Military History of Asian Americans
Encyclopedia
Asian American
s have fought on behalf of the United States
since the War of 1812
until today. Due to the small population of Asian Americans in the 19th Century their contributions were not heavily recorded. In the 20th Century as the population of Asian Americans have increased contributions and documentation of their contributions have increased in kind.
There is anecdotal accounts of Filipino American sailors serving as early as the revolutionary war; however the first recorded history of Asian Americans fighting on behalf of the United States was recorded as far back as 1815 when General Andrew Jackson
recorded "Manilamen" had fought alongside his in defense of New Orleans
, under the command of Jean Baptiste Lafitte
. After this Asian Americans were not recorded in the annals of U.S. Military History
until the American Civil War
when in 1861 a Chinese American by the name of John Tomney joined the New York Infantry, eventually dying of wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg
.
Joseph Pierce (his chosen name) was brought to the United States from China by his adoptive father, Connecticut ship Captain Amos Peck. Pierce enlisted on July 26, 1862 and was mustered into the Fourteenth Regiment
, Company F of the Connecticut Volunteer Infantry that became part of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Second Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac
. From 1862 to 1865, Pierce unknowingly participated in what turned out to be many of the pivotal military events of the war, fighting in the major campaigns from Antietam
to Gettysburg to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. He survived some of the bloodiest battles fought during the Civil War and is the highest known ranking (Corporal) Chinese to serve in the Union Army. Pierce's picture hangs in the Gettysburg Museum. Pierce was honored along with other Asian-Pacific Islander soldiers of the Civil War through a House resolution in 2008.
He was to be followed by William Ah Hang in 1863, a Chinese American who became of one the first Asian Americans to enlist in the U.S. Navy. In total more than 50 Chinese Americans fought, on both sides, of the Civil War. Of those who have served only a handful received recognition of their service in the form of pension, benefits, or citizenship. A noted exception is Ching Lee who took the alias Thomas Sylvanus and served in 81st Pennsylvania Regiment.
There are accounts of Filipino Americans serving in Louisiana for the Confederacy
during the Civil War, some of whom would serve in the Louisiana Zouaves. That is not to say, all Filipino Americans who served were Confederates; there has been documentation of one, Felix Cornelius Balderry, serving in the Union's Michigan 11th Infantry
.
Another lull of recordings of Asian American service followed the end of the civil war until the Spanish American War. Aboard the USS Maine
when she sank in Havana harbor
, of the casualties seven were Japanese Americans and one was Chinese Americans. Later in the war it was recorded that Japanese Americans served aboard US Warships in the Battle of Manila Bay; the Philippine-American War
, previously known as the Philippine Insurrection, followed.
In 1901 the Philippine Constabulary
and Philippine Scouts
were initially founded to assist the United States against the forces of the First Philippine Republic
and the insurgency that followed after its collapse. That same year President McKinley signed an executive order to allow 500 Filipinos to enlist in the U.S. Navy. From these routes of enlistment came the first Asian Americans to be awarded with the United States' Medal of Honor. Private Nisperos
, a Philippine Scout, was awarded the Medal of Honor
in 1911 when he protected his party from Moros
. In 1915, Fireman Second Class Trinidad
, along with Ensign Cary
, was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving fellow crewmembers when the boiler of the U.S.S. San Diego
exploded. As of 2011, Trinidad has been the only Asian American to be awarded with the naval version of the Medal of Honor.
since the late 1860s they were foreign nationals, and would go on to serve their own nations' military, notably Matsumura Junzo, class of 1873, the first Asian graduate of Annapolis who would serve as a Captain in Imperial Japanese Navy
. Nearly forty years would pass before the first Asian Americans would follow these foreign nationals. Vicente Lim
, a U.S. National at the time, graduated from West Point
in the class of 1914 and would receive a commission initially in the Philippine Scouts. He would be the first of a handful of Filipinos to enroll at West Point, as one Filipino was to be appointed in each class, with no more than four enrolled at one time. Beginning in 1916, Filipinos Americans were permitted to enroll in Annapolis; the first batch would enroll in 1919. These graduates would lose their status as U.S. Nationals in 1935 and many would go on to serve the young Armed Forces of the Philippines
.
While the rest of the world was as in the depths of the Great War, the U.S. was looking to its south; Mexico was in the depths of its Civil War
, and violence began to spill North over the border. This culminated with a U.S. response, officially known as the Mexican Expedition, which was led by Major General Pershing
. Upon completion of the Expedition, against the Chinese Exclusion Act, MG Pershing was allowed to bring into the United States 527 Chinese Mexicans who assisted U.S. Forces in Mexico, and were threatened with hanging by Pancho Villa; they would go on to settle mostly in San Antonio and would become known as "Pershing's Chinese".
. The Philippine Islands would stand up its own national guard
units to join the effort, but would not see combat. A draft was started, and alongside Hispanic
and Native Americans
, Asian Americans were drafted as "non-whites" filling out the "white quota" into the National Army; they too would not see combat. That is not to say that no Asian Americans saw combat; Marine
Private Claudio, who had studied at the University of Nevada, Reno
, became the first, and only, Filipino American to die in World War I during the Battle of Château-Thierry
; and Sergeant Major Tokutaro Nishimura Slocum fought in the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82d Infantry Division. In the Navy at its peak more than fifty-seven hundred Filipinos would enlist during World War I. Many others would serve and would be allowed to become naturalized citizens, but not without some difficulty, or overcoming legal obstacles.
was not without incident. The U.S. was involved in the Russian Civil War
, multiple events in the Caribbean that have become known as Banana Wars, the Yangtze Patrol
was directly and indirectly effected by the Second Sino-Japanese War
, and other events; however, there is no record of notable Asian American service members in the interwar period outside of the service academies. That is not to say that Asian Americans did not serve in the military. Between 1918 to 1933, at least 3,900 Filipinos Americans served in the U.S. Navy at any given time as mess stewards
, having largely replaced African Americans in that rating.
