HISTORY

Today in Chinese American History - March 24, 2007

Lt Colonel Frank Fong, United States Air Force, retired, passed away on March 24, 2007. He was the first Chinese American fighter pilot to serve in World War II and was an all around Hero, first defeating the enemy in air to air combat, and later, after sustaining severe eye and spinal injuries in the same war, continued flying reconnaissance missions supporting the D-Day invasion, and then many air rescue missions saving the lives of downed aircrew members over the North Sea.

Ironically, Colonel Fong might never been a hero, as some of his countrymen didn’t want to allow him to fight for his country because he was Chinese. In 1942, after graduating with honors in high school and passing his military physical, following his dream to fly and to defend his country in war, he applied to join the Army Air Corps and was rejected, but not for the usual reasons. He passed his physical, graduated with honors from school, spoke perfect English, but was told he was not wanted. Today, that would be incredulous, but in 1942 the Chinese Exclusion Act had not been repealed.
He tried to get support from local politicians to no avail, and had the foresight and guts to write a letter to General Hap Arnold, who denounced the bigotry, and appointed Fong as a cadet. As a result, Frank Fong was commissioned, earned his flying wings as one of the top graduates in pilot school, and made major contributions to the war effort in Europe. He piloted the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang, and according to retired USAF Colonel Stan Bodner, shot down two German Luftwaffe fighter aircraft, and was injured himself during a mission, which forced the Army Air Corps to remove him from air combat duty. However, he continued flying and conducted critical, strategic air reconnaissance missions prior to our Normandy D-Day invasion. After that he subsequently commandered the Fifth Air Rescue Squadron that rescued hundreds of downed pilots in the European war effort. Colonel Fong continued serving in the Air Force during the Korean War and due to his extensive air experience was recalled to serve in the Vietnam War as well.
For his extraordinary service, he was awarded two Distinguished Fly Crosses (the highest flying award), eight Air Medals, the Purple Heart, the European Theater Ribbon with four Bronze Stars, and many other medals.