Al Mah
Image source: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/albert-mah
Albert “Al“ Mah was born on November 21st, 1920, in Prince Rupert British Columbia. Mah was born into a wealthy family, his father a prominent real estate dealer. When he was 15 though, Mah returned to China following the death of his grandfather. Following the burial, most of Mah’s family remained in Canada, he and a few other though returned to North America.
Mah was a successful boxer at a young age, winning the British Columbia Golden Gloves at age 18. Despite this success, he wanted to pursue his love of fight, and so headed South to California to complete his training. In 1940, he returned to Vancouver, seeking to join the Airforce to continue flying. Mah was refused due to being Chinese, however, opportunity came in the form of an old friend. Famed Canadian aviator, Wop May, May was a good friend of Mah’s father. As such, he was willing to recruit Mah as part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Program. Mah quicky joined the #2 Air Observers School in Edmonton Alberta as an instructor. There Mah taught many pilots from across the British Commonwealth.
In 1943, his contract expired, and he sought new employment. He signed on with the China National Aviation Corporation, a branch of the famed PanAm airways. Mah’s family in China was being threatened by Japanese advances in the country. He took the job to do his part for his homeland. Mah flew supply missions in Douglas DC-3s, flying ‘over the hump’ of the Himalayas. This was an extremely dangerous route to fly, especially during an era of unpressurized planes without oxygen. Mountain conditions can change rapidly, with downdrafts that can force aircraft down faster than they can climb. Icing was a constant danger. Engine failure was also not unheard of. Visibly could drop in an instant, forcing pilots to navigate without visual aid. The Japanese military knew this was one of the few supply routes that was being used, as such, it was under constant patrol by Japanese fighter aircraft.
Mah transported a wide variety of cargo to areas in mainland China, fuel, food, and other supplied were brought in and out of the country. Mah was said to play the saxophone while flying the route to pass the time, having said that flying was “hours and hours of boredom punctuated by seconds of excitement.” One moment of excitement was an occasion when Mah and his co-pilot were spotted by a Japanese fighter. The Zero pursued them, Mah dove down into a cloud filled valley, flying for hours until the fighter ran out of fuel. He has said that icing and getting hurt while drinking was perhaps more dangerous to him than the enemy, he does note that one should ensure to close the ashtray before doing “anything fancy.” Despite his bravery and prowess, Mah was paid less, about 1/3 of what his white comrades made for this dangerous work.
Albert in front of a plane. Image source: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/people-and-stories/albert-mah
In 1944, Mah took a short leave of absence to rescue some family members trapped in occupied China. He travelled without an interpreter, never learning the local languages on his route. He instead pretended to be blind and mute, to avoid suspicion. Travelling mostly by night, Mah was able to rescue his sister. They were able to escape by hiding in coffins aboard a small river boat, nearly meeting their end when it was harassed by Japanese fighters.
Following the war, Mah and his brother, Cedric Mah, began to fly supplies for the Chinese Nationalists during the civil war. Following the end of the Chinese Civil War, Mah was able to return to Canada, where he continued to fly operating a training school before working in real estate in Montreal, where he married and settled down. He would go to school, earning himself a degree in English literature Mah would pass away in 2005 at age 84.