(CNN) -- Peter J. Goutiere was just shy of 30 years old when he piloted a Douglas C-47, the military designation of the venerable commercial DC-3, from Miami to Kolkata, India. The C-47 was the 100th to be delivered to the China National Aviation Corporation, or CNAC. It was 1944. The United States had been at war since December 7, 1941. CNAC had been at war long before that. The Japanese invaded China in 1937. Like airlines all over the globe would do as World War II unfolded, CNAC, based in Hong Kong, shifted its operations to military service as the Japanese closed in on Shanghai and southern China.
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WWII U.S. pilot Peter Goutiere flies in his old Douglas C-47 aircraft from Seattle area to San Francisco
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Flight part of reunion of the famed China National Aviation Corp.
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The plane is owned by the Historic Flight Foundation of Everett, Washington
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Moon Chin, 102, the CNAC's only other living wartime pilot, greeted Goutiere upon arrival in San Francisco
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Japanese
Goutiere flew Ship 100 on some of his 680 missions through September 1945, when @placeholder surrendered.
World War II
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Goutiere and Chin are the sole remaining pilots who flew for the CNAC during @placeholder
China National Aviation Corporation
CNAC
CNAC
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China National Aviation Corp.
CNAC
As we began to understand the weather, @placeholder lost one aircraft a month "
China National Aviation Corporation
CNAC
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China National Aviation Corp.
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@placeholder's fleet evacuated from China to Hong Kong during the closing days of the civil war.
Historic Flight Foundation
@placeholder focuses on the 1937-1957 era of significant military and civil advances in aviation.
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HFF takes the @placeholder to air shows and offers rides.