博物馆“奇缘”：一张照片，一个心愿
当纪录片《史迪威与中缅印战区》在舒缓远去的音乐中结束，博物馆电影厅观众席上的一位女士已是热泪涟涟，难抑内心的激动......她今天在博物馆找到了一张照片，完成了一个心愿。
As the documentary Stilwell and the CBI drew to a close in fading music, a woman in the audience couldn’t contain her emotions. Tears welled up in her eyes as she was overwhelmed with excitement. Today, within the walls of Chongqing Stilwell Museum, she found a photo and fulfilled a wish.
On May 23, Fan Min, Executive Director of United States Heartland China Association (USHCA) led her delegation into Chongqing Stilwell Museum during her attendance of the 2024 Chongqing International Friendship Cities Cooperation Conference (CIFCCC). Unlike for other typical tourists, this visit was more than just a trip down history; for Ms. Fan, it was about fulfilling the wish of an American friend.
美国腹地中国协会执行董事范敏参观重庆史迪威博物馆。/ Fan Min, Executive Director of USHCA visited Chongqing Stilwell Museum.
参观史迪威将军旧居复原展，范敏女士仔细观看并提问军事会议厅里的作战地图、史迪威将军办公室的打字机等陈设，还特地向代表团成员介绍史迪威将军与宋庆龄的合影。突然，她指着一张照片惊呼“Jack Newkirk”！这是“飞虎空军”单元展出的飞虎队队员照片。
While touring the restored residence of General Stilwell, Ms. Fan carefully examined the military map in the military conference room, the typewriter in General Stilwell's office, and even shared anecdotes about the photograph of General Stilwell with Soong Ching-ling. Then, amid the exhibits, she suddenly exclaimed, "Jack Newkirk!" pointing at a photo displayed in the "Flying Tigers" section.
博物馆展出的飞虎队第二中队熊猫中队队长杰克·纽柯克照片。/ The photo of Jack Newkirk, squadron leader of the Panda Bears of the Flying Tigers, on display in the museum.
范敏女士立刻打开自己的手机，向大家讲述一段“奇缘”。她认识纽柯克家族的约翰·纽柯克先生，他是一位成就斐然的美国企业家，他的叔叔曾是飞虎队第二中队熊猫中队的队长，就是杰克·纽柯克。在了解到叔叔在二战期间的英勇事迹后，约翰·纽柯克成为了一名狂热的飞虎队爱好者。当得知范敏女士将来渝参加友城大会，他特意嘱托她寻找叔叔二战期间在华留下的珍贵足迹，以及期待自己未来能来中国实地探访。
Ms. Fan immediately turned to her phone, eager to share a tale of serendipity. She knew Mr. John Newkirk of the Newkirk family, a highly accomplished American entrepreneur. His uncle, Jack Newkirk, had been the leader of the Panda Bears, the second squadron of the Flying Tigers. After learning about his uncle's heroic deeds during World War II, John Newkirk became an avid enthusiast of the Flying Tigers. When he heard that Ms. Fan was heading to Chongqing for the CIFCCC, he specifically asked her to find the precious traces left by his uncle during his time in China during World War II, and expressed his hope to visit China himself in the future.
在参观第二次世界大战时期美国援华空军图片实物展时，范敏女士再一次找到“杰克·纽柯克”，并拍下熊猫中队合照，发送给远在美国的约翰·纽柯克，纽柯克立刻从照片中认出了他的叔叔。范敏女士还向博物馆工作人员分享了飞虎队中队标志设计背后的故事，这些标志由迪士尼公司和一位擅长绘画的飞虎队队员克里斯特曼共同设计。如今，克里斯特曼的后代与纽柯克的后代已结下深厚的友谊。
While touring the photo and physical exhibition on U.S. Air Support to China during World War II, Ms. Fan once again found "Jack Newkirk" in a Panda Squadron group photo. She took a picture of the photo and sent it to John Newkirk in the U.S. Newkirk immediately recognized his uncle from the photo. Ms. Fan also shared with museum staff the story behind the design of the Flying Tigers squadron insignia, a collaboration between Disney and a talented squadron member named Christmann. Today, descendants of Christmann and Newkirk have formed a deep bond of friendship.
飞虎队熊猫中队合影（第一排正中为纽柯克队长）。/ The group photo of the Panda Bears squadron of the Flying Tigers (with Newkirk as the central figure in the front row).
在展览的友谊墙上，范敏女士认出了飞虎队老兵的签名。这是去年11月，美中航空遗产基金会主席格林，飞虎队老兵莫耶、麦克马伦一行30余人来华参访，他们参观重庆史迪威博物馆，并在友谊墙上签名留念。范敏的眼中闪烁着兴奋的光芒，激动地回忆起自己去年参加中美元首旧金山会晤晚宴的经历，二战、抗日、飞虎队、杜立特、救援、重庆、友谊，这些故事深深地印刻在她的记忆里。
On the Friendship Wall in the exhibition hall, Ms. Fan recognized the signatures of Flying Tigers veterans. These signatures were left during a visit last November, when over 30 people, including Mr. Greene, Chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, and Flying Tigers veterans Moyer and McMullen, visited China. They toured Chongqing Stilwell Museum and left their signatures on the Friendship Wall. Excitedly, Ms. Fan reminisced about her experience attending the banquet of the China-U.S. Summit in San Francisco last year, where stories of World War II, resistance against Japan, the Flying Tigers, Doolittle, rescue missions, Chongqing, and friendship were deeply etched in her memory.
参观结束后，范敏女士对重庆史迪威博物馆给予了高度评价，并表示希望更多美国友好人士来到这里参观，共同铭记这段宝贵的历史。
After the tour, Ms. Fan highly expressed her profound appreciation for Chongqing Stilwell Museum and expressed her hope that more American friends would visit here to collectively remember this precious history.