In 1934, Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
became the first Asian American, U.S. Citizen, graduate of the Naval Academy, this was followed in 1940 by Wing Fook Jung at West Point. In 1940, Japanese Americans were the largest ethnicity of Asian Americans, followed by (in order of population) Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Hindu Americans, and Korean Americans. For Europe this period ended in 1939, however for the United States it did not become an ac
tiv
e and official, participant in combat until the attack on Pearl Harbor
; from that point on Asian Americans were on the front lines for the U.S. Civilians of Oahu, including Japanese Americans, assisted with aid efforts following the attack; on the other side of the Pacific Filipinos who were mobilized under U.S. command, since July 1941, prepared for an attack that would come nine hours later.
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans in the Hawaii National Guard
were called to duty to guard the beaches, clear rubble, donate blood and aid the wounded but three days later their weapons were taken away because of their ancestry. The next day however their weapons were given back to them but an uneasy tension lasted until June 5, 1942. As this uneasy tension was going on Japanese Americans who were originally a part of the ROTC program at the University of Hawaii and had enlisted Hawaii National Guard were discharged on January 19, 1942 also because of their ancestry but would soon come together to form the Varsity Victory Volunteers
. It wouldn't be until June 5, 1942 when 1,400 Nisei of the Hawaii National Guard would ship out from Hawaii and eventually form the 100th Infantry Battalion on June 12, 1942 when they docked in Oakland. It wouldn't be for another eight months until there would be a call for an all Nisei Regiment, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
, a year until the 442nd would begin training, and fourteen months until the 100th would ship out to Europe. While the 442nd was training in the United States, the 100th in the meantime would sustain heavy losses eventually earning the title the "Purple Heart Battalion." On June 26, 1944, two weeks after the 442nd arrive in Europe, the two Nisei units combine together to form one single unit but those that were a part of the 100th wanted to keep their 100th Infantry Battalion title. The other members of the 442nd RCT were Japanese Americans from the continental United States and mostly White officers. Keeping with the policy at the time, the unit was a segregated one. The combat chronicle of the regiment became a highly storied one, leading it to be one of the most decorated units in the European Theater
, including the liberation of the Dachau. Additionally the Military Intelligence Service made a huge contribution to the war effort as it consisted of Japanese Americans who served in the Pacific Front and helped with the rebuilding of occupied Japan and the decoding of Japanese intelligence. The second of two Asian Americans to be awarded the Medal of Honor
during World War II was PFC Sadao Munemori
, who was posthumously awarded for actions in Italy.
In 2000, after a review of other medals awarded to the 442nd, 21 were elevated to Medals of Honor. One of those 21 was former Captain, Hawaii Senator Daniel K. Inouye. On October 5, 2010, the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, as well as the 6,000 Japanese Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service during the war.
It has been estimated that 12 to 20 thousand, possibly up to 22 percent of all Chinese Americans men, served during World War II. Of those serving about 40 percent were born overseas, and unlike Japanese and Filipino Americans, 75 percent served in non-segregated units. A quarter of those would serve in the U.S. Army Air Force with some finding their way to the Chinese Burma India theater
with the 14th Air Service Group and the Chinese-American Composite Wing. Another 70 percent would go on to serve in the US Army in various units, including the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 32nd and 77th Infantry Divisions. The U.S. Navy had been actively recruiting Chinese Americans as Stewards even prior to the war, and this continued to be the case until May 1942, when rating restrictions would be loosened and they could serve in other ratings.
Captain Francis Wai
of the 34th Infantry
is one of the notable Chinese Americans who served during World War II; posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
for actions on the island of Leyte
, this awarding was elevated to a Medal of Honor in the 2000 review. Wilbur Carl Sze became the first Chinese American officer commissioned in the Marine Corps
.
From the beginning, the Philippines found itself on the front lines of the new war. Under the command of General MacArthur
the Philippines prepared to defend all of the islands, but following the Japanese landings on Luzon, war plan orange
was reinstated leading to a hasty withdrawal to the Bataan Peninsula
. There the Allied forces on Luzon
held, with MacArthur being evacuated out of the Philippines in March 1942. In April 1942, Major General King
surrendered his force that could no longer keep up a sustainable defense. Of the 75,000 that surrendered, 67,000 were Filipinos, and a thousand were Chinese Filipinos. All were then subjected to the Bataan Death March
where 5,000-10,000 Filipinos died. A smaller force held out on Fort Mills
, however after an assault
, Lieutenant General Wainwright
surrendered USAFFE in May 1942. Back in the U.S. Filipinos were initially blocked from enlisting, until the laws were revised a day before Japan had begun its invasion back in the Philippines. Some would serve in non-segregated units, yet a segregated infantry battalion was established, which at its peak would grow into two regiments known as the 1st
and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments. These units would serve with distinction similar to that of the 442d Infantry Regiment, but would not be as well documented or widely known. It is claimed that assigned personnel of these two regiments were recipients of over fifty thousand decorations by the end of the war. Back in the Philippines, some individual servicemembers and units refused to heed orders to surrender and began the guerilla resistance to the Japanese occupation, who would later be joined by parolled Filipino soldiers of USAFFE, other civilian Filipinos, and inserted forces into the islands. The Battle of Leyte
brought a return of significant allied forces back to the Philippines, including the Filipino Infantry units which had been reduced in size from its peak. Later that year the Philippine Division was reconstituted, and in 1945 those members who elected to remain in the Philippines at the end of the War were transferred to the PC
AUS
. In all approximately 142,000 Filipinos. When recognized recognized guerrillas are taken into account, the number of Filipinos who served increase to over 250,000, and possibly up to over 400,000. This number though is smaller than that recognized for serving in World War II by the Philippines.
Sergeant Jose Calugas
became the third Asian American ever, and first Asian American during World War II, to be awarded the Medal of Honor; he wouldn't receive the medal until after the occupation had ended. Later in the 2000 review of Asian American service member medals, First Lieutenant Davila's Distinguished Service Cross was elevated to a Medal of Honor. While in New Guinea, Lieutenant Colonel Leon Punsalang became the first Asian American to command white troops while in combat.
Koreans had been able to immigrate to the United States since a treaty was signed in 1882, however that ended in 1910. When the war began Korean Americans met difficulty as they were considered enemy alien
s, which would be repealed in 1943. About 100 would enlist in the U.S. Army, some of whom would serve as translators. One notable Korean American service-member in World War II was Young-Oak Kim
who was an officer in the 442nd Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at the Battle of Anzio, the only Korean American during the war to be awarded that medal, as well as the Silver Star
and Purple Heart
for actions earlier in the campaign.
