Suey Donald Wong - Army
Suey Donald Wong was born April 1, 1922 in Canton, China. Don immigrated to San Francisco when he was 8 years of age. He returned back to China in order to “relearn his Cantonese” and immigrated back at age 18 through Angel Island. Suey Don enlisted into the United States Army entering service Dec 5,1942 at the age of 20. He was assigned to various divisions in Europe and was part of the 1st Infantry that invaded Omaha Beach on D-Day. In recognition of his distinguished military service as a Private First Class, Suey Donald Wong was awarded a Bronze Star Medal for “heroic achievement in connection with military operations against the enemy in the vicinity of Verlautenheide, Germany, 9 October 1944. His company was impeded by an intense mortar and artillery barrage, Private Wong fearlessly crossed hazardous terrain and with accurate rifle fire prevented a hostile force from infiltrating on the flank. Private Wong’s heroic deeds and outstanding devotion to duty won him the praise of all who witnessed his courage.” Suey Don was also awarded 3 Bronze Battle Stars, the Purple Heart, Oak Leaf Cluster Combat Infantry Badge and Good Conduct Ribbons. Suey Don was honorably discharged on May 8, 1945 and had to make his way back to San Francisco, California. Dad said that when he was discharged “with money in his pocket that he couldn’t get a place to sleep and had to nap on a park bench.” A cop told him he had to get up and leave. He never said he was discriminated against but just thought “that’s just how was.” He fought for this country and was willing to fight for a country that excluded him. Suey Don married his wife, Nancy Hall in 1949 and was a proud father of Kenley, Kelby, Kimball and Audrey as well as a loving and inspirational grandfather to Charise, Celeste, Kristen, Ryan, Chelsea, Margeaux and Parker. Before obtaining a government job with the United States Post Office, he learned to be a jeweler and repaired watches. He was proud of the fact that he was a self taught jack of all trades: mechanic, watch maker, handyman, repairman, orchid cultivator, cook, inventor and gardener. Dad never really spoke much about the war to my three brothers and myself, his only daughter. We remember him liking to watch the old TV show Combat which he would complain that it was really “not realistic and that’s NOT how it was at all.” It wasn’t until the movie “Saving Private Ryan” that he spoke about how it was even worse in real life than depicted in the movie. It was the first time we actually saw him become meditative about his recounts of the War. When he retired from the Post Office, we asked if he wanted to go overseas and visit Europe. He use to joke that he never wanted to travel to Europe for vacation claiming that he’d been there before, albeit seeing Europe through the eyes of a soldier at war and from a hospital bed. Suey Donald Wong passed away peacefully February 6, 2010. We made certain as per his wishes that he had military funeral honors. The folding and presentation of the flag and the sounding of taps during a gentle rainfall was a somber and fitting memorial for our Dad.
Francis Gang Wong - Army
Francis Gang Wong was a naturalized American citizen, born in Sing Sam Village, Chew King Toisan, Kwangtung Province, China in 1914. Wedded in April1931, he left China in December 1931 to join his father to establish a Chinese grocery business, Tuck Lung Company in Portland, Oregon. On October 16, 1943, Francis Gang Wong entered service with the United States Army. He served as a Technician 5th Grade Mechanic of Wheeled Vehicles, 495th ORD HAM and a Marksman MI Rifle. He received the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Theater Service Medal and the WWLL Victory Medal. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal in the United States Army on November 13, 1945. Following the approval of the U.S. Public Law 271 on July 22, 1947, Francis G. Wong applied for his wife, Helen Mah Wong and minor children, Albert and Allen to join him in the United States. Upon the family's arrival, Wong purchase a home in Southeast Portland, moving them from Portland's Chinatown. The family grew, adding five more girls– Alice, Alma, Violet, Janet, and Roberta, before he had his American-born son, Francis, Jr. Francis Gang Wong became the sole proprietor of the grocery business started by his father, adding a small café, which became a popular lunch spot in the 1960s and 1970s until his death in 1975.
Dinny Low - Army
Dinny Low was born in Toisan (Guangdong providence), China in 1922. At 16 years old he immigrated to the United States to work in a restaurant business in Salinas, California. He entered active service with the U.S. Army in November 1942 as Tech IV Staff Sergeant and was stationed on the Aleutian Islands as a 45 mm anti-aircraft gunner. He was assigned later to the railway transportation division working on the train transporting soldiers to the East Coast. He was honorably discharged from the Army February 1946 from Camp Beale, California with a WWII Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, and Good Conduct Medal. He opened a restaurant in Monterey, CA named Moon Lake serving meals to army soldiers on furlough from Fort Ord. He married Margaret June Wong and moved to Oakland, California to raise his family, own a grocery store business (La Rosa Market), and was very active as a member of the C.A.C.A. Oakland Chapter. Dinny obtained his Naturalization Certificate becoming a U.S. Citizen in 1962. His interests were stock market trading, ballroom dancing, playing poker and mahjong with the Lucky 12 group, saltwater fishing, camera and photography, and traveling the world. Dinny passed away October 2019 at the age of 97. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, and children Ken, Don, Annette, Winton, and their families, plus his extended family members.