Despite the incredibly racist and difficult environment in California for American Chinese, they went to war for their country.

Though the memories are hazy after all this time, Margery Wong remembers 1944 like it was yesterday. When news came to her front door that her brother, then 20-year old, Sergeant Yuen Hop, was missing in action.

“He enlisted when he was about 18. I was probably about 12 years old. My dad was working in the orchards…and my mom…I think she took it pretty bad.”

Army Air Force Sgt. Yuen Hop’s plane had been shot down on a mission in Germany. Details at the time were slim.

[…]

About 20,000 Chinese Americans served in World War II, even despite the Chinese Exclusion Act.

“America First” (Nazi Americans) tried extremely hard to prevent these American Chinese from becoming citizens, and yet they still served with distinction and gave the ultimate sacrifice for America (killed by Nazi Germans).