February 27, 2024 - It was a great honor to be invited as a speaker at the 129th Annual Meeting of the Texas State Historical Association in Houston. Co-presenting with author James P. Bevill, our topic was “Texans Under Fire in the China-Burma-India Theater of WWII.” Following introductions by our moderator, Joseph G. “Chip” Dawson III (retired history professor at Texas A & M University), Jim spoke on “Blackboards and Bomb Shelters: Teaching in Wartime China,” describing experiences of his father-in-law. My presentation followed, with “The Spray and Pray Squadron: Texans Serving in the Chinese-American Composite Wing in WWII.” In addition to my dad, I spoke briefly about other men serving in his unit who had Texas connections.

October 10, 2024 - Today I submitted required elements (title, brief description, photos, and my website’s QR code) that will be used as publicity for a presentation at the “World War II History Roundtable, Audie Murphy Chapter” next year at Greenville, Texas. (Audie Murphy, a Medal of Honor recipient and America’s most decorated soldier, was a Hunt County native and a former resident of Greenville.) Marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the war, lectures will focus on events of the war that had a major impact on bringing an end to the conflict. Mine is scheduled for July 24, 2025. I have decided to call it “Chennault’s Experiment in Chinese-American Military Cooperation.” It will, of course, be based upon my book that describes contributions made by the binational unit in which my father served. More details to follow.

September 1-11, 2024 - It was another rewarding visit to China as co-chair of the Sino-American Aviation Foundation. Our itinerary included Shanghai (on China’s east-central coast), Nanjing (Jiangsu Province), Fuzhou (east Fujian), Changting (west Fujian), Zhijiang (near Huaihua, southwest Hunan), Changsha (central Hunan), Anqing (Anhui), and back to Shanghai. At each location, we met with provincial and municipal leaders. In addition, we launched “Remembering Heroes” photo exhibits at military museums, honoring the Americans who fought side-by-side against the Japanese invaders in WWII, and we visited schools eager to join our Flying Tigers Friendship Schools & Youth Leadership Program. I presented copies of my book at several events, including to US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, and to the curator of the Flying Tigers Memorial Hall at Zhijiang, where my father was flying missions at the end of the war.

June 25, 2024 - I am excited! Today I found my first book review published online while doing a Google search. That means that someone who doesn’t know me and is not affiliated with me in any way has read my book, likes it, and recommends it!

May 29, 2024 - I have just accepted an invitation to take part in a panel discussion at the Texas State Historical Association’s Annual Meeting at the Royal Sonesta (Galleria) next year in Houston, Texas. My presentation, entitled “The Spray and Pray Squadron: Texans Serving in the Chinese-American Composite Wing in WWII,” is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 27, 2025. More about that later. In the meantime, check out the TSHA’s website: Texans Under Fire in the China-Burma-India Theatre of WWII – TSHA Annual Meeting.

May 18, 2024 - This was my first book lecture, which took place at an assisted-living facility in Plano, TX. After I finished, my audience did not leave, but continued to ask questions and requested that I read another excerpt from my book. Since it was my first, I did not know how many books I would need, but the few I took were all sold. I will know to take more for my next event.

April 28, 2024 - Today my book was officially released!

April 26, 2024 - I received my final nine author’s copies of my book, The Spray and Pray Squadron: 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing in World War II!

April 18-19, 2024 - At the “Remembering Heroes: Flying Tigers and Doolittle Raiders Photo Exhibition” that took place at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, OH, I acted as MC at the introductory event and took part in a panel discussion later that afternoon. I spoke about the Chinese-American Composite Wing and, of course, my book.