Gordon Chung-Hoon

Template:Short description Template:Infobox military person Template:Chinese Gordon PaiTemplate:Okinaea Chung-Hoon (July 25, 1910 – July 24, 1979) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who served during World War II and was the first Asian American flag officer. He received the Navy Cross and Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism as commanding officer of Template:USS from May 1944 to October 1945.<ref name="HA">Template:Cite news</ref>

Early life

He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 25, 1910. His father, William Chung-Hoon Jr., was a county treasurer and his mother Agnes Punana, a Hawaiian, was a member of the Kaʻahumanu Society. Chung-Hoon was the fourth of five children born to his family.<ref>"Rear Admiral Gordon P. Chung-Hoon Template:Webarchive" from Asian-American WAR Heroes, accessed March 5, 2016.</ref> He graduated from Punahou School in 1929.

Military career

Chung-Hoon attended the United States Naval Academy and graduated in May 1934, becoming the first Asian American graduate of the academy.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> While a student he gained national prominence as the football team's halfback and punter, and in 1934 starred on the team that broke an 11-year winless streak against the Army team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1958 Sports Illustrated's Silver Anniversary All-American issue featured Chung-Hoon as one of its 1933 football stars.<ref name=":1" />

After graduation Chung-Hoon was assigned to the cruiser Template:USS as an ensign.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of January 1937 he was serving as an ensign aboard the destroyer Template:USS.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was a lieutenant (junior grade) on Template:USS as of January 1939.<ref>1938 US Navy Directory, Active List, page 17.</ref>

World War II

Chung-Hoon served on the battleship Template:USS as a lieutenant,<ref>"BOOK REVIEW – The Men of the Arizona (BB-39) Template:Webarchive" reviewed by LCdr. Jason P. Grower, USN, Naval Historical Foundation, Dec. 6, 2016.</ref> but was in Honolulu on a weekend pass during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Chung-Hoon heard the attack from Honolulu and attempted to return to his ship but was delayed by roadblocks and traffic jams.<ref>Duty, Honor, Victory: America's Athletes in World War II by Gary L. Bloomfield, Globe Pequot, 2004, page 20.</ref> By the time he reached the Arizona the ship had already exploded and sunk.

After the sinking of Arizona, Chung-Hoon served as a naval liaison officer with coastal artillery before becoming executive officer on a destroyer in 1942, working convoy details in the Atlantic.<ref name="Chung-Hoon 1945">"Chung-Hoon, Former Grid Great at Academy Still Winning Letters on Pacific Navy Team" by Laurie Johnston, The Honolulu Advertiser, 1945.</ref> He also served on board the cruiser Template:USS.<ref name="web.archive.org">"TESTIMONIAL TO GORDAN PAEIA CHUNG-HOON, Captain USS SIGSBEE 14 May 1944 to 19 June 1945" by John R. Williams, Signalman Second Class, USS Sigbee website, accessed 7/25/16.</ref>

From May 1944 to October 1945 Chung-Hoon commanded the destroyer Template:USS. In the spring of 1945, Sigsbee assisted in the destruction of 20 enemy planes while screening an aircraft carrier strike force off the Japanese island of Kyūshū. On April 14, 1945, while on radar picket station off Okinawa, a kamikaze crashed into Sigsbee, reducing her starboard engine to Template:Convert and knocking out the ship's port engine and steering control. Despite the damage, then Commander Chung-Hoon kept his antiaircraft batteries delivering "prolonged and effective fire" against the continuing Japanese air attack while simultaneously directing the damage control efforts that allowed Sigsbee to make port under her own power.<ref name="HA"/>

The damage had been severe enough that Admiral William Halsey, Jr. told Chung-Hoon to scuttle the ship. However, Chung-Hoon declined to do so, telling the admiral "No, I have kids on here that can't swim and I'm not putting them in the water. I'll take her back."<ref>"USS Chung-Hoon at home in Pearl Harbor Template:Webarchive" by William Cole, The Honolulu Advertiser, September 16, 2004.</ref>

The next day Chung-Hoon led a burial at sea for the dead. One crewmate said of Chung-Hoon during the burial, "I often remember that the only man tough enough not to duck, was also the only man tender enough to cry."<ref name="web.archive.org"/>

For Chung-Hoon's service aboard Sigsbee he received the Navy Cross and the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism.<ref name="HA"/>

During the war, two of Chung-Hoon's brothers served in the army in the Pacific theater.<ref name="Chung-Hoon 1945"/>

Postwar

File:Gordon Chung Hoon 2.jpg

Chung-Hoon as a young officer

After Sigsbee was inactivated following the end of the war, Chung-Hoon was transferred to Pearl Harbor in November as officer in charge of the Special Activities Division of Service Force, Pacific Fleet, responsible for various administrative duties.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

From August 16, 1950, to March 7, 1952, Chung-Hoon commanded the destroyer Template:USS during the Korean War. Under Chung-Hoon's command the destroyer operated as part of the 7th Fleet, patrolling off the coast of Korea and taking part in gun bombardments.

He was promoted to the rank of captain on 1 July 1953.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite book</ref>

He served as the Commanding Officer of Afloat Training Group Middle Pacific from March to June of 1954, where he directed the training and certification of Hawaii based ships.

Chung-Hoon served as captain of the guided missile testing ship Template:USS between July 1956<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and August 1957. He was subsequently transferred to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> his last post.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chung-Hoon retired in October 1959 and was promoted to rear admiral upon retirement, making him the first Asian American flag officer of the United States Navy.<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Later life and legacy

File:Adm chunghoon portrait.jpg

Portrait of Chung-Hoon

He was appointed to be the director of the Hawaii Department of Agriculture by the first Governor of the State of Hawaii, William F. Quinn, and held that position between January 1961 and June 1963. Chung-Hoon subsequently worked as a Realtor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He made a foray into politics by running as a Republican for one of the four seats representing the Hawaii 7th State Senate District in 1966, but finished fifth in the primary.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chung-Hoon died on July 24, 1979,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

The Template:Sclass Template:USS, commissioned in 2004, is named for him.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Personal life

Chung-Hoon first married Anita Corson while serving aboard Dent in December 1938;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> she died of cancer in 1950.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He married Ola Luckey in 1952, and later retired in order to spend more time with her.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Luckey died of cancer in April 1960, months after they had returned to Honolulu following his retirement.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He married his third wife, travel consultant Jean Carlisle (died 2001), in January 1961, adopting her son, Perry White; Chung-Hoon was otherwise childless.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

External links

• United States Navy biography Template:Webarchive
• "Lest We Forget", By Lieutenant Commander Thomas J. Cutler & Arthur D. Baker III. Proceedings, November 2004 Template:Webarchive