Jun 12 at 12:00 PM - Sale 2708 -
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Sale 2708 - Lot 211

Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200
(WORLD WAR TWO.) The rescue of downed American airmen near Japan-held China, with one of the "blood chits" that told their story. Two manuscript documents, each about 15 x 11 inches, in broken English on thin paper, with minor wear and staining from blood or (more likely) adhesive; and a textile "blood chit," 10 x 7¾ inches, moderate staining; all laid down on mat board. Not examined out of 19¾ x 36-inch frame.   China, August-September 1943
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These documents tell a story of the 14th Air Force under General Claire Chennault, the successor unit of the famous Flying Tigers who fought alongside the Chinese in the early days of the war. On 24 August 1943, an American B24 Liberator bomber was shot down by the Japanese while returning from a raid on the Japanese-held Chinese city of Hankow. The pilot Lt. Joseph M. Hart was wounded by shrapnel, was bandaged up by Sgt. Alan Solbert, and soon abandoned the plane along with Lt. Ruhf and Lt. Scheurman. A newspaper reported that "the pilot and two other members of the crew landed close together in Japanese-held territory. . . . Bands of Chinese guerrillas reached the survivors, administered first aid, and escorted them safely into Allied hands." Another B24 commanded by Lt. John T. Foster also wrecked in the same engagement, with five more survivors, also rescued by Chinese guerrillas.

At the center of this presentation is a "blood chit": a fabric representation of the Republic of China flag, with Chinese characters below which translate to "This foreigner has come to China to help in the war effort. Soldiers and civilians, one and all, should rescue and protect him." These were issued to American airmen in the First American Volunteer Group which served with the Chinese against Japan in the early years of the war--better known as the Flying Tigers.

On either side are mounted manuscripts in the same hand, both apparently by a Chinese man named Whapinchi fighting as a guerrilla against the Japanese. On the left are descriptions of Chinese guerrilla efforts to save American airmen from a series of crashes on 21 and 23 August 1943. On 21 August, "there was one bomber fallen at Tsai Cha Tung. . . . We soon sent out our troops to save them. At that time, the enemy also sent out troops trying to get it. So then, we fought with them. On that bomber, there were ten airmen. Four of them were safely saved out of danger, three were wounded, and the rest were dead." On 23 August, another bomber crashed near the Japanese lines, with one survivor rumored to be heavily wounded: "Now we are trying to find them with all our might."

To the right is a letter in the same hand, addressed to nine rescued American "air-generals," signed by Whapinchi, and dated from Hupei, 9 September 1943. He sends his greetings in broken English: "How is the wounded of the Joseph Hart and Fred Scherman now? I am very bearing in my mind for you everyday. This time you have made very honorable work for our country. How glory this is! . . . I am very glad to make a servent for you. If that is so, I can study English and you can study Chinese and we will be the best of friends in permanence. How can I get this good chance? . . . Give me for your photographs when I remember I can see your picture."

For more information on these events, see Captain Hart's letter in the Southern Nebraska Register of 21 January 1944. These events are also recounted in Chapter 15 of John T. Foster's 2023 out-of-print book "China Up and Down"; and in Alan Foster's "A Bad Day For Flying: The Story of a WWII B-24 Commander Shot Down over Hankow," in the January 2008 issue of Aviation History.

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