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a wooden plaque with a pen on it and a plaque on the walla metal plaque on a wooden table that says it is the name of a naval shipa green shield hanging on the wall on the wall
Maître Lydie BRIOULT

142 - Charles Davis Mott ‘Flying Tigers’ commemorative wall plaque
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Estimate €200 - €300
Sale commission
Description
Charles Davis Mott ‘Flying Tigers’ commemorative wall plaque Charles Davis “Charlie” Mott (1914–2004) was an American US Navy officer, pilot and squadron leader who became famous for his service with the 1st American Volunteer Group (AVG), better known as the ‘Flying Tigers’. He holds the historic distinction of being the first American airman to be captured by Japanese forces on the Asian mainland during the Second World War. Originally a dive-bomber pilot with the US Navy, Mott resigned from the navy in June 1941 to volunteer for the AVG in China under the command of General Claire Chennault. He served as a flight leader with the 2nd Squadron, nicknamed the ‘Panda Bears’. On 8 January 1942, whilst leading an air raid against a Japanese airfield at Mae Sot, in Thailand, his P-40 fighter was hit by ground fire. Forced to parachute out, he was seriously injured when he landed in a tree and was immediately captured. He spent three and a half years in captivity. In particular, he was sent to the infamous prisoner-of-war camp located along the River Kwai railway line. Despite brutal living conditions, he managed to lead a motorised transport unit (“Mott Motors”) to deliver provisions, thereby minimising casualties amongst his fellow prisoners. After the war, Charles Mott was repatriated at the end of the war in 1945 thanks to the help of the Thai resistance and the OSS. He was the sole survivor of the four Flying Tigers pilots who had been captured by the Japanese. He subsequently rejoined the US Navy, where he pursued a career as a pilot and staff officer. He commanded a squadron of four-engined aircraft and served as an operations officer aboard an aircraft carrier. In 1958, as a planning officer with the US 7th Fleet, he was directly responsible for planning joint resupply operations for the Chinese Nationalist forces on Quemoy Island (Taiwan) against the Communist forces. This achievement earned him a decoration from the Taiwanese government. He then specialised in naval armaments and advanced technologies and directly oversaw the production of all the US Navy’s guided tactical missiles, as well as torpedoes, mines, rockets and electronic countermeasures systems. He officially retired from the US Navy in 1963 with the rank of captain. He passed away in 2004 in Virginia at the age of 89. This plaque was presented to him shortly before his retirement. The torpedo is a machined piece consisting of two relatively dense parts. An exceptional memento of a pilot who served in one of the most prestigious units in the entire history of aviation.
See original version (French)
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About the sale Sale of the Grégory Pons collection and miscellaneous items (Aviation and WW2 Militaria)
Auction location
Auction time 11/14/2026 at 1:30 PM
Lot description modified on 10/16/2026 at 9:13 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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