After the surrender of Japan
, World War II came to an official end, and the United States began to demobilize
. Millions of service-members were transported home, including the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. In 1946, they would be reviewed by President Truman awarded their seventh Distinguished Unit Citation and inactivated, only to be reorganized in the United States Army Reserve
a year later. With the consent of the Philippine government, fifty thousand Philippine Scouts were authorized by Congress, retained, and recruited. The Philippine Division would go on to provide occupation duty on Okinawa until 1947, when President Truman ordered the disbandment of the Philippine Scouts seeing it as a form of mercenary
organization. In 1948, President Truman ordered the desegration
of the United States Military.
With the integration of the U.S. Armed Forces individual all Asian American segregated units became a thing of the past, with most of the units being disbanded by 1951. Yet, many stayed on and continued to serve in integrated units; approximate numbers of Asian Americans who served during the Korean War have not been determined. Some units however had a predominance of Asian Americans within their unit including the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment as well as the 5th Regimental Combat Team.
One Asian American received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Korean War. Japanese American Corporal Miyamura
of the 7th Infantry Regiment
; the awarding of this medal was initially top secret
, as at the time he was being held by North Koreans as a prisoner of war. Young-Oak Kim, having reenlisted then being promoted to Major
, became the first ethnic minority to command a regular combat battalion, the 1st of the 31st infantry.
During the Vietnam Conflict eighty five thousand Asian Americans served out of the eight million plus total service members who would be deployed to South Vietnam
, in fully integrated units, three of whom were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Sergeant First Class Yano
, was one of those three who were awarded the Medal of Honor, and has been the last Asian American recipient of that medal. Many other then-future Asian Americans would serve the military out of its normal ranks, such as Hmong and Laotian Americans who fought alongside American service members in the Laotian Civil War, Vietnamese Americans who fought as members of the South Vietnam's armed forces, and Montagnard
(also known as Degar
) who assisted American forces. Proportionally, Asian Americans suffered less casualties compared to other ethnic groups in Vietnam, with a total of 139 Asian American servicemen dying during the conflict. Filipino American sailors would be restricted to the rating of Steward until the 1970s, yet many would serve regardless of the restriction.
By 1989, Asian Americans were approximately 2.3 percent of the total armed services, slightly greater than their proportion of total population at that time (1.6 percent).
who was promoted to the position of Army Judge Advocate General
during the conflict. One Asian American serviceman died during the conflict.
Asian American Marines were part of the first conventional units to enter into Afghanistan in late 2001. During Operation Red Wings in 2005, Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh, a Navy SEAL, was KIA when the MH-47 he was on crashed after being hit by an RPG.
) were activated for their first deployment in 2004 to serve in Iraq, their first activation since the Vietnam Conflict. At the end of that deployment the unit was authorized to wear the 442nd's shoulder sleeve insignia as a combat patch, the first time this had occurred since World War II. It was activated and deployed a second time from 2008 to 2009. With the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom having ended, and Operation New Dawn taking its place, eighty two (82) Asian American service members died during the conflict.
American. He was followed by Rear Admiral Gordon Chung-Hoon
, the first Asian American flag officer. , there have been 43 Japanese American, 26 Chinese Americans, 10 Filipino American, and four Korean American general and flag officers in the Uniformed services of the United States
. The highest ranked of these is Secretary of Veteran Affairs
Eric Shinseki
, who was a four-star General
, and Army Chief of Staff
.
In recent years, Asian Americans have been significantly overrepresented at the military academies compared to their share of the national population. Although Asian/Pacific Islander Americans are 3.49% of the national population aged 18–24, they are about 9-10% of the classes of 2014 at West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy
.
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
s have fought on behalf of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
until today. Due to the small population of Asian Americans in the 19th Century their contributions were not heavily recorded. In the 20th Century as the population of Asian Americans have increased contributions and documentation of their contributions have increased in kind.
19th Century
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
recorded "Manilamen" had fought alongside his in defense of New Orleans
Battle of New Orleans
The Battle of New Orleans took place on January 8, 1815 and was the final major battle of the War of 1812. American forces, commanded by Major General Andrew Jackson, defeated an invading British Army intent on seizing New Orleans and the vast territory the United States had acquired with the...
, under the command of Jean Baptiste Lafitte
Jean Lafitte
Jean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places...
. After this Asian Americans were not recorded in the annals of U.S. Military History
Military history of the United States
The military history of the United States spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, the United States evolved from a new nation fighting the British Empire for independence without a professional military , through a monumental American Civil War to the world's sole...
until the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
when in 1861 a Chinese American by the name of John Tomney joined the New York Infantry, eventually dying of wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
.
Joseph Pierce (his chosen name) was brought to the United States from China by his adoptive father, Connecticut ship Captain Amos Peck. Pierce enlisted on July 26, 1862 and was mustered into the Fourteenth Regiment
14th Connecticut Infantry
The 14th Connecticut Infantry was an infantry regiment that participated in the American Civil War. It participated in the Battle of Gettysburg, helping to repulse the Confederate attack on the third day known as Pickett's Charge....
, Company F of the Connecticut Volunteer Infantry that became part of the Second Brigade of the Third Division, Second Army Corps of the Army of the Potomac
Army of the Potomac
The Army of the Potomac was the major Union Army in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War.-History:The Army of the Potomac was created in 1861, but was then only the size of a corps . Its nucleus was called the Army of Northeastern Virginia, under Brig. Gen...
. From 1862 to 1865, Pierce unknowingly participated in what turned out to be many of the pivotal military events of the war, fighting in the major campaigns from Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
to Gettysburg to Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House. He survived some of the bloodiest battles fought during the Civil War and is the highest known ranking (Corporal) Chinese to serve in the Union Army. Pierce's picture hangs in the Gettysburg Museum. Pierce was honored along with other Asian-Pacific Islander soldiers of the Civil War through a House resolution in 2008.
He was to be followed by William Ah Hang in 1863, a Chinese American who became of one the first Asian Americans to enlist in the U.S. Navy. In total more than 50 Chinese Americans fought, on both sides, of the Civil War. Of those who have served only a handful received recognition of their service in the form of pension, benefits, or citizenship. A noted exception is Ching Lee who took the alias Thomas Sylvanus and served in 81st Pennsylvania Regiment.
