Chinese honor WWII Flying Tiger at Arlington Heights cemetery

History buff Tony Tang purchased a relic of pre-World War II China from fellow Hoffman Estates resident Gail Baumgartner, but the simple online transaction turned into something much more meaningful for both of them on Memorial Day.

Baumgartner sold Tang a small statue of an old Chinese man that her dad kept from his military service during the war. It sparked Tang's interest, as someone who grew up in China and is fascinated with the history of the war, so he began exchanging emails with Baumgartner.

He soon learned that her dad, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Joseph C. Cooper, was a member of the Flying Tigers - the famous aircraft group that helped defend China against Japan.

That spurred Tang to persuade officials at the Consulate General of China in Chicago to give special posthumous recognition to Cooper, who died 11 years ago and is interred at Shalom Memorial Park in Arlington Heights.

On Monday, Shen Qiwen, the consul's director of political and press affairs, joined Tang, Baumgartner and her family at Cooper's gravesite to pay homage to a man recognized as a hero in both countries.

"Chinese people always say, 'If someone gives you a drop of water, you need to pay them back with a creek,'" said Tang, who immigrated to the U.S. in 2001. "That's something I always think about.

"The Flying Tigers risked their lives to help China. I just come here to show my respect and appreciation," Tang said.

Qiwen placed a bouquet of flowers at Cooper's headstone during a short noontime ceremony. Similar recognitions are held to honor others like Cooper in the Chicago area, Qiwen said.

"We enjoy the sunshine of peace - younger generations like us," Qiwen said. "It's very important for us to remember the sacrifice made by heroes such as Mr. Cooper."

Tang learned about the Flying Tigers during middle school history class. Revered in China to this day, the American pilots and their crews entered battle as volunteers before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Their planes were known for the distinctive shark face painted on the aircraft nose.

The group later became a part of the 14th Air Force under the direction of Gen. Claire Chennault. Cooper enlisted in the Army two days after Pearl Harbor, and about three years later, he was aboard the B-25 Mitchell "Silver Slipper" as a flight engineer and crew chief. He fought in China, Burma and India, logging 560 hours aboard his plane.

After the war, Cooper returned to Chicago, got married, had children, and later moved to Skokie. He went to work as a homebuilder, helping construct the Countryside Manor subdivision in Libertyville.

He always wore his Flying Tigers hat and talked about his military service, his daughter recalls.

"Chinese people always recognized him. I never understood how deeply touched the Chinese people still are until I met Tony," Baumgartner said. "The reverence is still over there."

Tiger: Cooper enlisted two days after Pearl Harbor