The inaugural exhibit, themed “Duty, Honor, Country, Courage: Asian-Americans in Military Service,” includes personal artifacts and visual artwork highlighting the little-known stories of AAPI veterans.
By ALLYSON VERGARA | avergara@scng.com
PUBLISHED: May 21, 2024 at 3:38 p.m. | UPDATED: May 21, 2024 at 5:31 p.m.
These Asian American veterans have demonstrated duty, honor and courage to their country.
Asian American veterans’ achievements and cultural history are celebrated with a new exhibit, hosted by L.A. County’s Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Chinese American G.I. Project, at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles.
A recognition event, held Monday, May 20 during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, featured AAPI veterans and community leaders to tour the new exhibit — now open through late June in the Art Deco-style lobby of the historic building.
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A color guard presents the colors during ceremony for an inaugural exhibit honoring “Asian Americans in military service,” AAPI veterans’ rich cultural history and achievements at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in Los Angeles on Monday, May 20, 2024. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
“This exhibit is one of the most extensive we’ve hosted in Patriotic Hall, and that’s appropriate because it tells a story not often told in this country,” said MVA Director Jim Zenner, in a statement before the event. “The stories of these brave men and women showcase a courage that crosses any ethnic divide, permeating the culture of military service in L.A. County.”
The inaugural exhibit, themed “Duty, Honor, Country, Courage: Asian-Americans in Military Service,” includes personal artifacts, artwork and visual presentations that highlight often little-known stories of AAPI veterans — including Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Korean and Vietnamese American servicemen and women. Asian Americans have been in uniform from the Civil War through Afghanistan, and the exhibit focuses on “recognizing them as a cohesive group for the first time, regardless of country of origin,” officials said.
Montgomery Hom, founder of the Chinese American G.I. Project with the Chinese Historical Society of America, helped bring the cohesive exhibit to life.
“I’m honored to partner with MVA to highlight our Asian American veterans in Los Angeles County with this first-time exhibition created from my archives, integrating local veterans and family members who are sharing their stories,” Hom said.
The exhibit features numerous stories highlighting Asian American veteran Angelenos throughout history. One example is Judge Delbert Wong, a World War II B-17 navigator who flew more than 25 combat missions, and in 1952 became a judge in southern California — the first Chinese American judicial judge in the U.S. Wong’s artifacts from the war are on display publicly for the first time.
Another story is that of Wing Hong, who was recruited by British Intelligence MI9, and later by American forces in China to help facilitate the rescue and escape of American pilots who were shot down behind enemy lines. Hong was able to smuggle his young daughter, Nancy Kwan — who would later gain fame as a Hollywood film actress in the 1960s — out of Japanese-occupied Hong Kong.
In a statement, Supervisor Hilda Solis applauded the L.A. County for “giving these brave men and women a long-overdue platform, where we can experience their inspiring stories and remind ourselves of the power of diversity that makes our nation stronger.”
The free “Duty, Honor, Country, Courage: Asian Americans in Military Service” exhibit is on display Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bob Hope Patriotic Hall lobby, 1816 S. Figueroa St. in Los Angeles, now through June 28.
Information: ChiAmGi.info@gmail.com, chiamgi.org
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