The United States is often referred to as the world’s melting pot.
The United States is often referred to as the world’s melting pot. People from around the globe have come together in one nation, sharing customs and traditions. Among those who have impacted the United States are Asian-Pacific Americans.
Millions of men and women of Asian and Pacific-Islander descent have immigrated to the United States over the last 150 years. The month of May is when the nation recounts the ways Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed to the growth and development of the United States.
According to Gunnery Sgt. Jesse Brown, the Combat Center’s equal opportunity advisor, Asian-Pacific Americans deserve recognition for the contributions they have made. They have made an impact economically and contributed patriotically within our military.
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have fought in many of America’s major conflicts, and endured the same hardships as their fellow Americans.
“Embracing our cultural values in the military is a must for us,” said Brown. “It is one of the things that makes our military unique from others. The more brains we have contributing, the more ideas we will have to pursue.”
There have been many decorated Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the military. One of which is U.S. Army Col. Young-Oak Kim.
Kim was a highly-decorated combat veteran who fought in World War II and the Korean War. He served with 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and was a combat leader in Italy and France during World War II.
Kim spent half of his career as an engineer in the Army before being selected for the Army Infantry Officer Candidate School. He was then assigned to the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion, a unit of mostly Japanese Americans from Hawaii. After serving as an infantry officer during World War II, Kim decided to leave the Army to start a self-service laundry facility. He was earning five times his salary as an Army captain at his new business but after the Korean War broke out, he decided to unselfishly leave the business behind and re-enter the ranks of the Army. Kim retired from the Army in 1972 after 30 years of service. He was awarded 19 medals including the Distinguished Service Cross, two Silver Stars, two Bronze Stars, three Purple Hearts, a Bronze Medal of Military Valor, a Légion d’honneur, a Croix de guerre, and the Korean Taeguk Cordon of the Order of Military Merit.
Colonel Young-Oak Kim is one of many Asian-Pacific Americans to make a difference in the United States. Whether it is the first Japanese immigrants setting foot on American soil in 1843 or Chinese immigrants putting the finishing touch on the of the transcontinental railroad in 1869, Asian- Pacific Americans make an impact on society.
A more present day Asian American decorated Marine is Staff Sgt. Ryan Lungerhausen. He was born in South Korea and enlisted in the Marine Corps in February of 2006. He finished his basic infantry training and his training with the advance infantry training battalion, a course that develops small unit leaders and advanced skills to empower Marines for service with the operating forces. He was then assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and served as a fire-team leader, training non-commissioned officers in combat operations. In 2007 he deployed to Fallujah, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. He deployed again in 2009 with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. His personal decorations include the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He currently serves as the staff non-commissioned officer in charge at recruiting substation Buford, Ga.
Throughout the nation’s history, the Asian American and Pacific-Islander community continued to fight for the same rights the United States believes in.
“May is the month we can say thank you to this group of people,” said Brown. “They deserve it.”
Source AP