There are accounts of Filipino Americans serving in Louisiana for the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the Civil War, some of whom would serve in the Louisiana Zouaves. That is not to say, all Filipino Americans who served were Confederates; there has been documentation of one, Felix Cornelius Balderry, serving in the Union's Michigan 11th Infantry
11th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Regiment
The 11th Regiment Michigan Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was assigned to front-line combat duty in the Army of the Cumberland in the Western Theater and participated in most of its leading battles and campaigns, including...
.
Another lull of recordings of Asian American service followed the end of the civil war until the Spanish American War. Aboard the USS Maine
USS Maine (ACR-1)
USS Maine was the United States Navy's second commissioned pre-dreadnought battleship, although she was originally classified as an armored cruiser. She is best known for her catastrophic loss in Havana harbor. Maine had been sent to Havana, Cuba to protect U.S. interests during the Cuban revolt...
when she sank in Havana harbor
Havana Harbor
Havana Harbor is the port of Havana, the capital of Cuba, and it is the main port in Cuba . Most vessels coming to the island make port in Havana...
, of the casualties seven were Japanese Americans and one was Chinese Americans. Later in the war it was recorded that Japanese Americans served aboard US Warships in the Battle of Manila Bay; the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
, previously known as the Philippine Insurrection, followed.
Philippine-American War
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
and Philippine Scouts
Philippine Scouts
The Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
were initially founded to assist the United States against the forces of the First Philippine Republic
First Philippine Republic
The Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
and the insurgency that followed after its collapse. That same year President McKinley signed an executive order to allow 500 Filipinos to enlist in the U.S. Navy. From these routes of enlistment came the first Asian Americans to be awarded with the United States' Medal of Honor. Private Nisperos
José B. Nísperos
José B. Nísperos was a member of the Philippine Scouts who received the Medal of Honor during the Philippine-American War. He was the first Asian to be awarded the medal. On September 24, 1911, at Lapurap, Basilan, Philippines, Nísperos, a member of the U.S...
, a Philippine Scout, was awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
in 1911 when he protected his party from Moros
Moro Rebellion
The Moro Rebellion was an armed military conflict between Moro revolutionary groups in the Mindanao, Sulu, and Palawan and the United States military which took place in the Philippines as early as between 1899 to 1913, following the Spanish-American War in 1898...
. In 1915, Fireman Second Class Trinidad
Telesforo Trinidad
Telesforo de la Crux Trinidad was a Filipino fireman 2nd class in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for actions, in Mexican waters near La Paz, on board the USS San Diego in peacetime...
, along with Ensign Cary
Robert Webster Cary
Rear Admiral Robert Webster Cary, Jr. is one of the most decorated officers in the history of the United States Navy and recipient of the Medal of Honor.-Education:Robert Cary was born in Kansas City, Missouri...
, was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving fellow crewmembers when the boiler of the U.S.S. San Diego
USS California (ACR-6)
The second USS California , also referred to as "Armored Cruiser 6", and later renamed San Diego, was a United States Navy Pennsylvania-class armored cruiser....
exploded. As of 2011, Trinidad has been the only Asian American to be awarded with the naval version of the Medal of Honor.
Early Asian American Military Academy graduates
During this period, the first Asian Americans enrolled and graduated from the Military Academies of the United States. Although Asians had been attending AnnapolisUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
since the late 1860s they were foreign nationals, and would go on to serve their own nations' military, notably Matsumura Junzo, class of 1873, the first Asian graduate of Annapolis who would serve as a Captain in Imperial Japanese Navy
Imperial Japanese Navy
The Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes...
. Nearly forty years would pass before the first Asian Americans would follow these foreign nationals. Vicente Lim
Vicente Lim
Brigadier General Vicente Lim was an Filipino General in the Philippine Army who served during the Second World War.-Early life:He was born in the town of Calamba, Laguna, on the 24th of February, 1888, the third of Jose Ayala Lim-Yaoco’s four children. His father was a full-blooded Chinese who...
, a U.S. National at the time, graduated from West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in the class of 1914 and would receive a commission initially in the Philippine Scouts. He would be the first of a handful of Filipinos to enroll at West Point, as one Filipino was to be appointed in each class, with no more than four enrolled at one time. Beginning in 1916, Filipinos Americans were permitted to enroll in Annapolis; the first batch would enroll in 1919. These graduates would lose their status as U.S. Nationals in 1935 and many would go on to serve the young Armed Forces of the Philippines
Armed Forces of the Philippines
The Armed Forces of the Philippines is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force...
.
Mexican Expedition
Mexican Revolution
The Mexican Revolution was a major armed struggle that started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco I. Madero against longtime autocrat Porfirio Díaz. The Revolution was characterized by several socialist, liberal, anarchist, populist, and agrarianist movements. Over time the Revolution...
, and violence began to spill North over the border. This culminated with a U.S. response, officially known as the Mexican Expedition, which was led by Major General Pershing
John J. Pershing
John Joseph "Black Jack" Pershing, GCB , was a general officer in the United States Army who led the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I...
. Upon completion of the Expedition, against the Chinese Exclusion Act, MG Pershing was allowed to bring into the United States 527 Chinese Mexicans who assisted U.S. Forces in Mexico, and were threatened with hanging by Pancho Villa; they would go on to settle mostly in San Antonio and would become known as "Pershing's Chinese".
World War I
In April 1917, the United States joined the First World War on the side of the AlliesAllies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
. The Philippine Islands would stand up its own national guard
Philippine National Guard
The Philippine National Guard was a militia that was created by the Philippine Assembly in 1917 to serve under General John Pershing in Europe during World War I. It had 25,000 soldiers when it was absorbed by the National Army...
units to join the effort, but would not see combat. A draft was started, and alongside Hispanic
Hispanic and Latino Americans
Hispanic or Latino Americans are Americans with origins in the Hispanic countries of Latin America or in Spain, and in general all persons in the United States who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.1990 Census of Population and Housing: A self-designated classification for people whose origins...
and Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, Asian Americans were drafted as "non-whites" filling out the "white quota" into the National Army; they too would not see combat. That is not to say that no Asian Americans saw combat; Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Private Claudio, who had studied at the University of Nevada, Reno
University of Nevada, Reno
The University of Nevada, Reno , is a teaching and research university established in 1874 and located in Reno, Nevada, USA...
