Captain Ho Weng Toh, one of the last surviving members of the renowned World War II Flying Tigers, passed away on 6 January 2024 at the remarkable age of 103.
Known as “Uncle Winkie”, Captain Ho’s passing was confirmed through a heartfelt Facebook post shared by his nephew, John Ho.
In his Facebook tribute, John expressed: “My dearest uncle Winkie passed away this morning. He was a grand 103 years old. He lived a life many of us would dream of.
“A precious generation who had a much tougher and unpredictable life, who sacrificed so much so that my generation could live a peaceful and much easier life.”
In his Facebook post, John provided a detailed account of his uncle’s journey, chronicling Captain Ho’s role as one of the founding pilots of Singapore Airlines.
Captain Ho’s Early Life
Born in 1920 in Ipoh, Captain Ho’s life took a significant turn when the Japanese invasion of China erupted in 1941 while pursuing his university studies in Hong Kong.
Responding to the call of duty, he enrolled as a trainee pilot with the Chinese-American Composite Wing, famously known as the Flying Tigers.
Captain Ho, alongside Chinese and American aviators, embarked on an intensive flying training program in Arizona.
As a B-25 Mitchell bomber pilot, Captain Ho conducted vital missions over occupied China during World War II, returning to his hometown, Ipoh, as a celebrated hero.
Became One of the Founding Pilots of Singapore Airlines
In the post-World War II era, Captain Ho continued his aviation journey, piloting transport and passenger planes in Malaya.
In 1951, he became part of the inaugural team of the now-defunct Malayan Airlines, subsequently joining as one of the founding pilots of Singapore Airlines.
Captain Ho, distinguished as the Chief Pilot for SIA’s Boeing 737 fleet, dedicated much of his career to mentoring and training numerous aspiring pilots.
He retired three decades later as chief pilot of SIA’s Boeing 737 fleet.
Teo Chee Hean Paid Tribute to Captain Ho
In 2019, Captain Ho shared his remarkable life story in an autobiography titled “Memoirs Of A Flying Tiger”, where he chronicled his extraordinary experiences.
His nephew isn’t the only one who wrote a Facebook tribute.
On 6 January 2024, Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean offered a heartfelt tribute to Captain Ho in a Facebook post.
He said: “Our long-time Pasir Ris resident, Captain Ho Weng Toh, 103, one of the last surviving Flying Tigers who flew bombers in World War II, passed on peacefully this morning. He was also one of our first Singapore Airlines pilots.
“May he rest in peace.”
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