General Situ Fu, the 7th Commander-in-Chief (term of office: April 4, 1975 to August 16, 1977)

General Situ Fu, the 7^th Commander-in-Chief (term of office: April 4, 1975 to August 16, 1977)

General Situ was a native of Guangdong Province, and was born in Kaiping County in April 1916. He graduated from San Francisco Military Academy and returned to China to serve the country. Influenced by the western political democracy, he did not adhere to the kneeling and bowing protocol of the late Qing Dynasty and changed to practice medicine. General Situ was the third child of a family of 7 children brought up by his mother. General Situ studied at Guangdong Primary School, Hui Wen Junior High School in Tianjin, and Hui Wen High School in Beijing. He previously planned to take the entrance examination for admission to Yenching University, but then decided to join the military to fight for the country against foreign invasion. He was admitted to the class of the 6^th Term of Air Force Academy to learn aviation and had the chance to demonstrate his strength in the sky. He graduated from the class of the 6^th Term of the Air Force Academy in May 1937.

He fought as warrior of the ROCAF all through the 8-year War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression all over China. He participated in the defense of Wuhan, Hengyang, and Luoyang in the air, and other air battles in Nanchang, Lanzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Zijiang, Guilin, Liuzhou, Lingling, and Nanzheng. He has shot down one enemy plane over the sky of Liuzhou. General Situ was known for his gallantry and has never lost in combating the Japanese Air Force in the sky. This gave him the nickname as “Blessed Warrior.” Indeed, it was his bravery and caution, coupled with his mastery of the skill in air combat that gave him the blessing.

General Situ served the Air Force for more than 3 decades and was decorated with the 4^th Class Cauldron Medal, Loyalty and Gallantry Medal, Sky Command Medal, Loyalty and Service Medal, Victory Medal, 3^rd Class Rejuvenation Medal,, 2^nd Class Rejuvenation Medal, A 1^st Class Land, Sea and Air Award, A 2^nd Class Recovery of Mainland Award, A 1^st Class City Defense, Loyalty and Integrity, 1^st Star, Flying Tiger 1^st Star, Crimson Bow, 2^nd Class Power Declaration, 3^rd Class Power Declaration, A 1^st Class Distinguished Service, A 2^nd Class Distinguished Service, A 1^st Class Model, A 2^nd Class Model. In addition he was also conferred the 3^rd Class Distinguished Performance Award from Korea, Commander Aviation Distinction Award of Bolivia.