Researchers have found in southwest China a cemetery built during the Second World War where about 300 air warriors of the U.S. squadron "Flying Tigers" were buried.

The cemetery lies in the woods in Puzhao village in the northeastern suburbs of Kunming, capital of Yunnan, said Sun Guansheng, head of the Yunnan Flying Tigers Research Association.

About 300 Flying Tigers members and 500 Chinese airmen were buried in the cemetery when it was first built near a nunnery in the village in 1943. The cemetery was moved to the current site in 1949, according to Sun.

"Many people came to pay their respect to the air warriors before it was moved. However, few people are coming at present," Sun quoted local elder villagers as saying.

Many tombs have sunk decades after they were built, and the cemetery as a whole lacks due protection, Sun said, adding that the association has called on the local government to repair and protect the cemetery.

On August 1,1941, the American Volunteer Group, nicknamed Flying Tigers afterwards, was formed under the leadership of U.S. General Claire Lee Chennaults to help China drive out the invading Japanese troops.

The airmen, whose planes were painted with shark teeth, were known in China as "Fei Hu" (Flying Tigers) for their courage.

According to the research of Sun's association, 2,264 U.S. "Flying Tigers" members and more than 900 Chinese airmen who fought along with them devoted their lives in the war against fascists.

Between December 1941 and September 1945, the Flying Tigers shot down and blew up 2,600 Japanese military planes, destroyed 44 warships and killed 66,700 Japanese soldiers.

(Xinhua News Agency August 31, 2007)