical value of these old, rare photos, Jin suspected that they might be the first batch of color photos taken in Kunming. Through subsequent emails, he learned that these photos — 152 in total — were taken by Gregg Millett's father, Clinton (1910-64), who was a US army doctor stationed in Kunming between 1944 and 1945.

While in Kunming, Clinton Millett took Kodachrome slides of the countryside and of Chinese people going about their daily lives. He also captured the lively atmosphere of the streets and alleys in Kunming, the enchanting scenery of Dianchi Lake and the magnificent historical buildings in and around the city.

People walk to a fair on the outskirts of Kunming. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

Jin proposed organizing a large-scale photo exhibition. Gregg Millett agreed to attend as a guest of Kunming.

In May 2004, Millett took the colored pictures back to Kunming for the exhibition. The monthlong show at the Yunnan Provincial Museum attracted more than 300,000 viewers.

Following the first exhibition, Jin, the principal organizer, published a book of the photographs. He also produced a 60-minute TV documentary about the show.

Later, the photos were identified by experts from the National Museum of China as the earliest color photos of China.

A third exhibition was held at the national museum in 2005. The original 152 Kodachrome slides were donated to the museum by the Millett family.

Before he died in 2016 at age 78, Gregg Millett returned to Kunming many times and developed a deep friendship with Jin and other residents.

A US airfreighter lands at the Kunming airport. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

In 2004, he advised his nephew, Jesse Millett, to study Chinese in Kunming. Jesse went on to marry a young woman from the city and the couple have two children.

"Gregg and I were not only friends, but like family. He was more like an elder brother to me, always caring," Jin said.

Jin traveled to the US to attend Millett's funeral and brought some of his ashes to Kunming. He scattered them at Dianchi Lake according to Millett's wishes.

In August 2015, Jin and other four Chinese cyclists embarked on a people-to-people diplomatic mission to deliver "friendly letters" from Kunming to the mayors of eight US cities, including Boston, Massachusetts; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Santa Fe, New Mexico.

They rode for 66 days, crossed 13 states and covered a distance of 6,000 kilometers. During their journey, they visited the relatives of the Flying Tigers.

Jin believes that the spirit of those veterans will be passed down from generation to generation between the people of the two countries.

Contact the writers at liyingqing@chinadaily.com.cn