郑伟勇
2017年4月18日是美国陆军航空队杜立特突袭75周年纪念。
美国只有200多年建国史,但他们十分珍视自己的历史,乐于也善于传承历史中涌现出来的优秀品质和良好传统。这一天他们在俄亥俄州的代顿市举办一系列的纪念活动。
我作为中国民间独立研究者,关注杜立特突袭历史事件多年,与美国杜立特突袭者协会和突袭者子女协会保持着良好的关系,应邀参加了这次纪念活动。这也是我第四次参加这一纪念活动。
杜立特突袭者协会以及突袭者子女协会几乎每年都举办纪念活动,不因时间流逝而弛废。他们的活动也得到了美国空军、民众和著名企业的支持。一些新的纪念项目也让参与者耳目一新。
4月17日上午,一架美军现役B-1轰炸机被命名为“新瘸老鸭”。75年前,一架叫“瘸老鸭”的B-25轰炸机参加了杜立特突袭,这一军事行动是日本偷袭珍珠港后美军对日本本土进行的第一次反击。返程时,“瘸老鸭”坠落在中国浙江三门县南田大沙海滩上。后来,特德·劳森著《东京上空三十秒》,“瘸老鸭”成为二战著名军机。B-1轰炸机被命名为“新瘸老鸭”,是对当年的精神传承。
命名仪式举行,“瘸老鸭”机械师撒切尔的女儿在一名空军军士的陪同下揭幕,撒切尔夫人在“新瘸老鸭”机轮上洒上美酒,用酒的醇香为之祝福。接着,年轻的美国空军官兵们排队向唯一在世的杜立特突袭者、101岁的杜立特机组副驾驶迪克·科尔问候、合影。科尔送给官兵纪念徽章。长官用美国国旗回赠给科尔和撒切尔家人。
杜立特突袭是美国人尽皆知的英雄史,也知道突袭后得到过中国的帮助。突袭者在每次纪念活动时,都为中国人为之付出25万人牺牲的巨大代价而感激。但是,美国民众对突袭者在中国被拯救的具体情境知之甚少。我以为,突袭者在中国的经历是整个突袭行动中最惊险、精彩的传奇篇章。
4月17日晚上,美国国家空军博物馆报告厅内,在简短的仪式之后,我上台结合PPT做了30分钟演讲《共同的回忆》,着重介绍我在这些年的研究过程中收集到的其中四个机组——1号、7号、12号和15号——在中国的故事。我为这次演讲做了大量准备工作,比如电影《东京上空三十秒》以纪实的风格给观众讲述了突袭者在中国的情况,但还有很多背景细节无法展开,我就用一张张图片和实物如南田岛周围敌我态势、大沙海滩、安置飞行员的房子、经过的危险地段、日军对村民的报复、现存遗迹等做了补充介绍。我的演讲获得了热烈的掌声,很多听众和我握手。他们说,很喜欢我的演讲;这些以前没有听过的故事激起了他们的爱国热情。他们也为中国人在二战中为美国人做出的巨大贡献而感激。
会后,我把我写的两本研究杜立特突袭的书送给美国国家空军博物馆。馆长表示,他们一定会好好珍藏。“现在很多美国年轻人已不大知道这段历史,我希望存续下去。感谢您收集到这么多一手资料,愿您的书能译成英文在美国出版。”
4月18日上午,我到博物馆机场跑道参观B-25飞机的静态展示。这次有11架飞机来参加纪念活动,虽然比不上2012年70周年纪念时的20架,但能集中这么多70多年机龄且能飞行的同型号二战飞机也十分壮观。
很多机组人员热情地邀请我进入他们的飞机参观。Georgies Gal号机组年轻的机械师泰勒(Tyler)带着我进入机内。他说,这是一架好飞机,值得为它做好保养工作。我说,这飞机很漂亮。他说,是的,他的飞机是最漂亮的,别的飞机都老了;他有理由自豪,他的飞机机身锃光瓦亮,发动机比较新。
我向他们提出我希望乘坐他们的飞机参加纪念通场飞行。他们愉快地同意了。下午1时25分我和机组成员登上飞机就位。1时35分在澎湃的发动机声中,我乘坐的飞机起飞升空。11架飞机先向南飞行,上升到1000英尺,在空中进行编队,然后向北飞行。2时10分我们的机队通过美国国家空军博物馆上空。这时,博物馆纪念公园内科尔、突袭者子女家人和空军官兵、民众正在杜立特突袭纪念碑前举行纪念仪式。B-25机队通场飞行是纪念仪式的一部分,作为一个中国人,我有幸体验了这一壮举。
4月19日,我离开代顿回国,在机场我遇到了一件难忘的事。一位突袭者的儿子送我一张满是突袭者签名的突袭行动地图的复印件,上面,突袭者子女们又签上了他们的名字,我希望这件珍贵的纪念品陈列在衢州将要建成的杜立特突袭纪念馆里。但这张复印件有些大,已经超长超宽,牢牢地贴在泡沫板上。代顿机场达美航空公司的值机员告诉我,它无法作为手提行李带上飞机。为了能把它带回来,我只能破坏完美进行折叠。当我打开包装时,值机员看到地图画面,由衷赞叹它的漂亮,边上另两位值机员也来欣赏这件作品。送行的突袭者子女协会成员、华裔记者刘美远告之说,这是杜立特突袭行动地图,上面有突袭者的签名,准备带回中国陈列在博物馆里。于是,值机员坚定地制止我折叠的行为。辛迪(Cyndi)找来一个大小合适的紙板箱和塑料袋。赛拉(Celia)把地图包装好,贴上好几个易碎品标签,并帮我办好托运手续。而且,这些都是免费的。我心里十分感动,请她们留下名字,与她们合影留念,感谢她们又为杜立特突袭续写了一段中美之间美丽的故事。
我相信杜立特突袭当年结下的友谊还会继续下去。
(本文图片由作者拍摄、提供)
New Ruptured Duck Marks 75th Anniversary of Doolittle Raid
By Zheng Weiyong
April 18, 2017 marked the 75th anniversary of Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War Two. The United States, though only 200 plus years old, values its history by celebrating the fine qualities and tradition of its short history. April 18 is the day when America looks back at the heroic raid at Dayton, Ohio.
Thanks to my engagement in the study of Doolittle Raid for many years, I am able to keep a fine relationship with Doolittle Raiders Association and Children of Doolittle Raiders Association. April 2017 saw me attend the annual commemorative event in Dayton for the fourth time.
With the support of the American Air Force, the general public, and business companies, the commemorative event has occurred almost annually and new commemorative events have been added.
On the morning of April 17, 2017, a B-1 bomber in active service was named The Ruptured Duck. Seventy-five years ago, a B-25 bomber nicknamed The Ruptured Duck took part in the Doolittle Raid. On its way back to safety, it crashed on a beach on Nantian Island in Sanmen County, Zhejiang Province, China. The bomber was made famous worldwide in , a 1944 American war film based on the namesake book by Ted W. Lawson and Robert Considine. I attended the designation ceremony.
