SOWELA adopted the mascot of the Flying Tigers in 2012. The Flying Tigers nickname originated from the 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941-1942 and was composed of pilots from the United States Army Air Corps, Navy, and Marine Corps, recruited under presidential authority and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The shark-faced nose art of the Flying Tigers remains among the most recognizable images of any individual combat aircraft or combat unit of World War II.
