Tom Gunn

Tom Tak Gunn (1890–1925) was the first Chinese-American pilot in the United States graduating from the Curtiss School of Aviation class of 1911 and earned pilot's license no. 131 on June 19, 1912. He popularized passenger flight in Hawaii and became the head of the Chinese air force.

Early life Gunn was born in San Francisco on October 13, 1890. He had at least three sisters and at least one brother. He attended the Oakland Polytechnic High School (also known as Central High School). There, he took classes in engineering His nephew, Curtis Joe, recalled hearing that Gunn had learned to fly in Los Angeles and San Diego. at the international aviation meet in Emeryville, California. The San Francisco Examiner reported that hundreds from San Francisco's Chinese-American community turned out to see him. The plane was destroyed, and the building it crashed into was badly damaged. where his doctor described his chance of recovery as good. After watching Gunn make four flights around the airfield, Wei went for a ride in Gunn's plane.

In May 1913, Gunn and Lily Tong announced their engagement. Gunn left San Francisco for China in June 1913, but promised to return for Tong at the end of eight months.

On June 10, 1913, Gunn arrived in Honolulu, where he planned to stay for a month before traveling to China. On July 13, 1913, in front of a crowd of thousands, he carried his first Hawaiian passengers.

Gunn had been offered a commission as a captain in the Chinese army, Gunn traveled to the Philippines instead,

By 1913, Gunn had built six different types of plane.