▁the ▁Pol ik arp ov ▁I - 1 6 ▁Type ▁ 5 ▁and ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁second ▁group ▁in ▁their ▁return - fl ight ▁to ▁Nan j ing ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁November . ▁ ▁While ▁ref u elling ▁at ▁Z hou j ia kou ▁Air field , ▁they ▁were ▁caught ▁by ▁some ▁Japanese ▁ten ▁M its ub ishi ▁G 3 M 2 s , ▁who ▁evidently ▁were ▁conduct ing ▁a ▁reconna issance ▁mission . ▁The ▁bomb s ▁were ▁already ▁falling ▁when ▁K ao ▁ran ▁to ▁his ▁I - 1 6 . ▁The ▁engine ▁of ▁the ▁f ighter ▁wouldn ' t ▁start ▁and ▁with ▁the ▁bomb s ▁falling ▁closer , ▁the ▁ground ▁crew , ▁dec iding ▁that ▁dis cret ion ▁was ▁the ▁better ▁part ▁of ▁val our , ▁left ▁the ▁aircraft ▁to ▁take ▁cover . ▁Ch asing ▁after ▁them , ▁G ao ▁brought ▁them ▁back ▁at ▁the ▁point ▁of ▁his ▁service ▁revol ver ▁to ▁help ▁him ▁start ▁the ▁engine ▁but ▁lost ▁his ▁life ▁when ▁a ▁bomb ▁expl oded ▁alongside ▁the ▁aircraft . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death , ▁G ao ▁had ▁claimed ▁ 4 ▁bi plane ▁vict ories , ▁these ▁being ▁claimed ▁while ▁flying ▁the ▁Curt iss ▁Haw k ▁III . ▁According ▁to ▁official ▁record ▁of ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁Air ▁Force ▁he ▁is ▁only ▁cred ited ▁with ▁ 3 . 5 ▁vict ories ▁and ▁thus ▁awarded ▁the ▁Three ▁Star ▁Medal . ▁ ▁Leg acy ▁ ▁G ao ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Major ▁General ▁post hum ously . ▁In ▁ 1 9