Claire Lee Chennault

Claire Lee Chennault was born on September 6, 1893 in Commerce, Texas. His upbringing was more in Louisiana where he received his education. On his father's side, he was related to Robert E. Lee, and on his mother's side related to Sam Houston. Claire's mother passed away when he was only five.

Claire attended Louisiana State University and Louisiana State Normal College. He had eight children in his first marriage of thirty-five years to Nell Thompson, and two children in his second marriage to Chen Xiangmei, better known as Anna Chennault. Prior to becoming a flight instructor during World War I, Claire was a teacher in Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Some hearing loss and problems with his superiors led to Claire retiring from the Air Force Corp.

Not long after, Claire attained employment by Chiang Kai-shek, being advisor with the Chinese Air Force. This was the starting point of the well known "Flying Tigers" squadron. Later, Claire joined the US military and was Major General for the 14th Air Force, but again retired in 1945 with military tactics not being agreed upon.

Claire soon began Civil Air Transport (CAT) and was supported by Chang Kai-shek's Nationalist Chinese government, as well as the U.N. Relief and Rehabilitation Administration. This effort was to aid the struggles against communism overtaking China in the late 1940s.

Claire Lee Chennault died of lung cancer in New Orleans at the Ochsner Foundation Hospital. Most of one lung had been taken out the year before. He now rests at Arlington National Cemetery and is remembered as a major war hero among the Chinese, given Chen-na-de as his Chinese name. He had been promoted one day before his death to Lieutenant General.