, became the first, and only, Filipino American to die in World War I during the Battle of Château-Thierry
Battle of Château-Thierry (1918)
The Battle of Château-Thierry was fought on 18 July 1918 and was one of the first actions of the American Expeditionary Force under General John J. "Black Jack" Pershing...
; and Sergeant Major Tokutaro Nishimura Slocum fought in the 328th Infantry Regiment, 82d Infantry Division. In the Navy at its peak more than fifty-seven hundred Filipinos would enlist during World War I. Many others would serve and would be allowed to become naturalized citizens, but not without some difficulty, or overcoming legal obstacles.
Interwar period
The interwar periodInterwar period
Interwar period can refer to any period between two wars. The Interbellum is understood to be the period between the end of the Great War or First World War and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe....
was not without incident. The U.S. was involved in the Russian Civil War
Allied Intervention in the Russian Civil War
The Allied intervention was a multi-national military expedition launched in 1918 during World War I which continued into the Russian Civil War. Its operations included forces from 14 nations and were conducted over a vast territory...
, multiple events in the Caribbean that have become known as Banana Wars, the Yangtze Patrol
Yangtze Patrol
The Yangtze Patrol, from 1854 to 1945, was a prolonged naval operation to protect American interests in the Yangtze River's treaty ports. Initially the patrol was carried out by ships of the United States Navy's East India and Asiatic Squadrons. In 1922, the "YangPat" was established as a formal...
was directly and indirectly effected by the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, and other events; however, there is no record of notable Asian American service members in the interwar period outside of the service academies. That is not to say that Asian Americans did not serve in the military. Between 1918 to 1933, at least 3,900 Filipinos Americans served in the U.S. Navy at any given time as mess stewards
Culinary Specialist (US Navy)
Culinary Specialist is a United States Navy occupational rating. It was formerly the Mess Management Specialist rating until 15 January 2004, and as Steward prior to 1975.-Duties:...
, having largely replaced African Americans in that rating.
In 1934, Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
Gordon Paiea Chung-Hoon, was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served during World War II, and the first Asian American flag officer. His father, William Chung-Hoon Jr., a Chinese English Hawaiian, was a County Treasurer and his mother Agnes Punana, a Hawaiian, was a member of the...
became the first Asian American, U.S. Citizen, graduate of the Naval Academy, this was followed in 1940 by Wing Fook Jung at West Point. In 1940, Japanese Americans were the largest ethnicity of Asian Americans, followed by (in order of population) Chinese Americans, Filipino Americans, Hindu Americans, and Korean Americans. For Europe this period ended in 1939, however for the United States it did not become an ac
Cash and carry (World War II)
Cash and carry was a policy requested by U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a special session of the United States Congress on September 21, 1939, as World War II was spreading throughout Europe. It replaced the Neutrality Acts of 1936...
tiv
Flying Tigers
The 1st American Volunteer Group of the Chinese Air Force in 1941–1942, famously nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was composed of pilots from the United States Army , Navy , and Marine Corps , recruited under presidential sanction and commanded by Claire Lee Chennault. The ground crew and headquarters...
e and official, participant in combat until the attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
; from that point on Asian Americans were on the front lines for the U.S. Civilians of Oahu, including Japanese Americans, assisted with aid efforts following the attack; on the other side of the Pacific Filipinos who were mobilized under U.S. command, since July 1941, prepared for an attack that would come nine hours later.
Japanese Americans
Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese Americans in the Hawaii National Guard
Hawaii Army National Guard
The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its support organization...
were called to duty to guard the beaches, clear rubble, donate blood and aid the wounded but three days later their weapons were taken away because of their ancestry. The next day however their weapons were given back to them but an uneasy tension lasted until June 5, 1942. As this uneasy tension was going on Japanese Americans who were originally a part of the ROTC program at the University of Hawaii and had enlisted Hawaii National Guard were discharged on January 19, 1942 also because of their ancestry but would soon come together to form the Varsity Victory Volunteers
Varsity Victory Volunteers
The Varsity Victory Volunteers was a civilian sapper unit composed of Japanese-Americans from Hawaii. The VVV was a major stepping stone in the creation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, which would end up becoming the most decorated regiment in United States armed forces history.-History:On...
. It wouldn't be until June 5, 1942 when 1,400 Nisei of the Hawaii National Guard would ship out from Hawaii and eventually form the 100th Infantry Battalion on June 12, 1942 when they docked in Oakland. It wouldn't be for another eight months until there would be a call for an all Nisei Regiment, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
442nd Regimental Combat Team
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, was composed of Japanese-American enlisted men and mostly Caucasian officers. They fought primarily in Europe during World War II, beginning in 1944. The families of many of its soldiers were subject to internment...
, a year until the 442nd would begin training, and fourteen months until the 100th would ship out to Europe. While the 442nd was training in the United States, the 100th in the meantime would sustain heavy losses eventually earning the title the "Purple Heart Battalion." On June 26, 1944, two weeks after the 442nd arrive in Europe, the two Nisei units combine together to form one single unit but those that were a part of the 100th wanted to keep their 100th Infantry Battalion title. The other members of the 442nd RCT were Japanese Americans from the continental United States and mostly White officers. Keeping with the policy at the time, the unit was a segregated one. The combat chronicle of the regiment became a highly storied one, leading it to be one of the most decorated units in the European Theater
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
, including the liberation of the Dachau. Additionally the Military Intelligence Service made a huge contribution to the war effort as it consisted of Japanese Americans who served in the Pacific Front and helped with the rebuilding of occupied Japan and the decoding of Japanese intelligence. The second of two Asian Americans to be awarded the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
during World War II was PFC Sadao Munemori
Sadao Munemori
Sadao "Spud" Munemori was a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor, after he sacrificed his life to save those of his colleagues at Seravezza, Italy during the closing stages of World War II. Munemori was a private first class in the United States Army, in Company A, 100th Infantry Battalion,...
, who was posthumously awarded for actions in Italy.
In 2000, after a review of other medals awarded to the 442nd, 21 were elevated to Medals of Honor. One of those 21 was former Captain, Hawaii Senator Daniel K. Inouye. On October 5, 2010, the Congressional Gold Medal was awarded to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the 100th Infantry Battalion, as well as the 6,000 Japanese Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service during the war.
