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Yue Yiqin

Surname Yue Given Name Yiqin Born 11 Nov 1913 Died 3 Dec 1937 Country China Category Military-Air Gender Male

Contributor: C. Peter Chen

ww2dbaseYue Yizhong was born to scholar Yue Hezhou in Lushan County, Sichuan Province, China in 1913. According to family lore, he was a descendant of famous Southern Song Dynasty General Yue Fei. The Chinese character for Yue differed from the Song general, however; this was explained as a change in the character by the Yue family immediately after Yue Fei's death to escape persecution by Prime Minister Qin Kuai. Starting in 1929, he attended Huaxi High School in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China, where he was athletic, representing Sichuan Province in track meets on the national level. Around this time, he adopted the courtesy name of Yue Yiqin. In 1931, he entered Cheeloo University (Wade-Giles: Qilu; name prior to 1931: Shantung Christian University) in Jinan, Shandong Province, China to study medicine. In the winter of 1932, upon learning of the Japanese violations of Chinese sovereignty in northeastern China, he decided to join the military. He used an older sibling's credentials to apply to the prestigious Central Air Academy in 1932, abandoning his medical studies. He was accepted by the Hangzhou Jianqiao training program in the spring of 1933 and graduated with the academy's third class in 1935. After graduation, he successively served as a pilot with the 8th Pursuit Squadron, a training instructor at the Central Aviation Academy, and then a flight leader with the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the 4th Pursuit Group. At dawn on 15 Aug 1937, flying a Hawk III biplane fighter, he shot down four Japanese carrier-based A5M fighters over Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China. After the action, he noted that he had used every single bullet in the long engagement, and his fuel tank was nearly empty. week later, on 21 Aug, he shot down a Japanese E8N floatplane and became an ace. He was then promoted to become the deputy commanding officer the 22nd Pursuit Squadron. On 3 Dec 1937, while attempting to attack incoming Japanese Army bombers near Nanjing, China, his Hawk III fighter designated IV-1 was damaged by escorting Japanese Navy A5M carrier fighters; Yue was killed when his parachute failed to open after bailing out. He was posthumously promoted to the rank of major.

ww2dbaseSources:

Raymond Cheung, Aces of the Republic of China Air Force

Baidu Baike

Wikipedia



Last Major Revision: Aug 2015

Yue Yiqin Timeline

15 Aug 1937 Lieutenant Yue Yiqin of the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, flying a Hawk III biplane fighter, shot down four Japanese carrier-based A5M fighters over Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China at dawn. 21 Aug 1937 Patrolling Japanese E8N floatplanes intercepted six Chinese Gamma 2E light bombers over the suburbs of Shanghai, China. The Japanese succeeded in forcing the Chinese to abandon the planned attack on the Kunda Texile Factory, but failed to shoot down any aircraft (but the Japanese claimed two victories). Lieutenant Yue Yiqin of the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, flying a Hawk III biplane fighter, shot down the Japanese floatplane flown by Petty Officer First Class Shigeru Yano, who survived the downing. Yano attempted to ram a Chinese aircraft as he went down; he failed to make contact as none of the Chinese fighters reported being rammed, but Yano believed he did. 21 Sep 1937 Lieutenant Yue Yiqin of the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, flying Hawk III biplane fighter designated IV-1, with other Hawk III and P-26 fighters, intercepted a group of Japanese bombers en route toward Nanjing, China. While the P-26 fighters occupied the escorting A5M fighters, Yue got through to the bombers over Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province, China and heavily damaged a D1A1 biplane dive bomber from carrier Kaga. The Japanese dive bomber, which was able to land at Kunda Arifled at Shanghai, China, was crewed by pilot Lieutenant Yoshiyuki Kame and gunner Petty Officer First Class Kuroki; Kuroki was killed by Yue's attack. 3 Dec 1937 Lieutenant Yue Yiqin of the 22nd Pursuit Squadron of the Chinese 4th Pursuit Group, flying Hawk III biplane fighter designated IV-1, attempted to attack a group of Japanese Army bombers escorted by Japanese Navy A5M carrier fighters, but was in turn heavily damaged by one of the A5M fighters. He was killed when his parachute failed to open after bailing out near Nanjing, China.

Photographs

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