Louie Yim-Qun
Encyclopedia
"Clifford" Louie Yim-qun , also known as Louie Yen-chung, was born in Seattle, Washington
; his father was from Taishan
county, Guangdong
, China
. He obtained a private pilot's license at the Portland Flying School, Oregon
, and went to China in 1933. One of the other pilots in Portland was Hazel Ying Lee
, who later became his wife. She was the first Chinese American
to volunteer for the Women Airforce Service Pilots
.
. He joined the 28th Fighter Squadron of the 5th Fighter Group, and became Deputy Squadron Leader in 1937. Louie ended the war with 3 biplane victories. Some sources credits Louie with 5 victories, but this has not been possible to verify. In the fall of 1942, Major Louie was sent to the United States and entered Staff and Command College. In 1945 he was sent to Karachi
in British India as an instructor to Allied pilots. After the Japanese surrender, he went to Japan as a member of China’s Military Commission in Japan. In the 50’s and 60’s, General Louie served as Chief Liaison Officer to the U.S. Garrison Command in Taiwan, Chief of Air Intelligence, and Chief of Operations, CG of the Combat Command, and Deputy C-in-C of the Chinese Air Force. In 1967 he became Deputy Chief of General Staff in the Ministry of National Defence. He was promoted from Lieutenant General to General (2nd Grade) in 1970.
until 1978.
, was killed in a flying accident at Great Falls
, Montana
, on 23 November, 1944, while ferrying a P-63 from Buffalo
, New York
. In 1946 he wed Pearl Lowe
in Shanghai
's Holy Trinity Cathedral
. They had two daughters and a son together.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
; his father was from Taishan
Taishan
Taishan is a coastal county-level city in Guangdong Province, China. The city is part of the Greater Taishan Region....
county, Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He obtained a private pilot's license at the Portland Flying School, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, and went to China in 1933. One of the other pilots in Portland was Hazel Ying Lee
Hazel Ying Lee
Hazel Ying Lee was a Chinese American pilot who flew for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.-Biography:Lee was born in Portland, Oregon. Her father was a merchant. Her mother devoted her energy to raising 8 children and helping with the family business. Despite the widespread...
, who later became his wife. She was the first Chinese American
Chinese American
Chinese Americans represent Americans of Chinese descent. Chinese Americans constitute one group of overseas Chinese and also a subgroup of East Asian Americans, which is further a subgroup of Asian Americans...
to volunteer for the Women Airforce Service Pilots
Women Airforce Service Pilots
The Women Airforce Service Pilots and its predecessor groups the Women's Flying Training Detachment and the Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron were pioneering organizations of civilian female pilots employed to fly military aircraft under the direction of the United States Army Air Forces...
.
Military career
Louie returned to China to participate in the Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
. He joined the 28th Fighter Squadron of the 5th Fighter Group, and became Deputy Squadron Leader in 1937. Louie ended the war with 3 biplane victories. Some sources credits Louie with 5 victories, but this has not been possible to verify. In the fall of 1942, Major Louie was sent to the United States and entered Staff and Command College. In 1945 he was sent to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in British India as an instructor to Allied pilots. After the Japanese surrender, he went to Japan as a member of China’s Military Commission in Japan. In the 50’s and 60’s, General Louie served as Chief Liaison Officer to the U.S. Garrison Command in Taiwan, Chief of Air Intelligence, and Chief of Operations, CG of the Combat Command, and Deputy C-in-C of the Chinese Air Force. In 1967 he became Deputy Chief of General Staff in the Ministry of National Defence. He was promoted from Lieutenant General to General (2nd Grade) in 1970.
Business career
He retired from the military in 1974, and became CEO and then chairman of the board of China AirlinesChina Airlines
China Airlines is both the flag carrier and the largest airline of Republic of China . Although not directly state-owned, the airline is owned by China Airlines Group, which is owned by the China Aviation Development Foundation...
until 1978.
Personal life
His first wife, Hazel Ying LeeHazel Ying Lee
Hazel Ying Lee was a Chinese American pilot who flew for the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.-Biography:Lee was born in Portland, Oregon. Her father was a merchant. Her mother devoted her energy to raising 8 children and helping with the family business. Despite the widespread...
, was killed in a flying accident at Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana
Great Falls is a city in and the county seat of Cascade County, Montana, United States. The population was 58,505 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Great Falls, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Cascade County...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, on 23 November, 1944, while ferrying a P-63 from Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. In 1946 he wed Pearl Lowe
Pearl Lowe
-External links:*...
in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
's Holy Trinity Cathedral
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Shanghai is a Anglican Cathedral in Huangpu District, Shanghai.-History:Before the forced amalgamation of the Anglicanism in mainland China into the lianghui in 1958, it was an Anglican Cathedral of the Chung Hua Sheng Kung Hui, the eldest in China...
. They had two daughters and a son together.