Willows Korean Aviation School

Willows Korean Aviation School
An advertisement for the school
Location
Map
Glenn County
,
California

United States
Coordinates39°31′07″N 122°06′38″W / 39.5185°N 122.1106°W / 39.5185; -122.1106
Information
EstablishedFebruary 20, 1920 (1920-02-20)
Closed1921
AffiliationKorean National Association
Willows Flight School in the 1920s.
Taegeuk served as a roundel for training planes such as the Standard J-1.
Flight school students standing at attention.

Willows Korean Aviation School (Korean: 대한인비행가양성소) was an aviation school meant to train fighter pilots for the Korean Independence Movement,[1] many of whom were members of the Korean National Association.[2] It was established on February 20, 1920 in Glenn County, California, by Korean-Americans and backed by the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai.[3] It was disestablished in April 1921.[4]

The choice for a Korean Aviation School to be established in California was for multiple reasons including the March 1st movement, interest and financial support from the Korean American community, the impact of World War I on aviation for combat and defensive purposes, and Japan's inability to control or influence the school on US soil.[2] The financial support largely came from the first Korean-American millionaire Kim Chong Lim,[5] until his fortune was lost when a disastrous flood in October 1920 destroyed his rice fields.

Although the school lasted for a little over a year, it had gained a lot of attention[6] and trained many of the pioneers of Korean aviation, including Park Hee-sung, Lee Yong-keun, and Song Yi-kyun.[2] Two of its graduates went on to join the Republic of Korea Air Force, which recognizes the Willows Korean Aviation School as its predecessor.[2]

  1. ^ Koreans to Train Aviators here to Fight the Japs (1920, March 1) Willows Daily Journal
  2. ^ a b c d Chang & Han 2015, p. xl.
  3. ^ Miller, B. (2015, July 9). Willows Korean Aviation School Fueled Independence Movement.
  4. ^ "대한인비행가양성소(大韓人飛行家養成所)". Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean). Retrieved 2023-10-05.
  5. ^ Koreans To Have Aviation Field (1920, June 14) Willows Daily Journal
  6. ^ Koreans Aviation School to Be Seen in Movies (n.d.). Willows Daily Journal