▁pilot ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Second ▁S ino - J apan ese ▁War . ▁Eth n ically ▁a ▁Chinese ▁Per uv ian , ▁Ch in ▁was ▁comp elled ▁to ▁defend ▁his ▁father ' s ▁hom eland ▁when ▁Japan ▁inv aded ▁China . ▁He ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁group ▁of ▁U . S . ▁volunte er ▁combat ▁av i ators . ▁Ch in ▁is ▁recognized ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ' ▁first ▁flying ▁ace ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁and ▁military ▁career ▁Ch in ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Port land , ▁Oregon ▁to ▁a ▁Per uv ian ▁mother ▁and ▁a ▁Chinese ▁father ▁of ▁Ta ish an ese ▁origin . ▁Mot iv ated ▁by ▁the ▁Japanese ▁invasion ▁of ▁China , ▁Ch in ▁en rolled ▁in ▁flight ▁school ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 2 . ▁Al ong ▁with ▁ 1 3 ▁other ▁Chinese ▁Americans , ▁he ▁left ▁for ▁China ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁C anton ▁Provin cial ▁Air ▁Force ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁and ▁original ▁group ▁of ▁American ▁volunte er ▁combat ▁av i ators ▁and ▁ultimately ▁integrated ▁into ▁the ▁central ▁government ' s ▁air ▁force ▁under ▁the ▁K MT . ▁After ▁completion ▁of ▁additional ▁aer ial - g unn ery ▁training ▁in ▁Mun ich , ▁Germany , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁China ▁for ▁combat ▁duty ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁cred ited ▁with ▁destroy ing ▁nine ▁enemy ▁aircraft ▁between ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 9 , ▁while ▁flying ▁a ▁G loster ▁Glad