A Widow Shares
As we drove up the driveway, the family dog barked a warning. It was tied. By the front porch, brilliant red coral bells bloomed, attracting humming birds. A petite woman, Mrs. Peggy Focht, answered the door. She welcomed us in, apologizing for the grandchildren’s toys stored in the living room. The living room was spacious, reinforced by beams that Jim himself had installed many years before.
She was eager to show us Jim’s World War II things. Jim had passed away just four years ago, but she knew he would have liked to have his souvenirs displayed on Memorial Day along with the other veteran's things.
She brought out boxes of his medals, his shoulder patches, ribbons, and flags. There was a red, white and blue Distinguished Flying Cross, a Chinese Commendation medal, a Blue and Gold Air Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster, and several Patches signifying he was a member of General Clair Chennault's famous Flying Tigers.
Peggy and Jim met when Jim was stationed at a base in Arkansas. They were married shortly after he had been discharged from the Air Force. They returned to Tiffin where Jim joined his brothers in construction.
Jim was proud of his World War II record and they often attended reunions of the 75th Tactical Squadron and met “Tex” Hill, a member of the American Volunteer Group which kept China's supply lines from Burma open. In 1940 President Roosevelt approved the formation of a covert American air force. These pilots were recruited from all three branches of the Armed Service. They became civilians flying for the Chinese Government. They were paid $600 to $700 dollars a month with an added bonus of $500 for each Japanese plane destroyed, big money in those days. They stubbornly defended Burma during the winter and spring of l941/42. Always vastly out numbered, they flew many missions over the “hump” as the supply route over the Himalayans was called. They also intercepted Japanese bombers on their way to Kunming, the Chinese terminus. According to some accounts, the Flying Tigers as the AVG was called, destroyed 299 Japanese planes in the air with a loss of 12 of their own.
The AVG was disbanded on July 4th, 1942, and some of the pilots and all of their P-40 Warhawks became part of the 14th Air Force. This was the reconstituted “Flying Tiger” squadron that pilot James R. Focht joined in October, 1943. These fighter pilots operated out of Chongqing on the Yantze River, Guilin, and Kunming. Now bombers had been added to their force and their job was to take the fight to the enemy. Fighter pilots accompanied bombers to oil depots in Canton and to other targets in Chinese ports occupied by the Japanese. James Focht had been on 20 missions when he was shot down and was listed as missing in action on June 2, 1944.
He landed among friendly Chinese. He had with him a “Talkie-Pointie” book with English and Chinese sentences which was issued to all airmen and a flag which showed in Chinese characters that he was an ally. They helped him find his way back to his base and even tailored a suit of clothes for him to replace his worn out uniform.
Jim was 27 years old when he was shot down. He was part of an illustrious family, the Focht-Hossler Family. Seven members of the family were in the Services when he served. Lt. Charles Focht was in the engineers in Italy, Lt. Richard Focht piloted a C-47 Troop Transport plane in England, and Kenneth Focht reported for active duty in July, l944. Jim's half-brothers who were in the services included Lt. Arthur Hossler, Jr, pilot of a B-24 Liberator bomber, Chief Petty Officer Marion Hossler in the Merchant Marines, and Seaman 1st class Harold K. Hossler. Pvt. Robert Bernard, the husband of the Focht brothers' sister, Evelyn, also was in the Air Corps.
As we talked to Peggy, she thought of other things that might be displayed. She pulled down the stairway to the attic and Percy helped her bring down Jim's parachute and his leather flying cap with openings for ear phones, and his dress Air Force hat.
It makes us sad to think that we missed talking to Jim about his war experiences. As she walked us to our car, Peggy, a survivor of cancer, lamented that the yard was not as it had been when Jim was alive. Ants and dandelions are asserting themselves once more.
– Mary