World War II Database

Arthur "Art" Ruitian Chen (Cantonese: Chin Shui-Tin) was born in Portland, Oregon, United States to a Chinese immigrant father and a Peruvian mother. Motivated by the Japanese violation of Chinese sovereignty in 1931, he and 15 other Chinese Americans enrolled in flying school in Portland and traveled to Guangdong to join the Guangdong Provincial Air Force. He was accepted on 1 Dec 1932 as a Warrant Probationary Pilot. On 23 Feb 1923, he was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant. In 1936, he completed further flight training in Munich, Bavaria, Germany with the Luftwaffe at Laager Lechtfeld. On 1 Sep 1936, he was promoted to first lieutenant and was assigned the flight leader of the 6th Squadron. Between Feb and Jun 1937, he was a flight instructor. On 10 Jun 1937, he was the commanding officer of the 28th Pursuit Squadron, 5th Pursuit Group.

On 15 Aug 1937, after China had entered WW2, Chen's squadron was deployed to the Chuyung Airfield near Nanjing under Captain Chen Kee-Wong. Early in the morning of 16 Aug, thirteen Japanese G3M Type 96 bombers from Matsuyama Airfield in Taipei, Taiwan raided military airfields near Nanjing in two separate waves. At 1055, the first wave of six aircraft reached Chuyung. Chen took off in a Hawk II biplane fighter. Although scoring several hits on a Japanese bomber flown by Lieutenant Osugi, his obsolete aircraft put him at a disadvantage even against bombers, and he suffered several hits. He was forced to make an emergency landing at a nearby airfield, with his aircraft ending up on its nose as the brakes failed. Later documentation noted that Osugi's aircraft barely made it to Cheju-do, Korea due to fuel loss; although these documents did not specify whether the aircraft crashed during the landing or not, the Chinese Army Air Force awarded Chen with a kill for the purpose of raising morale.

In early Sep 1937, Chen was given command of four Hawk II aircraft and assigned to protect the Shaokwan Aircraft Factory in Guangdong. On 27 Sep, three G3M bombers attacked the Hankou-Guangdong Raiway, and Chen's group, along with another group of three Hawk III fighters, took off to intercept. Chen damaged one of the bombers which eventually ran out of fuel and crashed off the coast of Swatow.

On 9 Feb 1938, while ferrying a newly purchased Gladiator fighter, Chen crashed into a hill during a snowstorm. He suffered minor injuries to his right eye.

Between 1938 and 1939, Chen participated in many air battles, downing Japanese aircraft of various types. On 1 Dec 1938, he was promoted to the rank of major, followed by an assignment as the deputy commander of the 3rd Grop on 20 Dec. On 27 Dec 1939, he flew a Gladiator fighter in escort of three bombers, which were dispatched in support of the Chinese offensive at Kunlun Pass, Guangxi. He was shot down when the group was intercepted by Japanese A5M fighters of the 14th Kokutai. He managed to bring his aircraft back to Chinese territory before bailing out near Nanning. Wounded, he remained in a rice paddy until found by Chinese soldiers several days later. He was treated in several hospitals, including one in Hong Kong as the city fell under Japanese control in Dec 1941. He and his family escaped and eventually returned to the United States. After recovery, he was officially discharged from the Chinese Army Air Force on 1 Mar 1945 so that he could join the United States Army Air Forces to fly supplies over the "Hump" of the Himalayas into China.

During WW2, Chen scored a total of eight kills, which were all achieved while flying biplane fighters.

After the war, Chen worked for the China National Aviation Corporation until 1950. He was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal on 24 Feb 1995. He passed away in Sep 1997 in Portland, Oregon. On 4 Oct 1997, he was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame of the American Airpower Heritage Museum in Midland, Texas, United States. He is now recognized as the first American ace of WW2.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Hobilar says:
   18 Sep 2007 02:10:28 AM
   
   The Chinese Government purchased thirty-six Gladiator Fighters. Although many of these were destroyed in training accidents and by aerial attack the survivors achieved many successes against the Japanese, particullarly in the defence of the Siuchow aircraft factory.

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