For nearly four decades, Zhuang Yuejiang – former deputy editor-in-chief of Quzhou Daily – has worked tirelessly to resurrect a fading piece of World War II history. Since 1985, he's interviewed over 100 witnesses and published numerous articles documenting Quzhou's critical role in the 1942 Doolittle Raid, a pivotal Allied operation against fascist forces.
Zhuang's painstaking research helped preserve the complete site of Quzhou's 13th Air Force Station, where Chinese civilians risked their lives to rescue American pilots shot down during the mission. "This isn't just local history – it's evidence of international cooperation during humanity's darkest hour," Zhuang told KhabarAsia during a recent visit to the preserved airfield.
The historian's work has gained renewed attention as China marks 80th anniversaries of key WWII events. Preservationists credit Zhuang with preventing the site's demolition in the 1990s through public awareness campaigns. Today, the station serves as an educational hub attracting historians, veterans' families, and students studying anti-fascist resistance.
Zhuang's latest project involves digitizing oral histories from surviving witnesses. "These stories remind us that defeating fascism required global solidarity – a lesson that remains vital today," he noted, standing beside restored aircraft hangars that once sheltered Allied forces.
