Willows Korean Aviation School

{{Short description|1920–1921 Korean independence organization}}

{{Infobox school

| name = Willows Korean Aviation School

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| image = Willows-Korean-Aviation-School AD.jpg

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| caption = An advertisement for the school

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| established = {{Start date|1920|02|20}}

| closed = 1921

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| affiliation = Korean National Association

| city = Glenn County

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| state = California

| country = USA

| coordinates = {{Coord|39.5185|-122.1106|display=inline,title}}

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File:Taegeuk variation 4.svg served as a roundel for training planes such as the Standard J-1.]]

File:Willows Flight School in the 1920s.jpg

File:Flight school students receiving military training.png

Willows Korean Aviation School ({{Korean|hangul=대한인비행가양성소|hanja=大韓人飛行家養成所}}) was an aviation school meant to train fighter pilots for the Korean Independence Movement,Koreans to Train Aviators here to Fight the Japs (1920, March 1) Willows Daily Journal many of whom were members of the Korean National Association.{{sfn|Chang|Han|2015|p=xl}} It was established on February 20, 1920 in Glenn County, California, by Korean-Americans and backed by the Korean Provisional Government in Shanghai.Miller, B. (2015, July 9). Willows Korean Aviation School Fueled Independence Movement. It was disestablished in April 1921.{{Cite web |title=대한인비행가양성소(大韓人飛行家養成所) |url=https://encykorea.aks.ac.kr/Article/E0078100 |access-date=2023-10-05 |website=Encyclopedia of Korean Culture |language=ko}}

File:Korean Willows Aviation School Pilots Memorial.jpg|Memorial at National Aviation Museum in Korea that honors the pilots from the Willows Aviation School in California

The choice for a Korean Aviation School to be established in California was for multiple reasons including the March 1st movement, interest and financial support from the Korean American community, the impact of World War I on aviation for combat and defensive purposes, and Japan's inability to control or influence the school on US soil.{{sfn|Chang|Han|2015|p=xl}}

Lee Jae-su was a co-founder and treasurer of the aviation school.{{Cite web |title=Jai-Soo-Lee-Article-Pioneer.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VpOwQ9BWJ3OmMrZy1TDPP7wScid02Ms0/view?usp=sharing |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=Google Docs}} In recognition of his contributions to Korea's independence movement, Lee Jae-su, originally buried in Maxwell, California, was posthumously reinterred in South Korea in 2019.{{Cite web |title=그리웠던 조국의 품으로, 국외 안장 독립유공자 유해 봉영식 및 안장식 |url=https://m.blog.naver.com/mpvalove/221508583016 |access-date=2025-05-22 |website=네이버 블로그 {{!}} 국가보훈부 |language=ko}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=jq7VwxxD0bpMqZXw&v=rLIQECBUdy8&feature=youtu.be |title=Remains of three Korean independence fighters returned |date=2019-04-09 |last=Arirang News |access-date=2025-05-23 |via=YouTube}}{{Cite web |title=Lee_Jae-Su_Medals.jpg |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lMNLaYjeCH64Px9sN7L_UK2JfLMU8ee4/view?usp=sharing&usp=embed_facebook |access-date=2025-05-26 |website=Google Docs}}

The financial support for the Willows Korean Aviation School largely came from the first Korean-American millionaire Kim Chong Lim,Koreans To Have Aviation Field (1920, June 14) Willows Daily Journal until his fortune was lost when a disastrous flood in October 1920 destroyed his rice fields.

Although the school lasted for a little over a year, it had gained a lot of attentionKoreans Aviation School to Be Seen in Movies (n.d.). Willows Daily Journal and trained many of the pioneers of Korean aviation, including Park Hee-sung, Lee Yong-keun, and Song Yi-kyun.{{sfn|Chang|Han|2015|p=xl}} Two of its graduates went on to join the Republic of Korea Air Force, which recognizes the Willows Korean Aviation School as its predecessor.{{sfn|Chang|Han|2015|p=xl}}