MAJOR GEN. CALEB VANCE HAYNES NATIONALIST CHINESE 'BLOOD CHIT'

MAJOR GEN. CALEB VANCE HAYNES NATIONALIST CHINESE 'BLOOD CHIT'
MAJOR GEN. CALEB VANCE HAYNES NATIONALIST CHINESE 'BLOOD CHIT'
Historically important relic owned and carried for emergency use by Brigadier Gen. Caleb Vance Hayes during his service with Gen. Claire Chennault and the "Flying Tigers" and while directing transport over 'The Hump', a 'Blood chit' asking that in the event of his capture, he be rendered all assistance possible. This piece, 14.5 x 9.5 in. overall, is a one-sided cotton Nationalist Chinese flag constructed in separately-sewn pieces. Chinese characters inked on the right side read: "No matter who you are, any branch of military or civilian, we are one China. You are to help this foreigner who is helping us in the war." A red chop mark is also evident at the lower left corner. There are aged tack holes in the corners indicating that Haynes had this blood chit affixed to another surface, be it on the ground or in an aircraft. This blood chit is identical to those carried by 'Chennault's Flying Tigers'. Consigned directly by a linear descendant, with our letter of provenance. CALEB VANCE HAYNES (1895-1966) was a U.S. Air Force major general and one of the most important and talented military aviators and commanders of World War II. Haynes organized the Assam-Burma-China Ferry Command and evacuated Burma with the Chinese and RAF. He then went to China to organize and command the Bomber Command of the China Air Task Force under Gen. Claire Chennault. Rarely able to send out more than four or five B-25 Mitchell bombers at a time, supported by Chennault's 'Flying Tigers each carrying another bomb, Haynes constantly shifted his targets and kept the enemy guessing. Fuel and bomb scarcity limited the scope of operations. For instance, one sortie had Haynes piloting a single B-25 to bomb Japanese headquarters in Tengchong, China, near the border of Burma. Claims and losses in July, 1942 proved the value of the strategy: one B-25 and five P-40s were lost in the destruction of 24 enemy fighters and 12 bombers! Haynes later returned to India to organize the India Air Task Force of the 10th Air Force.