[John Richard Rossi oral history interview (Part 5 of 6)]

In this six-part oral history, fighter ace John Richard Rossi discusses his military service with the American Volunteer Group during World War II. In part five, he discusses his wartime experiences with the AVG’s 1st Pursuit Squadron in the China-Burma-India Theater. He provides an overview of the group’s movements and missions, beginning with his arrival in Burma in November 1941 and concluding with the group’s disbandment in July 1942. He also touches on his personal history and his post-AVG career with the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) and other airlines.

Some sections of audio are heavily affected by static and distortion, which obscures much of Rossi’s dialogue. These sections are noted in the transcript.

John Richard Rossi was born on April 19, 1915 in Placerville, California. After a tour with the Merchant Marine, he joined the United States Navy Reserve and graduated from flight training in 1940. The following year, Rossi resigned his commission in order to join the newly formed American Volunteer Group in Burma. He served with the AVG’s 1st Pursuit Squadron until the group disbanded in 1942, then joined the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC) as a transport pilot. By the end of the war, he had flown over 700 trips across the “Hump” between India and China. Rossi remained in China after the end of World War II, flying for Civil Air Transport and the Central Aviation Transport Corporation. In 1948, he returned to the United States and joined the Flying Tiger Line. He also served as president of the American Volunteer Group/Flying Tigers Association. Rossi retired in 1973 and passed away in 2008.