Curtiss Hawk H81-A-2, P-8134, #48 of the A.V.G. Second Squadron, David Lee ‘Tex’ Hill, Toungoo, China, December 1941.

‘Tex’ Hill started his aviation career in the U.S. Navy flying TBD Devastators and SB2U Vindicators. He volunteered to join Claire Chenault’s American Volunteer Group in China and went on to be a flight leader and eventually the squadron commander of the A.V.G.’s 2nd Pursuit Squadron, where he became a double ace with 12.25 air-to-air victories.

In interview with Tex (1999 for NAHF print series) he said he distinctly remembered the panda art being on the port side of his aircraft, and not the starboard side which was where Bert Christman usually painted these caricatures.

Tex was one of the WWII pilots I was closest friends with, and I will always treasure his and Mazie’s friendship for the rest of my life. They were the kindest people you could ever wish to know, and it is hard to believe he has been gone fourteen years now. He was a true hero in every sense of the word, and is sorely missed. 

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