American family honors long-standing connection with China tracking back WWII

(MENAFN) Reports highlight a long-standing connection between an American family and China, tracing back to World War II. In Fuzhou, Fujian Province, 73-year-old Elyn MacInnis visited a memorial wall listing over 8,000 names and gently wiped the name Mu Airen, the Chinese name of her late father-in-law, Donald MacInnis.

The wall commemorates heroes who fought in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, including individuals from abroad. Donald MacInnis’s service has become a symbol of enduring friendship between China and the United States, remembered across three generations of his family.

"Don has always loved China, and especially Fujian," Elyn said, recalling her father-in-law with fondness.

In 1940, three years into China’s nationwide resistance against Japanese forces, 20-year-old Donald traveled alone to teach English at a Fuzhou middle school for a year. He later joined the U.S. 14th Air Force, known as the "Flying Tigers," serving as a "coast watcher."

His role involved scouting Japanese supply ships and relaying their coordinates to Kunming command, enabling bomber strikes alongside Chinese allies.

During the war, China and the United States collaborated against Japanese forces, forging a friendship tested through immense sacrifices. More than 2,000 Flying Tigers airmen lost their lives, while Chinese civilians assisted American pilots at great personal risk. Over 200 pilots in distress were rescued, with thousands of Chinese citizens sacrificing their lives during the operations.

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