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Moon Fun Chin

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Moon Fun Chin
Moon Fun Chin
Moon Fun Chin on his 109th birthday in 2022
Birth: 13 April 1913
Taishan, Guangdong, China
Death: 9 May 2023
Hillsborough, California, USA
Age: 110 years, 26 days
Country: ChinaCHNUnited StatesUSA
Unvalidated

Moon Fun Chin [Pinyin: Chén Wénkuān; Chinese: 陈文宽] (13 April 1913 – 9 May 2023) was a Chinese-born American supercentenarian who was the last surviving pilot of the China National Aviation Corporation (CNAC). His age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).

Biography[]

Moon Fun Chin was born in Taishan, Guangdong, China on 13 April 1913 (20 March on the lunar calendar). His father, who was an American citizen of Chinese descent, took the young Moon to Seattle, Washington. Moon's family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he later completed his high school education. At a young age, Moon had already exhibited a keen interest in aviation. Soon after completing his high school education, he decided to enroll in Curtiss Wright Flying School and graduated with a Commercial Pilot Licence.

He moved to China in 1933, after getting a job at CNAC on the recommendation of his uncle, who was friend of William Langhorne Bond. He commenced work as an aviation mechanic due to his prior work experience before joining CNAC. Two weeks later, Moon was promoted be a co-pilot of an aircraft on a Shanghai-Beijing route. While on the ground, he still multi-tasked as a mechanic. In 1936, Moon was promoted to "captain".

He married Elsie Chiang in 1936. That same year, he was promoted to the rank of captain.

During World War II, even though Moon was only a civilian aviation pilot, he volunteered actively in frequent military rescue missions and subsequently secured the lives of many U.S. military personnel. Among those military personnel he daringly rescued, was Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle. He rescued Dolittle and transported him from Kuming to Myitkyina, a city in northern Burma. Moon also ferried in his aircraft many American navy personnel to and fro the Gobi Desert where the American Navy had a weather station.

Soon after World War II, in 1946, he left CNAC to work for China's Central Aviation Transport Corporation (CATC) as head of operations. As the head of operations, he initiated the purchase of new aircrafts, recruited and trained pilots and other flight crew. Moreover, he oversaw operations in mainland China when CATC became part of the Civil Air Transport (CAT) of Taiwan in 1947.

In 1951, he started his own airline called, "Foshing Airline" with aviation services from Taipei to Taitung in Taiwan. In 1992, Foshing Airline changed its name to TransAsia Airways. Many years later, he retired as Chairman of the airline company he founded and returned to the USA where he was still an American citizen. Upon his return to the USA, he settled in Hillsborough, California.

He was honored by Board Members of the Flying Tiger Historical Organization at his residence on 9 September 2011.

He had been interviewed and reported on by many aviation-related outlets since turning 100. As a centenarian, he was friends with the penultimate CNAC pilot, Peter Goutiere (1914–2023).

He remained in touch and is featured in China's Wings, Gregory Crouch's book on this piece of World War II and aviation history.

In April 2023, he celebrated his 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.

Moon Fun Chin died in his apartment in Hillsborough, California, USA on 9 May 2023 at the age of 110 years, 26 days. At the time of his death, he was the only CNAC pilot still alive, and was also among the top 10 oldest known living men in the United States.

Gallery[]

References[]

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