(Photo/Hunan Longyue Center for Peace and Public Welfare Development)

For decades, a total of 52 Chinese Air Force officers and soldiers who sacrificed their lives during World War II have slept in Brisbane National Cemetery at the border between the United States and Mexico. For countless days, they have rested there desolately, without any visits from their descendants.

Though on the opposite bank of the Pacific, the 52 families of these heroes never gave up hope to find their missing loved ones. This year, the family reunion would finally took place.

Li An, a Chinese Canadian, visited the 52 Chinese Air Force tombstones, where her second uncle Li Jiahe is buried.

Li Jiahe, who was a student during the WWII, decided to join Chinese Air Force in response to an recruitment advertisement by the air force coalition, which was formed by the US and China to fight against the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

Li’s parents had looked forward to his return and they were crushed when they found out about his death after four years of anticipation.

After years of searching, Li’s descendant finally found his gravestone and paid homage to this air force hero.

During her visit, Li An noticed that there were 52 tombstones of Chinese Air Force without any homage from their relatives. This made her determined to find their offspring for those young people who had sacrificed their lives on American soil to defend peace in this world.

With the joint endeavor from Li and Hunan Longyue Center for Peace and Public Welfare Development, the families of 21 pilots of the 52 Chinese Air Force soldiers who sacrificed their lives during WWII have found their ancestors and will fly across the Pacific to pay homage to them during the Qingming Festival, a day to honor ancestors and commemorate deceased family members and relatives.