On this day in 1945, John Birch was killed in China at just 27 years old. His life was short, but his courage and sacrifice left a lasting mark. Today, we remember who he was and why his legacy still matters. 🧵 
John Birch was born on May 28, 1918, in Landour, India, to American missionary parents. Raised in a devout Christian family, he later moved to Georgia, where his faith and commitment to service deepened.
Birch attended Mercer University and graduated at the top of his class. He then continued his education at the Fundamental Baptist Bible Institute in Fort Worth.
In 1940, he left for China as a missionary, shortly before America entered WWII. While there, Birch immersed himself in ministry. Pearl Harbor however, would change the trajectory of his life. Birch’s knowledge of China would become a valuable asset for the US army.
In April 1942, while in Zhejiang Province, Birch encountered downed U.S. airmen from the Doolittle Raid. He guided them to safety, a brave act that brought him to the attention of U.S. military commanders.
That summer, Colonel Claire Chennault commissioned Birch as a second lieutenant. He would serve as an intelligence officer, linking the U.S. with Chinese Nationalist forces.
Over the next three years, Birch built intelligence networks, organized informants, and relayed reports on Japanese troop and shipping movements. He supervised construction of emergency airstrips, ran frontline radio posts, and guided Allied missions through hostile territory.
He also helped rescue downed American pilots, a natural extension of the mission that first brought him into military service. His combination of missionary dedication and intelligence skill was rare and invaluable.
For his service, Birch received two Legion of Merit awards. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.
On August 25, 1945, Birch was leading an OSS mission in northern China when his group was stopped by Chinese Communist soldiers near Xuzhou.
Birch refused to surrender his firearm. He was then bound and shot. His body was bayoneted before being thrown into a ditch.
In 1958, Robert Welch founded the John Birch Society, naming it after Birch as a symbol of anti-Communist resistance.
John Birch embodied devotion to faith, country, and freedom. His story is a reminder that even in times of uncertainty, individuals of conviction can change history.
80 years later, his legacy remains: service to others, loyalty to principle, and courage in the face of tyranny. May we never forget John Birch.
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