i ator , ▁the ▁f ighter ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁scored ▁ 6 . 5 ▁of ▁his ▁ 8 . 5 ▁aer ial ▁vict ories , ▁he ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁enemy ▁fire ▁and ▁forced ▁to ▁b ail ▁out ▁of ▁his ▁burning ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁although ▁he ▁par ach uted ▁to ▁safety , ▁he ▁suffered ▁serious ▁burn ▁inj uries . ▁Nevertheless , ▁after ▁several ▁years ▁of ▁surg ery ▁and ▁recovery , ▁and ▁an ▁escape ▁from ▁the ▁Japanese ▁occupation ▁of ▁Hong ▁Kong , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁to ▁fly ▁supplies ▁over ▁the ▁H imal ay as , ▁a ▁route ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁" H ump ". ▁ ▁Later ▁life ▁and ▁legacy ▁Ch in ▁is ▁recognized ▁as ▁America ' s ▁first ▁ace ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁A ▁half - century ▁after ▁the ▁war ▁ended , ▁the ▁U . S . ▁government ▁recognized ▁Ch in ▁as ▁an ▁American ▁veter an ▁by ▁award ing ▁him ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ▁and ▁Air ▁Medal . ▁About ▁a ▁month ▁after ▁Ch in ▁died , ▁on ▁October ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁was ▁induct ed ▁into ▁the ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Air power ▁Heritage ▁Museum ▁in ▁Mid land , ▁Texas ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁ace ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁After ▁his ▁av iation ▁career , ▁Ch in ▁became ▁a ▁postal ▁worker ▁in ▁his ▁h omet own ▁of ▁Port land . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Congress man