▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War . ▁On ▁August ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 , ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁Air ▁Force ▁Group ▁commanded ▁by ▁G ao ▁shot ▁down ▁six ▁Japanese ▁plan es , ▁while ▁suffering ▁zero ▁losses . ▁Sub sequently , ▁G ao ▁became ▁a ▁Chinese ▁war ▁hero . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁G ao ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁T ong h ua ▁County ▁of ▁L ia oning ▁Province ▁into ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁family ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 4 , ▁ 1 9 0 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁el dest ▁of ▁six ▁sib lings . ▁G ao ▁was ▁admitted ▁into ▁the ▁Education ▁Class ▁of ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁Army ▁Offic ers ▁as ▁an ▁art illery ▁cad et . ▁He ▁was ▁selected ▁to ▁receive ▁flight ▁training ▁in ▁France ▁in ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁G ao ▁returned ▁to ▁China ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 7 ▁and ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁the ▁F lying ▁E agle ▁Squadron ▁of ▁the ▁N ortheast ▁Army ▁under ▁Marsh al ▁Z hang ▁Zu olin ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁flight ▁instruct or ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 9 . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁Japanese ▁inv aded ▁Man ch uria ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 9 3 1 , ▁he ▁went ▁south ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Central ▁Government ▁and ▁became ▁an ▁instruct or ▁in ▁the ▁Central ▁F lying ▁School ▁near ▁H ang ch ou . ▁After ▁returning ▁from ▁Italy ▁after ▁an ▁ins pection ▁tour , ▁he ▁was ▁made ▁Deput y ▁Chief ▁of ▁Inst ruction , ▁and ▁commander ▁of