Foreword

(…) Born the son of an independence fighter, I saw and experienced up close the struggles of Korean patriots and martyrs. Much of boyhood and adolescence were cast in anxiety and loneliness, as one might feel walking through a pitch-black night, unable to see even an inch ahead. At the same time, as I was surrounded by many elders who embodied the spirit of righteousness, I was able to take pride in myself and not relinquish the thin thread of hope I held onto.
As with most other families of independence fighters, my own family was unable to enjoy to the full love and warmth of being a family. Death always lurked around the corner, and the fear and stress of imminent arrest were omnipresent in our lives. I have no memory of my mother, who died when I was but an infant. And I have only few early, intimate memories of my father, whom I could see only once in a while. Even after Korea’s liberation in 1945, I was able to live with my father for not even two years. I lost my grandmother who loved me and cared for me so dearly in a foreign land while on the run. And my older brother died all too young, before he could witness Korea’s independence.
Even after liberation, my family had to lead a cautious and muted life as if walking on thin ice. To be family members of Paikbum Kim Koo was at times a source of great pride and self-esteem, but it was also a heavy burden that constantly weighed on our shoulders. It meant always having to put the public interest before individual interest and never to deviate from that principle of life. It occasionally meant our every move would be watched and monitored and, at other times, a constraint under which our every word and act would be scrutinized and dramatized.
Hence, in spite of my long-held desire to tell the story of my life in a book, I could only be very cautious. Nonetheless, I finally mustered up the courage to reveal my life in a book for no other reason than the hope that the extraordinary life stories of independence fighters and their family may, even in some small way, touch the hearts of many people. Moreover, I must admit that in sharing my experiences in the founding of the Republic of Korea Air Force and its development in its formative years, my participation in the Korean War, and my career as the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Ambassador to the Republic of China, and Minister of Transportation, I am hoping to shed light on modern Korean history.
I wish to stress one point here. When Korea was liberated, I was receiving flight training in the Chinese Air Force. As I was preparing to return to Korea, my father told me to stay and continue with my training. As a result, I became virtually the only Korean to have completed full flight training in the U.S. Air Force. It was thanks to my father’s acumen in realizing the strategic importance of air power and the potential of aviation sector. For a Korean of that era, I was a rare individual with expertise in the field of aviation, and this knowledge base eventually became the axis and foundation of my life. In this regard, I can only be infinitely grateful to my father-famous independence fighter or not-but as any son would be to his own father for his guidance.

Kim Shin

Kim Shin was born to Kim Koo and Choi Jun Rye in Shanghai, 1922, as the couple’s second son. Kim attended Ansin Elementary School in An-ak, Hwanghae Province. In 1934 he moved to China and attended Dazhongqiao Elementary School and Anhui Middle School. In 1943 Kim graduated from Zhongyang University Middle-High School and enrolled in Xinan Lianhe University.
As a cadet in the Chinese Air Force Academy, Kim Shin trained as a fighter pilot in Indian-administered Lahore, U.S. Randolph Air Base in San Antonio, Texas, and Williams Air Base in Phoenix, Arizona. In 1947 Kim returned to Korea. The next year, he became an officer in the ROK Army Air Force.
During the Korean War Kim served in various capacities as Commander and Deputy Commander of Air Combat Wings, Commander of the Aviation Training Corps, and Director of Operations of Air Force Headquarters. Upon completing post-graduate officer training programs at the U.S. Air Force Economy and ROK National Defense University, Kim served as Deputy Chairman of the Chief of the Air Force. In 1960 Kim was appointed the Sixth Chief of Staff of the Air Force.
Upon honorable discharge from the Air Force as Lieutenant-General, Kim served as ROK Ambassador to the Republic of China (1962-1970), Minister of Transportation (1971-1974), and a National Assemblyman. Kim also served as the inaugural Chairman of the Board of the Korea Independence Hall, Chairman of the Kim Koo Memorial Association, and Director of the Kim Koo Museum and Library.

Foreword

Part 1.
Trees that Grow in the Land of Separation

Chapter 1. The Patriot-in-Exile’s Infant Son
Chapter 2. The Nanjing Years and the Outbreak of the Second Sino-Japanese War
Chapter 3. Oh! My Grandmother

Part 2.
Our Nation’s Dream High in the Blue Sky

Chapter 4. The First Step toward Becoming a Pilot
Chapter 5. Rigorous Flight Training in America
Chapter 6. Dark Clouds over Our Nation’s Sky

Part 3.
The Tragedy of War and the Maelstrom of Revolution

Chapter 7. Entering the National Defense Guard and Serving in the Army Air Force
Chapter 8. What’s There to Say Now That You Are Gone?
Chapter 9. The Tragedy of Internecine War
Chapter 10. Making the Korean Air Force Proud
Chapter 11. My Service as the Air Force Chief of Staff and the May 16th Military Coup

Part 4.
Republic of Korea Ambassador to the Republic of China

Chapter 12. On both the Diplomatic Backstage and Frontstage
Chapter 13. Park Chung Hee and Chiang Kai-Shek
Chapter 14. Shin, You Are Korean Ambassador!

Part 5.
Reflections on Our Generation

Chapter 15. My Years as National Assemblyman and Minister of Transportation
Chapter 16. The Kim Koo Museum and Library
Chapter 17. The Establishment of Diplomatic Relation between Korea and China
Chapter 18. Publishing the Chinese Translation of Paikbum Ilj

Afterword
Chronology of Kim Shin’s Life