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“SAVING CHENNAULT”S CAVE” Proposed Permanent Name: The Flying Tiger Guilin Memorial Site Travel Aire is currently working with official representatives of historical preservation in China to ensure permanent access to the site of the headquarters cave in Guilin, China, which was used by Gen. Claire Chennault and his Flying Tigers (both AVG and 14th AAF). Plans underway at this time include forming a non-profit organization in the US to administer and oversee the collection of donations (large and small) from interested individuals and organizations. Many of our past tour participants have already indicated a desire to contribute once the collection method is in place. The Chinese delegation from Beijing has worked on artist’s renderings and architectural drawings of proposed improvements to the access road which currently crosses a private chicken farm. They also will make improvements to the pathway leading up the hill and into the cave itself. China has increased this project from their original 15-acre site proposal to a full 300 acres and a much more elaborate park to honor these heroes. They have also increased their monetary particpation to a full $3 million USD to make this a world-class visitors' spot. Volunteers on our end, including a retired 2-star General, a CPA, and a retired judge (all of whom were on the 2006 VIP tour) are working on forming the legal non-profit organization for the safe collection of funds. Others are working on researching our US archives for photos of the interior of the cave as it appeared during WW II when occupied by Chennault and the Flying Tigers and was used at one time as headquarters for the airfield and operations in China. This is the only site that remains which can be reconstructed to look as it did when in use then. We do not want to lose this site. Both we and the Chinese would like to see the interior of the cave restored to its general appearance during that period or to a more visitor-friendly environment. To date, ours is the only tour which schedules a regular visit to this site on our annual VIP tour (as well as to the huge Aviation Museum outside of Beijing). But we believe, as do the Chinese officials, that both Americans and Chinese want to see this important airfield and cave site preserved for future visitors to experience. We are using our web page www.FlyingTigerHeritagePark.com to keep all of you up-to-date with our progress. Click on the "Organization" block and scroll down to view many views of this proposed parl. Drop us an E-mail from either that web site or to to ChinaVIPTour@aol.com if you wish to become involved in any way or want us to notify you when the non-profit organization is in place so that you, too, can contribute to helping save a remarkable part of our WW II history. Once we have collected our $400,000 USA contribution, we will schedule a mini-tour to include the principals along with (hopefully) one Senator from each side fo the aisle to attend a ceremony in Beijing for the official presentation of our funds. high-ranking officials will present our delegation with offical documnetation to ensure the proper use of our funds. Once the project has been completed, we will be forming a special limited tour to attend the dedication ceremonies at the cave. That mini-tour will include a flight to Hong Kong for a few days’ tour, then a flight to Guilin for the dedication and a few days’ further exploration of that area, then a flight to Shanghai to experience more of that great city before our flight home to San Francisco (with connections to other points). The following article appeared in the July 2006 issue of “ In Flight USA”(& a new one is due out in August 2008 : Annual "Aviators VIP Tour to China" Focuses on Saving Chennault's Cave When Larry Jobe retired from United Airlines in early 2001, he never dreamed he would soon become so involved with taking Aviation enthusiasts, WW II history buffs and Flying Tigers from WW II on VIP tours of China. During his last years as captain of a B747-400 flying to the Far East, he had discovered the incredible changes occurring in China and had become enraptured also with their history, culture and the wonderful Chinese people. At first, he and his wife Nina would accompany friends and family on tours of China as personal tour guides. Soon they found themselves caught up in leading larger groups there on an annual low-cost, high-end VIP tour that Larry was able to have specially tailored to also include sights of interest to aviators and those with a passion for WW II history and the Flying Tigers in particular – all in addition to the fabulous normal touring of China’s wide-spread highlights. During the 2005 (2nd annual) VIP tour, the group was visiting (as usual) the famous site of the Flying Tigers operations in Guilin (formerly called “Kwelin”) and exploring the large inside of the cave that was used for operations by Gen. Claire Chennault during WW II. As they stood on the mountainside and viewed the large, limestone-peak-rimmed valley that had been turned into a temporary WW II airfield from rice paddies by 90,000 volunteer peasants (a story repeated throughout China), they also viewed the development now appearing in that valley in the form of new high-rises and highways being built as part of the explosion of development occurring all over China. The Chinese representatives with them disclosed that access to this historical site, the only one left in China like it, could soon be impassable and inaccessible. The Jobes consulted with the Mayor of Gulin during the VIP banquet that evening and began a quest to launch an effort to “Save Chennault’s Cave.” All of the many aviators on the tour were soon talking about how they could all help and get involved to make sure access is never lost. A retired two-star general and a retired judge on the tour are now helping with the actual formation of a non-profit group and information will be posted to the web site: www.TravelAireTours.com Representatives of the official historical preservation organization in Beijing have already flown to Guilin and have examined and approved of this effort and will collaborate with the US group on this venture. Currently, they are having artists’ renderings and architectural drawings made to show improvements to the pathway leading up the short hill to the cave’s entrance. They are looking to the US group to do the research so that the interior of the cave could be outfitted in the same manner in which it was set up during the WW II operations there. The Chinese people have never forgotten what Gen. Chennault and his Flying Tigers (both the original AVG and the 14th AAF groups) did for them in helping to save them from the Japanese invaders. They are eager to assist concerned Americans in preserving this history both for their people and ours. The Jobes and their tour friends are delighted to help open the doors for this history-saving venture as a side highlight to their annual American Aviators’ VIP Tour to China - [toll-free (866) 669-2288]. 10/1/06 Update - Soon we expect to receive from the Chinese officials collabortaing with us on this project their artists' renderings and architectural drawings, along with a cost estimate, so that we may establish our goals and begin soliciting donations towards the successful completion of this effort to not only preserve Chennallut;s cave, but to restore it to its original appearance inside. 12/21/06 Update - We have just received the following letter and depictions of what is planned for development at the site of the old Yang Tang airfield outside Guilin which was used by the Flying Tigers in China during WW II (both the original AVG group and those that followed from the 23rd FG and the 14th AAF, all under the command of Gen. Claire Chennault. [All further updates now appear on the offical web site: www.Flying TigerHeritagePark.com] We are excited to see that the Chinese plan a significant and well-developed site to honor and commemorate the Americans and Chinese who fought together to help save China. We will be forming a non-profit organization shortly to solicit donations for the requested $400,000 for the access road, pathways and cave enhancements. The Chinese government will be applying their contribution - recently increased to $3 million USD and a full 300 acres - towards the additional buildings and appointments (a significantly higher amount than originally stated in the letter below). We will also be seeking artifacts, films and photos, plus stories (writeen or by video) to contribute to this historical museum site at the old headquarters cave site by the old airfield. We believe this will be a significant addition to the already wonderful list of places to visit in the Guilin area (the famous garden spot of China). This cave site at the old airfield remains the only place in China one can visit and still envision what the airfield was like during WW II."
				Walk to the Cave
				Cave Entrance
				Mountain Carving outside Cave
				Cave Inscription
				Airfield
				Airfield
				Airfield
				Peasant who built Airfield
				Chennault Rock
				Media
				Media