Chinese Americans
China Burma India Theater of World War II
China Burma India Theater was the name used by the United States Army for its forces operating in conjunction with British and Chinese Allied air and land forces in China, Burma, and India during World War II...
with the 14th Air Service Group and the Chinese-American Composite Wing. Another 70 percent would go on to serve in the US Army in various units, including the 3rd, 4th, 6th, 32nd and 77th Infantry Divisions. The U.S. Navy had been actively recruiting Chinese Americans as Stewards even prior to the war, and this continued to be the case until May 1942, when rating restrictions would be loosened and they could serve in other ratings.
Captain Francis Wai
Francis B. Wai
Francis Brown Wai was a captain in the United States Army and received the Medal of Honor for actions during the recapture of the Philippines from Japan in 1944....
of the 34th Infantry
34th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 34th Infantry Regiment is a Regular Army infantry regiment of the United States Army. It saw combat in World War I, in the Pacific Theater of Operations in World War II, and was the first full American regiment deployed in combat in the Korean War...
is one of the notable Chinese Americans who served during World War II; posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the second highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of the United States Army, for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. Actions that merit the Distinguished Service Cross must be of such a high degree...
for actions on the island of Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
, this awarding was elevated to a Medal of Honor in the 2000 review. Wilbur Carl Sze became the first Chinese American officer commissioned in the Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
.
Filipino Americans
From the beginning, the Philippines found itself on the front lines of the new war. Under the command of General MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
the Philippines prepared to defend all of the islands, but following the Japanese landings on Luzon, war plan orange
War Plan Orange
War Plan Orange refers to a series of United States Joint Army and Navy Board war plans for dealing with a possible war with Japan during the years between the First and Second World Wars....
was reinstated leading to a hasty withdrawal to the Bataan Peninsula
Bataan Peninsula
The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea...
. There the Allied forces on Luzon
Luzon
Luzon is the largest island in the Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the archipelago, and is also the name for one of the three primary island groups in the country centered on the Island of Luzon...
held, with MacArthur being evacuated out of the Philippines in March 1942. In April 1942, Major General King
Edward P. King
Edward Postell King Jr. was a Major General in the United States Army who gained prominence for leading the defense of the Bataan Peninsula in the Battle of Bataan against the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in World War II.-Education:...
surrendered his force that could no longer keep up a sustainable defense. Of the 75,000 that surrendered, 67,000 were Filipinos, and a thousand were Chinese Filipinos. All were then subjected to the Bataan Death March
Bataan Death March
The Bataan Death March was the forcible transfer, by the Imperial Japanese Army, of 75,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war after the three-month Battle of Bataan in the Philippines during World War II, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of prisoners.The march was characterized by...
where 5,000-10,000 Filipinos died. A smaller force held out on Fort Mills
Corregidor
Corregidor Island, locally called Isla ng Corregidor, is a lofty island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in southwestern part of Luzon Island in the Philippines. Due to this location, Corregidor was fortified with several coastal artillery and ammunition magazines to defend the entrance of...
, however after an assault
Battle of Corregidor
The Battle for Corregidor was the culmination of the Japanese campaign for the conquest of the Philippines. The fall of Bataan on 9 April 1942 ended all organized opposition by the U.S...
, Lieutenant General Wainwright
Jonathan Mayhew Wainwright IV
Jonathan Mayhew "Skinny" Wainwright IV was a career American army officer and the commander of Allied forces in the Philippines at the time of their surrender to the Empire of Japan during World War II...
surrendered USAFFE in May 1942. Back in the U.S. Filipinos were initially blocked from enlisting, until the laws were revised a day before Japan had begun its invasion back in the Philippines. Some would serve in non-segregated units, yet a segregated infantry battalion was established, which at its peak would grow into two regiments known as the 1st
1st Filipino Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment was a segregated United States Army infantry regiment made up of Filipinos and Filipino Americans from the continental United States and a few veterans of the Battle of the Philippines that saw combat during World War II. It was formed and activated at Camp San...
and 2nd Filipino Infantry Regiments. These units would serve with distinction similar to that of the 442d Infantry Regiment, but would not be as well documented or widely known. It is claimed that assigned personnel of these two regiments were recipients of over fifty thousand decorations by the end of the war. Back in the Philippines, some individual servicemembers and units refused to heed orders to surrender and began the guerilla resistance to the Japanese occupation, who would later be joined by parolled Filipino soldiers of USAFFE, other civilian Filipinos, and inserted forces into the islands. The Battle of Leyte
Battle of Leyte
The Battle of Leyte in the Pacific campaign of World War II was the invasion and conquest of the island of Leyte in the Philippines by American and Filipino guerrilla forces under the command of General Douglas MacArthur, who fought against the Imperial Japanese Army in the Philippines led by...
brought a return of significant allied forces back to the Philippines, including the Filipino Infantry units which had been reduced in size from its peak. Later that year the Philippine Division was reconstituted, and in 1945 those members who elected to remain in the Philippines at the end of the War were transferred to the PC
Commonwealth of the Philippines
The Commonwealth of the Philippines was a designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth of the United States. The Commonwealth was created by the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which was passed by the U.S. Congress in 1934. When Manuel L...
AUS
Army of the United States
The Army of the United States is the official name for the conscription force of the United States Army that may be raised at the discretion of the United States Congress in the event of the United States entering into a major armed conflict...
. In all approximately 142,000 Filipinos. When recognized recognized guerrillas are taken into account, the number of Filipinos who served increase to over 250,000, and possibly up to over 400,000. This number though is smaller than that recognized for serving in World War II by the Philippines.
Sergeant Jose Calugas
Jose Calugas
Jose Calugas was a member of the Philippine Scouts during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan....
became the third Asian American ever, and first Asian American during World War II, to be awarded the Medal of Honor; he wouldn't receive the medal until after the occupation had ended. Later in the 2000 review of Asian American service member medals, First Lieutenant Davila's Distinguished Service Cross was elevated to a Medal of Honor. While in New Guinea, Lieutenant Colonel Leon Punsalang became the first Asian American to command white troops while in combat.
