Book project pieces together tales of Flying Tigers
Photos discovered in hat box lead to appreciation of closer Sino-US ties
Finding their family members allowed her to also include photographs and stories of those veterans, in addition to her father's."Because my book is so thoroughly researched, the process of writing it took about 10 years," she said.
Titled The Spray and Pray Squadron: 3rd Bomb Squadron, 1st Bomb Group, Chinese-American Composite Wing in World War II, the book will be released in late April.
Kincannon's father died in 2016, and the book has become a memorial to honor him.
"Collaborating with him to compile my book significantly improved our relationship and created a closer bond than we had ever shared before, because I understood more about him than I ever had previously, and he realized that I understood the hardships he had endured," she said.
Her book includes several examples of conflicts that sometimes arose between the two nationalities, occasionally even leading to physical confrontation, but it also shows their willingness to put aside their differences to work together for the common good.
Kincannon said the book was a clear demonstration of the great advantage that can be gained when people set aside their individual differences and work together to achieve a shared goal — victory over a common enemy in her father's case.
"If the Flying Tigers were successful in accomplishing it then, we can do it now," Kincannon said, adding that using the book to promote the spirit of the Flying Tigers was one of her primary goals.
"Ours are the two greatest nations on Earth today, and reestablishing the spirit of mutual respect and cooperation that prevailed during World War II can only benefit us both, while perpetuating an atmosphere of distrust and animosity can only lead to tragic consequences for both nations," she said.