Lt. General Claire Chennault

This Texas Historical Marker was recently dedicated at the birthplace of Lt. General Claire Chennault. The new marker is written in both traditional and contemporary Mandarin Chinese and is a first for Texas.
Photo: Jared Horn Texas A&M University-Commerce

I have attended two wonderful historical marker dedications recently. On Sunday, October 11, the good people at New Hope Baptist Church unveiled a marker honoring Mary Jim Morris. Mrs. Morris was a longtime African American lady, an accomplished teacher and principal, and an exemplary advocate for minority children’s educations in a time before the idea of advocacy was even known.

As I listed to people who knew Mrs. Morris, I better understood what Mrs. Morris meant to Greenville. Every town, all the time, needs a Mrs. Morris to discipline and encourage its citizens.

On October 14, I attended the unveiling of the first historical marker in the State of Texas to be produced in another language besides English. In 1968 the citizens of Commerce dedicated to Claire Chennault, a child born there in 1893 that went on to lead the Chinese Army Air Force in defense of that country from the Japanese in the late 1930s. Commerce citizens unveiled an identical marker with the very same wording, but this one is written in the old form Mandarin and New Mandarin.

Claire Chennault did not spend much time in Commerce. His father worked for the railroad and was transferred to Louisiana when Claire was still a baby. Growing up in rural north Louisiana, Claire liked to hunt and fish, often going on two or three day outings alone. He attended Louisiana State University briefly and then graduated from a small college with a teaching certificate. The knowledge and skill of teaching were to help him through great challenges in his life.

Chennault joined the American Expeditionary Force in 1917 hoping to become a pilot. Instead he was put on a horse for the duration. After the war he finally received his wings. However, Chennault had ideas that were not the same as the hierarchy. In 1937, Chennault resigned from the Army Air Corps to begin training Chinese pilots to defend their country, using his teaching techniques he learned in college.

Chennault’s granddaughter was at the celebration to give a summary of her grandfather’s career. Against overwhelming odds, Chennault and his men shot down a record number of Japanese aircraft to ensure the survival of the Chinese government, which at that time included both mainland China and Taiwan.

When the United States entered the war, Chennault returned home to take command an aerial support group that carried materiel, food, and other goods from India over the Hump into China for relief purposes. The Hump referred to the Himalaya Mountains, the highest in the world.

Otha Spencer, later a journalism professor at East Texas State Texas College, flew the Hump under General Chennault. It was Dr. Spencer who brought the general to the attention of Commerce residents. Today’s celebration was spectacular with dignitaries from all over the state and some from China and Taiwan. They say that Chennault saved them from the Japanese.

Nell Callaway, Chennault’s granddaughter, spoke of the trust between the two countries, and challenged Americans to encourage a peaceful relationship between the two great countries.

I challenge every one of my readers to tell at least one person about Mary Jim Morris and Lt. General Claire Chennault. It’s time Hunt County knew about both of them.