CULTURAL LEGACY OF THE FLYING TIGERS & HUMP AIRLIFT
10. On December 26, 1942 Captain Robert H. Mooney of the 23rd Fighter Group’s 16th Fighter Squadron, was part of a small group of P-40‘s that intercepted a force of nine Japanese Ki-48 “Lily “bombers and their escort of ten Ki-43 “Oscar” fighters that was attacking the airfield at Yunnanyi. In the ensuing fight, it is believed that Mooney destroyed one of the attacking Lily bombers, and then, according to the report of another 16th Fighter Squadron P-40 pilot, Mooney made a head-on attack on one of the escorting Japanese Oscar fighters and shot it down. However, as Mooney was making his attack on the enemy Oscar, a second Oscar attacked his P-40 and set it on fire. The air battle had shifted from the Yunnanyi airfield to a point directly above the nearby town of Xiangyun. Apparently, not wanting his dying aircraft to crash into the heart of Xiangyun, Mooney continued to fly his burning P-40 until it was safely beyond Xiangyun. Unfortunately for Mooney, when he finally bailed-out of his stricken fighter, he was too close to the ground for his parachute to fully open. Landing hard in the town’s small cemetery, Mooney was fatally injured when a gust of wind caught his parachute and violently threw him against one of the cemetery’s stone monuments and fractured his skull.
10a. The people of Xiangyun had watched as Mooney battled the Japanese, and they witnessed Mooney’s efforts to prevent his aircraft from crashing into their homes. Rushing to his assistance, they immediately carried Mooney to the clinic of Dr. Dong Jiyuan, who did all that he could to care for the injured pilot. Sadly, Mooney died from his injury later that night.
To show their gratitude and appreciation, the people of Xiangyun donated money to build a monument that would honor the memory of Captain Robert H. Mooney and his heroic sacrifice. In May 1943, the people of Xiangyun invited the pilots of Mooney’s 16th Fighter Squadron to participate in the official dedication ceremony of the Mooney Monument. In1993, the people of Xianyun raised money to rebuild Mooney’s Monument, and in a special ceremony, which included members of Robert Mooney’s family, rededicated the Mooney Monument.
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