A new mission to locate missing Flying Tigers pilots 85 years later

The effort centers on the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall, which already honors 4,313 aviation heroes, including 2,605 Americans. During the July 16 commemorative event, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation introduced a list of 113 previously unrecorded names, alongside roughly 300 entries that show strong correlations with existing historical files.

Foundation Chairman Jeffrey Greene described the search as a meticulous, long-term undertaking. By verifying these identities and recovering remains, organizers hope to offer closure to families who have waited decades for news from across the Pacific. Staff at the memorial hall and the foundation are now beginning a joint verification process to reconcile these findings with established records, ensuring that the legacy of the Flying Tigers—who were credited with destroying over 2,900 enemy aircraft—is fully documented.