Korean Americans
Koreans had been able to immigrate to the United States since a treaty was signed in 1882, however that ended in 1910. When the war began Korean Americans met difficulty as they were considered enemy alien
Enemy alien
In law, an enemy alien is a citizen of a country which is in a state of conflict with the land in which he or she is located. Usually, but not always, the countries are in a state of declared war.-United Kingdom:...
s, which would be repealed in 1943. About 100 would enlist in the U.S. Army, some of whom would serve as translators. One notable Korean American service-member in World War II was Young-Oak Kim
Young-Oak Kim
Colonel Young-Oak Kim , a highly-decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and a combat leader in Italy and France during World War II...
who was an officer in the 442nd Infantry Regiment. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his actions at the Battle of Anzio, the only Korean American during the war to be awarded that medal, as well as the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
and Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
for actions earlier in the campaign.
Post World War II
After the surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
, World War II came to an official end, and the United States began to demobilize
Demobilization
Demobilization is the process of standing down a nation's armed forces from combat-ready status. This may be as a result of victory in war, or because a crisis has been peacefully resolved and military force will not be necessary...
. Millions of service-members were transported home, including the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. In 1946, they would be reviewed by President Truman awarded their seventh Distinguished Unit Citation and inactivated, only to be reorganized in the United States Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
a year later. With the consent of the Philippine government, fifty thousand Philippine Scouts were authorized by Congress, retained, and recruited. The Philippine Division would go on to provide occupation duty on Okinawa until 1947, when President Truman ordered the disbandment of the Philippine Scouts seeing it as a form of mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
organization. In 1948, President Truman ordered the desegration
Executive Order 9981
Executive Order 9981 is an executive order issued on July 26, 1948 by U.S. President Harry S. Truman. It expanded on Executive Order 8802 by establishing equality of treatment and opportunity in the Armed Services for people of all races, religions, or national origins."In 1947, Randolph, along...
of the United States Military.
Korean War
With the integration of the U.S. Armed Forces individual all Asian American segregated units became a thing of the past, with most of the units being disbanded by 1951. Yet, many stayed on and continued to serve in integrated units; approximate numbers of Asian Americans who served during the Korean War have not been determined. Some units however had a predominance of Asian Americans within their unit including the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment as well as the 5th Regimental Combat Team.
One Asian American received the Medal of Honor for actions during the Korean War. Japanese American Corporal Miyamura
Hiroshi H. Miyamura
Hiroshi H. "Hershey" Miyamura is a former United States Army soldier and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in the Korean War.-Military service:...
of the 7th Infantry Regiment
7th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The United States Army's 7th Infantry Regiment, known as "The Cottenbalers" from an incident that occurred during the Battle of New Orleans, while under the command of Andrew Jackson, when soldiers of the 7th Infantry Regiment held positions behind a breastwork of bales of cotton during the...
; the awarding of this medal was initially top secret
Top Secret
Top Secret generally refers to the highest acknowledged level of classified information.Top Secret may also refer to:- Film and television :* Top Secret , a British comedy directed by Mario Zampi...
, as at the time he was being held by North Koreans as a prisoner of war. Young-Oak Kim, having reenlisted then being promoted to Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
, became the first ethnic minority to command a regular combat battalion, the 1st of the 31st infantry.
Vietnam War
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, in fully integrated units, three of whom were posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Sergeant First Class Yano
Rodney J. T. Yano
Rodney Jamus Takahashi Yano was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.-Biography:...
, was one of those three who were awarded the Medal of Honor, and has been the last Asian American recipient of that medal. Many other then-future Asian Americans would serve the military out of its normal ranks, such as Hmong and Laotian Americans who fought alongside American service members in the Laotian Civil War, Vietnamese Americans who fought as members of the South Vietnam's armed forces, and Montagnard
Montagnard
The French term Montagnard, meaning "People from the mountain" refers to an indigenous people group generally from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It includes individuals from multiple tribal groups, including the Bahnar, Jarai, Koho, Mnong and E De peoples...
(also known as Degar
Degar
The Degar are the indigenous peoples of the Central Highlands of Vietnam. The term Montagnard means "mountain people" in French and is a carryover from the French colonial period in Vietnam. In Vietnamese, they are known by the term thượng - this term can also be applied to other minority ethnic...
) who assisted American forces. Proportionally, Asian Americans suffered less casualties compared to other ethnic groups in Vietnam, with a total of 139 Asian American servicemen dying during the conflict. Filipino American sailors would be restricted to the rating of Steward until the 1970s, yet many would serve regardless of the restriction.
By 1989, Asian Americans were approximately 2.3 percent of the total armed services, slightly greater than their proportion of total population at that time (1.6 percent).
Gulf War
During the Gulf War many Asian Americans served, with some being promoted to senior officer positions, including the MG FughJohn Fugh
Major General John Liu Fugh was the first Chinese American to attain general officer status in the U.S. Army. He was the Judge Advocate General of the U.S...
who was promoted to the position of Army Judge Advocate General
Judge Advocate General of the United States Army
The Judge Advocate General of the United States Army is the commanding officer of the Judge Advocate General's Corps of the United States Army. Under Title 10 of the United States Code, the TJAG is appointed by the President of the United States. Suitable candidates are recommended by the...
during the conflict. One Asian American serviceman died during the conflict.
21st Century
Asian Americans had historically been less likely to join the Military, but recent trends show that Asian Americans, particular in California, are enlisting at rates greater than their proportion of population; they are more likely to take up non-combat jobs. In 2009, the Army had Asian Americans serving as 4.4 percent of its commissioned officers, and 3.5 percent of its enlisted personnel.War on Terrorism
, out of the 1,477 deaths that have occurred in Operation Enduring Freedom, 25 have been Asian Americans; except for 4 of these deaths, the service-members were Soldiers. An additional 178 Asian American service-members have been wounded.Afghanistan
Asian American Marines were part of the first conventional units to enter into Afghanistan in late 2001. During Operation Red Wings in 2005, Petty Officer 2nd Class James Suh, a Navy SEAL, was KIA when the MH-47 he was on crashed after being hit by an RPG.
