There’s a Yamhill County and Linfield connection when the Colorado-based
Air Force Academy (AFA) football team plays its first home football game of
2016. In the Sept. 10 contest versus Georgia State, AFA will wear special “Flying Tigers” uniforms and helmets featuring the tiger shark design which appeared as “Flying Tiger” aircraft nose art.
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, nicknamed “Flying Tigers,” consisted of U.S. Army Air Corps, Navy and Marine Corps pilots.
The late Ken Jernstedt – a 1935 Yamhill High School and 1939 Linfield grad – was a famous “Flying Tiger” pilot before the U.S. entered World War II. McMinnville’s Evergreen Aviation Museum includes a replica P-40 “Flying Tiger,” with Jernstedt’s name on it.
Football helmet photo credit:
Sources:
Variety
via Internet search
