Honor and Duty: The Chinese American World War II Veterans

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Friday, December 4, 2020 | 6PM to 8PM

Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, it is a well-known fact that the U.S. government sent its residents of Japanese descent to internment camps while other Asian Americans, including nearly 23,000 Chinese Americans (nearly 20% of the Chinese American population), signed up and served honorably in every branch of the U.S. Armed Services, in all four theaters of combat.

These veterans were recognized and honored for their service when President Donald Trump signed into law “The Chinese American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act” on December 20, 2018, three days after the 75th anniversary of repealing the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. Their commitment and sacrifice to country demonstrates an extraordinary sense of patriotism. They served as Americans, with honor and distinction.

In HONOR AND DUTY: The Chinese American WWII Veterans, author/journalist E. Samantha Cheng compiles a thorough historical record that recognizes the service and sacrifice these patriots paid in America’s wartime need. In addition, the data collected and compiled for the Congressional Gold Medal project will serve as an indispensable source of info for surviving family members and historians/scholars alike.

URL: www.heritageseries.us/

Author Bio

E. Samantha Cheng is a broadcast veteran in national news and television production. She is an experienced journalist and documentarian. She has devoted much of her career to raising the visibility of Women in Technology, APIAs (Asian and Pacific Islander Americans) and their contributions to United States history.

Cheng is the Co-Founder of Heritage Series, LLC, a company that specializes in educational programs about U.S. ethnic minorities and their contribution to U.S. history. Recent productions by Heritage Series include Honor and Duty: The Mississippi Delta Chinese, a three-part documentary series and two video biographies: Dalip Singh Saund: His Life, Legacy, the first Asian, Indian and Sikh Congressman in the U.S.; and Norman Y. Mineta: A Boy from San Jose, the first Asian American to serve on two different Presidential Cabinets as Secretary of Commerce and Transportation and a ten term Member of Congress.

She is an active member of the Asian American Journalist Association and Women in Film and Video. Throughout her career, Cheng has received numerous professional peer awards and citations, served on several nonprofit boards and mentored dozens of young professionals.