"I'm grateful to the Chinese people for remembering us," said a senior US veteran fighting Japanese troops in China 60 years ago. "Peace is the best gift we have!"

J. Vinyard, at the age of 85, was one of the WWII veterans attending a two-day Peace Festival in Zhijiang County, central China's Hunan Province, to mark the 60th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the world's victory against Fascism.

"I'm so fortunate that I've returned here again after 60 years! But many of my comrade-in-arms lost their lives in the brutal war," said the hoary-headed hero who was the first US pilot transporting freight to the wartime Zhijiang airport through the famous "Hump" line, a 500-mile strategic route starting from southern India to southwestern China via the Himalayas.

More than 650,000 tons of goods were transported into China via the route, considered to be one of the most dangerous of the entire war, strengthening China's defence against the Japanese invasion.

Zhijiang airport hosted US General Claire Lee Chennault's American Volunteer Group (AVG) and Sino-US air force. It was also the venue of a meeting on the surrender of Japanese troops in China on Aug. 21, 1945.

A member of the then AVG that fought in China as the prestigious "Flying Tigers" stood silently in front of the relic site of the Sino-US air force control tower, with tears in his eyes.

Holding yellow chrysanthemums, many senior "tigers" stared at a memorial wall engraved with the names of deceased wartime heroes, trying to find out some names of the soldiers with whom they had fought shoulder to shoulder.

Under the leadership of Chennault, the Flying Tigers were a voluntary flying group made up of some 300 young US servicemen to help China drive out the invading Japanese troops.

The valiant pilots shot down 2,600 Japanese fighter planes, sank or damaged 44 warships and many commercial ships, and killed more than 66,700 Japanese soldiers and officers between 1941-1945.

Veterans from the United States, Russia, Germany, Romania, China and other countries, who had contributed to the victory against Fascism in World War II, jointly planted trees marking peace and friendship on Wednesday.

Chinese youngsters gathered around the senior soldiers, asking for autographs and listening to their breathtaking war experiences.

"There is no difference between skin colors and nationalities here," said 81-year-old Chen Haiwu, a Chinese mechanic who maintained the Flying Tigers' planes.

"What we share is the bitter memory, sincere friendship and common aspiration for peace," said the old man, who was rescued by an anonymous US soldier during the war.

"I don't know who saved me, but I want to thank all the US veterans for their great help to me and China," said Chen as tears rolled down his face.

(Xinhua News Agency September 8, 2005)