In 1944, 20-year-old American pilot Allen Larsen swapped Massachusetts skies for the battlefields of WWII China – armed with a rare Kodachrome camera and a mission to document history. His story reveals how 📸 became as powerful as fighter planes in bridging cultures.
When Wings Defied Death
Larsen flew the deadly 'Hump' route – an 800km aerial gauntlet over the Himalayas where 2,000 airmen perished. ❄️⚡ Pilots navigated by the chilling 'Aluminum Trail' – glittering wreckage from crashed planes. Yet this lifeline delivered crucial supplies to China's resistance, proving courage knows no borders.
Color in the Chaos
Between missions, Larsen captured 200+ color photos showing China's unbreakable spirit: kids playing in Chongqing alleys, golden rice fields in Hangzhou, 💃 crowds celebrating peace. These images, compiled in China in the Eyes of Flying Tigers, showcase shared humanity amid war's darkness.
Decades later, Larsen's legacy reminds us: When cameras replace rifles, we see our common heartbeat. 💙🤝
