John H. Yee Honored with People’s Republic of China Commemorative Medal for His Lifetime Contributions to Sino-American Relations and the Denver-Kunming Sister City Partnership
John H. Yee has been awarded the People’s Republic of China Commemorative Medal for people who made outstanding contributions before the founding of the People’s Republic of China and for international friends who have made outstanding contributions to the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Medal commemorates the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Mr. Yee was born in Kunming, China, in 1921. When his hometown was being relentlessly bombed in the late 1930s, he was selected to serve as a translator for the famous Flying Tigers. As a lieutenant in the Chinese Air Force, he continued his translation duties for the U.S. Air Force under the command of General Claire Chennault. As part of his duties, he accompanied Chinese pilots to the United States for training missions. Circumstances led him to Denver, and until his death in 2018, he helped found the Denver-Kunming Sister City relationship in 1986 and was a true “bridge” between the two cities and cultures. He earned many honors in Denver for his contributions to the community at large and for his continued leadership with Denver Sister Cities.
