- Collection:
- Veterans History Project: Oral History Interviews
- Title:
- Oral history interview of William C. McDonald III
- Creator:
- Luton, Frank
McDonald, William C., III, 1948- - Publisher:
- Atlanta, Ga. : Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center
- Date of Original:
- 2017-06-23
- Subject:
- Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945--Aerial operations
Sino-Japanese War, 1937-1945--Atrocities
World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, American
World War, 1939-1945--Aerial operations, Chinese
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--China
Alabama. Air National Guard
China National Aviation Corporation
Flying Tigers (AVG), Inc.
Hawk (Fighter plane)
Pan American Airways Corporation
Pan American World Airways, Inc. - People:
- Chennault, Claire Lee, 1893-1958
Chiang, Kai-shek, 1887-1975
Chiang, May-ling Soong, 1897-2003
Pawley, William D. (William Douglas), 1896-1977 - Location:
- United States, Texas, Bexar County, Lackland Air Force Base, 29.38663, -98.61797
- Medium:
- video recordings (physical artifacts)
- Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- In this interview, William C. McDonald III briefly recalls his own military service in the Alabama Air National Guard from 1966-1971, serving in an Army photo reconnaissance unit. He then recalls in detail the life of his father, William C. McDonald Jr., who served as an advisor and fighter pilot with the First American Volunteer Group (AVG), known as the "Flying Tigers;" the Chinese Air Force; and the China National Aviation Corporation; before and during World War II. McDonald Jr. dropped out of college to accept an appointment for military flight training where he became close friends with Claire Lee Chennault, who later commanded the AVG. He describes his father's work with Chennault, including intelligence gathering during the Sino-Japanese War and evacuating over 200 people from Hong Kong after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. While recovering from a heart attack, McDonald III discovered his father's papers, and set out to tell his father's story in his book, "The Shadow Tiger: Billy McDonald, Wingman to Chennault," published in 2016.
polio; 106th Observation Squadron; photo tech; F-4 Phantom; bi-plane; Ford Trimotor; Three Men on the Flying Trapeze (Aerobatic team); Hawk 75; Izumo (Japanese cruiser); "The Shadow Tiger: Billy McDonald, Wingman to Chennault" (book)
William McDonald III served in the Alabama Air National Guard during the Vietnam War. His father, William C. McDonald Jr., was a founding member of the American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers. - Metadata URL:
- http://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/cdm/ref/collection/VHPohr/id/838
- Additional Rights Information:
- This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
- Extent:
- 1:24:21
- Original Collection:
- Veterans History Project oral history recordings
Veterans History Project collection, MSS 1010, Kenan Research Center, Atlanta History Center - Holding Institution:
- Atlanta History Center
- Rights:
-