Iraq War
Hundreds of Asian Americans have deployed to Iraq out of the fifty nine thousand (59,000) plus that are serving in active duty as of May 2009, with one study stating that 2.6 percent have been Asian American. The 100th Infantry Battalion (USARUnited States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
) were activated for their first deployment in 2004 to serve in Iraq, their first activation since the Vietnam Conflict. At the end of that deployment the unit was authorized to wear the 442nd's shoulder sleeve insignia as a combat patch, the first time this had occurred since World War II. It was activated and deployed a second time from 2008 to 2009. With the end of Operation Iraqi Freedom having ended, and Operation New Dawn taking its place, eighty two (82) Asian American service members died during the conflict.
Leadership
The first Asian American general was Brigadier General Albert Lyman, who was part Chinese and HawaiianNative Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
American. He was followed by Rear Admiral Gordon Chung-Hoon
Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon
Gordon Paiea Chung-Hoon, was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served during World War II, and the first Asian American flag officer. His father, William Chung-Hoon Jr., a Chinese English Hawaiian, was a County Treasurer and his mother Agnes Punana, a Hawaiian, was a member of the...
, the first Asian American flag officer. , there have been 43 Japanese American, 26 Chinese Americans, 10 Filipino American, and four Korean American general and flag officers in the Uniformed services of the United States
Uniformed services of the United States
The United States has seven federal uniformed services that commission officers as defined by Title 10, and subsequently structured and organized by Title 10, Title 14, Title 33 and Title 42 of the United States Code.-Uniformed services:...
. The highest ranked of these is Secretary of Veteran Affairs
United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs
The United States Secretary of Veterans' Affairs is the head of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the department concerned with veterans' benefits and related matters...
Eric Shinseki
Eric Shinseki
Eric Ken Shinseki is a retired United States Army four-star general who is currently serving as the 7th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. His final U.S. Army post was as the 34th Chief of Staff of the Army...
, who was a four-star General
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
, and Army Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff of the United States Army
The Chief of Staff of the Army is a statutory office held by a four-star general in the United States Army, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Army, and as such is the principal military advisor and a deputy to the Secretary of the Army; and is in...
.
In recent years, Asian Americans have been significantly overrepresented at the military academies compared to their share of the national population. Although Asian/Pacific Islander Americans are 3.49% of the national population aged 18–24, they are about 9-10% of the classes of 2014 at West Point, the Naval Academy, and the Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy
The United States Air Force Academy is an accredited college for the undergraduate education of officer candidates for the United States Air Force. Its campus is located immediately north of Colorado Springs in El Paso County, Colorado, United States...
.
Military history of Asian Americans in popular culture
The following television shows, movies, and songs have depicted events which relate to this article:- Apocalypse MeowApocalypse MeowApocalypse Meow is a three volume manga series written and illustrated by Motofumi Kobayashi. It was originally published in Japan as in 1998 by Softbank Publishing, but was renamed for the US release to parody the title of the film Apocalypse Now, which also took place during the Vietnam War. It...
- Bataan
- Go for Broke!Go for Broke! (1951 film)Go for Broke! is a 1951 war film directed by Robert Pirosh, produced by Dore Schary and starred Van Johnson, several veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Henry Nakamura....
- The Great RaidThe Great RaidThe Great Raid is a 2005 war film about the Raid at Cabanatuan, adapted from William Breuer's book of the same name. It tells the story of the January 1945 liberation of the Cabanatuan Prison Camp on the Philippine island of Luzon during World War II. It is directed by John Dahl and stars Benjamin...
- The WarThe War (documentary)The War is a 2007 American seven-part documentary television mini-series about World War II from the perspective of the United States that premiered on September 23, 2007...
See also
- 12th Infantry Division
- 442d Infantry Regiment
- History of Asian Americans
- List of Asian American Medal of Honor recipients
- List of notable Asian American servicemembers
- Military history of African AmericansMilitary history of African AmericansThe military history of African Americans spans from the arrival of the first black slaves during the colonial history of the United States to the present day...
- Military history of Hispanic and Latino Americans
- Military history of Jewish AmericansMilitary history of Jewish AmericansJewish Americans have served in the United States armed forces dating back to before the colonial era, when Jews have served in militias of the Thirteen Colonies. Jewish military personnel have served in all branches of the armed forces and in every major armed conflict to which the United States...
- Military history of Sikh AmericansMilitary history of Sikh AmericansThe military history of Sikh Americans dates back as far as World War I, and continues to the present day. However, since the 1980s, observant Sikhs have faced great difficulty in serving due to a discontinuation of exemptions to uniform standards which previously allowed Sikhs to maintain their...
- Military history of the United StatesMilitary history of the United StatesThe military history of the United States spans a period of over two centuries. During the course of those years, the United States evolved from a new nation fighting the British Empire for independence without a professional military , through a monumental American Civil War to the world's sole...
- Native Americans in the American Civil WarNative Americans in the American Civil WarNative Americans in the American Civil War composed various Native American bands, tribes, and nations. Native Americans served in both the Union and Confederate military during the American Civil War. At the outbreak of the war, for example, the minority party of the Cherokees gave its allegiance...
- Native Americans and World War IINative Americans and World War IINative Americans and World War II Some 44,000 Native Americans served in the United States military during World War II. By 1940, a large fraction of American Indians lived off reservations; their experiences in the war mirrored the general population. Of special interest was the enormous impact...
- Philippine ConstabularyPhilippine ConstabularyThe Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
- Philippine National GuardPhilippine National GuardThe Philippine National Guard was a militia that was created by the Philippine Assembly in 1917 to serve under General John Pershing in Europe during World War I. It had 25,000 soldiers when it was absorbed by the National Army...
- Philippine ScoutsPhilippine ScoutsThe Philippine Scouts was a military organization of the United States Army from 1901 until the end of World War II. Made up of native Filipinos assigned to the United States Army Philippine Department, these troops were generally enlisted and under the command of American officers, however, a...
- Vietnamese American Armed Forces AssociationVietnamese American Armed Forces AssociationThe Vietnamese American Armed Forces Association , , is a non-profit, non partisan professional military association. It is the first military association for Vietnamese American service members in the United States...
- USS LanikaiUSS Lanikai (1914)USS Lanikai, was a schooner-rigged diesel powered yacht commissioned into the United States Navy during both World War I and World War II, before being transferred to the Royal Australian Navy.The ship was built as MY Hermes by W. F...
- USS RizalUSS Rizal (DD-174)USS Rizal was a Wickes class destroyer in the United States Navy following World War I. She was named for José Rizal, a Philippine patriot.-History:...