Claire Lee Chennault

Claire Lee Chennault (September 6, 1893 – July 27, 1958)^[1] was an American military aviator. He was best known for his leadership of the "Flying Tigers" and the Republic of China Air Force in World War II.

Claire Lee Chennault
Nickname	"Old Leatherface"
Born	(1893-09-06)September 6, 1893 Commerce, Texas, U.S.
Died	July 27, 1958(1958-07-27) (aged 64) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Buried at	Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Air Service (1918-1926) United States Army Air Corps (1926–1937) Republic of China Air Force (1937–1942) United States Army Air Forces (1942–1945)
Years of service	1917–1945
Rank	Lieutenant general
Commands held	1st American Volunteer Group China Air Task Force Fourteenth Air Force
Battles/wars	World War I Sino-Japanese War World War II Burma Campaign China-Burma-India Theater
Awards	Army Distinguished Service Medal (2) Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Order of the Cloud and Banner Commander of the Order of the British Empire Order of Blue Sky and White Sun

Chennault was twice married and had a total of ten children. From 1947 until his death in 1958, he married Chinese reporter Anna Chennault.

Chennault was promoted to lieutenant general in the U.S. Air Force on July 18, 1958, nine days before his death on July 27, at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital in New Orleans.^[2] He died of lung cancer in New Orleans, Louisiana on July 27, 1958 at the age of 64.

References

1. Birthdate: Encyclopedia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite 2010 and www.af.mil/About-Us/Biographies/Display/Article/107526/major-general-claire-lee-chennault/ give 1890 as birthyear
2. Byrd 1987, p. 367.

Other websites

• Flying Tigers Memorial in China (in Chinese)
• Short biography of Chennault
• Biographical sketch at USAF Museum at the Wayback Machine (archived July 18, 2006)
• Chennault at Arlington Cemetery Archived 2018-04-04 at the Wayback Machine
• Time magazine Archived 2013-07-03 at the Wayback Machine, 1942 article on Chennault
• Claire Lee Chennault papers at the Hoover Institution Archives