Gordon Chung-Hoon Explained

Gordon Paiʻea Chung-Hoon
Birth Date:25 July 1910
Birth Place:Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii, U.S.
Death Place:Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S.
Placeofburial:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Placeofburial Label:Place of burial
Branch Label:Branch
Serviceyears:1934 - 1959
Rank: Rear Admiral
Commands:
    Battles:World War II, Korean War
    Awards: Navy Cross
    Silver Star
    Laterwork:Hawaii Director of Agriculture and Conservation
    Alma Mater:United States Naval Academy
    Spouse:

      Gordon Paiʻea 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 from May 1944 to October 1945.[1]

      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.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] In 1958 Sports Illustrateds Silver Anniversary All-American issue featured Chung-Hoon as one of its 1933 football stars.

      After graduation Chung-Hoon was assigned to the cruiser as an ensign.[5] As of January 1937 he was serving as an ensign aboard the destroyer .[6] He was a lieutenant (junior grade) on as of January 1939.[7]

      World War II

      Chung-Hoon served on the battleship as a lieutenant,[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] He also served on board the cruiser .[11]

      From May 1944 to October 1945 Chung-Hoon commanded the destroyer . 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 5kn 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.[1]

      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."[12]

      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."[11]

      For Chung-Hoon's service aboard Sigsbee he received the Navy Cross and the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism.[1]

      During the war, two of Chung-Hoon's brothers served in the army in the Pacific theater.[10]

      Postwar

      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.[13]

      From August 16, 1950, to March 7, 1952, Chung-Hoon commanded the destroyer 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.[14]

      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 between July 1956[15] and August 1957. He was subsequently transferred to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in Washington, D.C.,[16] his last post.[17] 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.[18]

      Later life and legacy

      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.[19] 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.[20] Chung-Hoon died on July 24, 1979,[21] at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu.[22]

      The, commissioned in 2004, is named for him.[23]

      Personal life

      Chung-Hoon first married Anita Corson while serving aboard Dent in December 1938;[24] she died of cancer in 1950.[25] He married Ola Luckey in 1952, and later retired in order to spend more time with her.[26] Luckey died of cancer in April 1960, months after they had returned to Honolulu following his retirement.[27] He married his third wife, travel consultant Jean Carlisle (died 2001), in January 1961, adopting her son, Perry White; Chung-Hoon was otherwise childless.[28] [29]

      External links

      Notes and References

      1. News: USS Chung-Hoon at home in Pearl Harbor . William Cole . Honolulu Advertiser . September 16, 2004 . October 22, 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120928063325/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Sep/16/ln/ln05a.html . 2012-09-28 . live .
      2. "Rear Admiral Gordon P. Chung-Hoon " from Asian-American WAR Heroes, accessed March 5, 2016.
      3. Book: Gelfand, H. Michael . Sea change at Annapolis: the United States Naval Academy, 1949-2000, Volume 415 . 2006 . UNC Press . 0-8078-3047-X . 48 . September 2, 2009.
      4. Web site: Navy To Play Its 1200th Football Game Saturday Against SMU. Jack Clary. October 19, 2008. Navysports.com. CBS Interactive. October 22, 2009.
      5. Web site: Navy directory. Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, also including officers of the U.S. Naval Reserve Force, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast ... Apr 1934-Jan 1936.. HathiTrust. 16. en. 2018-11-11.
      6. Web site: Navy directory. Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps, also including officers of the U.S. Naval Reserve Force, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast ... July 1936-July 1938.. HathiTrust. 17. en. 2018-11-11.
      7. 1938 US Navy Directory, Active List, page 17.
      8. "BOOK REVIEW – The Men of the Arizona (BB-39) " reviewed by LCdr. Jason P. Grower, USN, Naval Historical Foundation, Dec. 6, 2016.
      9. Duty, Honor, Victory: America's Athletes in World War II by Gary L. Bloomfield, Globe Pequot, 2004, page 20.
      10. "Chung-Hoon, Former Grid Great at Academy Still Winning Letters on Pacific Navy Team" by Laurie Johnston, The Honolulu Advertiser, 1945.
      11. "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.
      12. "USS Chung-Hoon at home in Pearl Harbor " by William Cole, The Honolulu Advertiser, September 16, 2004.
      13. News: Cmdr. Gordon Chung-Hoon Now On Duty At Pearl Harbor. 21 November 1945. Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. 2. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      14. Book: Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. 1964. U.S. Government Printing Office. 65. en.
      15. News: Chung-Hoon Captain of Missile Ship. 14 August 1956. The Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. A10. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      16. News: Capt. Arthur R. Galla Takes over Norton Sound. 2 August 1957. Oxnard Press-Courier. 11 November 2018. 1. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      17. News: Adm. Chung-Hoon Retires to Hawaii. 10 December 1959. Independent. 11 November 2018. 12. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      18. News: Best Wishes. 13 January 1961. Newspapers.com. 2018-11-11. 14. en.
      19. News: Chung-Hoon in race for State Senate. 21 July 1966. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 11 November 2018. A-13. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      20. News: Hot Fights Loom In Senate Races. Engledow. Ed. 3 October 1966. Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. A-1A. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      21. News: Chung-Hoon arrives today . Lt. j.g. James McLeod . Hawaiʻi Navy News . September 10, 2004 . October 22, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029184426/https://www.cnic.navy.mil/navycni/groups/public/%40pub/%40hawaii/documents/document/cnip_011873.pdf . October 29, 2013 .
      22. News: Adm. Gordon Chung-Hoon: Naval Hero, Civil Servant. 26 July 1979. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 11 November 2018. Newspapers.com. subscription.
      23. News: Chung-Hoon Commissioned. Calderón. Daniel J.. September 20, 2004. Navy NewsStand. July 30, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180731123528/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2004/09/mil-040920-nns01.htm. 2018-07-31. live.
      24. News: Chung Hoon-Corson Rites Held Thursday in Twilight. 10 December 1938. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 11 November 2018. 3 (Society). subscription. Newspapers.com.
      25. News: Anita Chung-Hoon Dies at Tripler; Funeral Friday. 4 May 1950. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 11 November 2018. 6. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      26. News: Missile destroyer to honor officer. Waite. David. 12 October 2000. Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. B1, B2. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      27. News: Mrs. Ola Chung-Hoon Dies; Services Saturday. 28 April 1960. Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. C4. subscription. Newspapers.com.
      28. News: Obituaries. 21 April 2001. Honolulu Advertiser. 11 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20010717232229/http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2001/Apr/21/ln/ln27aobituaries.html. 2001-07-17. live.
      29. News: Mrs. Jean J. Carlisle Married To Rear Admiral Chung-Hoon. 1 February 1961. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. 11 November 2018. 20. subscription. Newspapers.com.