SAN ANTONIO—Alumni of the Flying Tigers, the famed volunteer force of U.S. pilots who fought in China at the start of World War II, had what could be one of the last reunions for the group as its numbers continue to dwindle.

The 300 Flying Tigers who made up U.S. Army Gen. Claire Chennault’s famed group of pilots, are down to 19. Just eight of those made it to a reunion in San Antonio on Friday.

“We’re the last of the Mohicans,” said Chuck Baisden, 88, of Savannah, Ga., the second-youngest Flying Tiger alumnus alive. “That’s the way it is. You come and you go.”

The Flying Tigers’ official name was the American Volunteer Group. The unit was formed with the financial backing of the Chinese government to help defend Chinese cities from Japanese attack before the United States entered World War II.

The unit was credited with destroying 296 Japanese aircraft during seven months between 1941 and 1942.

The pilots flew Curtiss P-40 fighters, first tangling with Japanese pilots about two weeks after the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor. They racked up a 15-to-1 kill ratio and likely stopped the Japanese from conquering China and threatening British-held India.

“You know, they used to call us a bunch of renegades, but then they found out the facts,” said Flying Tigers crew chief Ed Stiles, 88, of Poland, Ohio. “Even though we were paid pretty good for what we were doing, we were over there trying to protect a certain area from the Japanese.”

Time has claimed almost all the Tigers, including their most famous member. Retired Texas Air National Guard Brig. Gen. David Lee “Tex” Hill died last year at 92 in San Antonio. He shot down more than 18 planes.