On the evening of April 17, I gave a 30-minute presentation in the conference hall of American National Air Force Museum. The 1944 war film revealed to American audience how the raiders survived in China, without giving too many details. The presentation, based on my researches and field studies over years, focused on the crews of four bombers. The PPT displayed where Japanese troupers were and where Chinese resistance forces were, the beach where the bombers crashed, and the safe houses where the airmen stayed, the dangers Americans encountered on their way to safety, Japanese retaliation to the villages and the present status of the historical sites. My presentation was a success. Many audience members came forward shaking my hands and saying the unheard-of stories inspired their patriotism and gave them details concerning the sacrifices China made to save Americans.
I am happy to say that two books I wrote on Doolittle Raid went into the collection of the American Air Force Museum.
On the morning of April 18, I visited the eleven B-25 bombers on the airport of the museum. I was invited to take a look inside Georgies Gal, one of the 11. I asked to take a ride on the memorial flight over the museum in the afternoon. The proposal was gladly accepted. At 1:25, I boarded the bomber. At 1:35, we took off. The 11 bombers first flew to the south. After we reached at the altitude of 1,000 feet, the bombers formed a team and then turned back to fly north. At 2:10, we passed overhead over the museum. Right then, a commemorative ceremony was being held in front of the Doolittle Raid Monument, attended by the 101-year-old Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, the only remaining survivor of the Doolittle Raiders, the family members of the raiders, the Air Force members and the general public. I was honored to be the only Chinese flying over the ceremony that day.
On April 19 I was ready to fly back to China. I ran into a problem at the airport. I had received a large-sized copy of a map with a lot of signatures of the Doolittle Raiders. The gift was from a son of a Doolittle Raider. The duplicated map also has a lot of signatures of the children of the raiders. I wanted to get the precious memento back to China and put it on display at Doolittle Raid Museum, which is to be completed very soon. But the oversized copy was glued onto a foam board. I was told that the copy didnt qualify as a carry-on luggage. It had to be a check-in luggage and it must be folded. But when I took off the wrap and the map was revealed, the service people working the counter wowed at the beauty of the map. They stopped me from folding it. They found a cardboard box in the right size and a plastic bag. They packed the map and put a “Brittle” label on the box and helped me complete the check-in. I was deeply touched. I firmly believe that the friendship formed between Doolittle Raiders and Chinese people will continue flourishing.endprint