- This article uses Chinese naming conventions; see name and note the family name.
Chang Liyi (Chinese: 張立義; pinyin: Zhāng Lìyì; 7 November 1929 – 12 June 2019), also called Jack Chang, was a major in the Republic of China Air Force and a member of the CIA-trained Black Cat Squadron. He became widely known after his reconnaissance aircraft was brought down on 10 January 1965 near Baotou, and he spent the next 17 years in custody in mainland China.
Early life and military career
Born on 7 November 1929, Chang trained as a pilot and rose to the rank of major in the Republic of China Air Force. During the 1960s he flew for the Black Cat Squadron, a unit that carried out high-risk reconnaissance missions over the Chinese mainland with assistance and training from the Central Intelligence Agency.
Shootdown and imprisonment
On 10 January 1965, Chang's aircraft was shot down during a mission and he was captured by authorities in the People's Republic of China. He remained detained for approximately seventeen years before being released in 1982. During that time, information about his fate was scarce and his case became one of the more prominent examples of Cold War-era tensions across the Taiwan Strait.
Life after release
After his release in 1982, Chang was initially not permitted to return to Taiwan. He spent several years living in the United States before receiving authorization to go back to Taiwan in 1990. His experience influenced public understanding of the risks faced by pilots who flew reconnaissance sorties during that period.
Death
Chang died of a heart attack on 12 June 2019 at Songshan Hospital in Taipei. He was 89 years old.
For context on the language and naming used here, see the linked entries on Chinese and naming conventions (name).