American Legacy of Korean Independence
Most Koreans know about the revered Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, a prominent Korean Independence leader during the Japanese occupation period from 1910 to 1945. He frequently traveled all over the world to garner support for Korean independence, including the Philippines, Hawaii, and Mexico. Dosan Ahn Chang-ho also worked hard to improve the lives of Korean American migrants during his visits to the United States. Through his efforts, the first ever Korean American organization was formed in San Francisco to help Korean immigrants. Today, his memorial stands in downtown Riverside, California to honor him.
His legacy continued on through his children; though many Koreans and Korean Americans don’t know them, the impact they’ve made on the United States is far from small.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Do you know Master Kan from Kung Fu? You might have to be a little older to know this series, because it ran from 1972 to 1975.
The actor that played Master Kan’s role was Philip Ahn, the oldest son of Dosan Ahn Chang-ho. Philip was the first Korean American film actor in Hollywood, and the first Korean American actor to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In addition, Philip Ahn was one of the first actors to portray Korean characters in American television. Hye Seung Chung, an associate professor of film and media studies at Colorado State University, writes that Ahn “remains a true pioneer, one of the few performers of Asian descent to survive the racist casting politics of studio-era filmmaking and make a transition to the Television Age.”
Semper Fortis: Always Courageous
To honor her father’s legacy in his fight against the Japanese, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho’s eldest daughter, Susan Ahn Cuddy, wanted to enlist in the US Navy during World War II.
At first, she was rejected for being Asian and female. On her second attempt, Susan Ahn Cuddy successfully enlisted and became the first Asian American woman in the US Navy. She would later go on to become the first female aerial gunnery officer in the US Navy, where she would instruct male recruits in air combat tactics, such as firing machine guns in the air.
Susan Ahn Cuddy would be promoted to lieutenant and work for the US Naval Intelligence and the Library of Congress. Later, she would go on to work at the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C.
In 2003, the State Assembly of California named Susan Ahn Cuddy the Woman of the Year for her commitment to service to the community. In 2006, she also received the American Courage award from the Asian American Justice Center in Washington, D.C.
A Mix of Both
Ralph Ahn, the second son, enlisted in the US Navy in 1944 to fight the Japanese, just like his older sister Susan. In fact, Ralph Ahn is one of an estimated 100 Korean-Americans who served over the course of the Second World War.
Just like his older brother Philip, Ahn also entered the film industry and even starred alongside Ronald Reagan in a minor role in Prisoner of War (1954).
Time to Eat
The youngest sister, Soorah Ahn Buffum, opened a successful restaurant in 1954 with her brother Philson Ahn. Named Phil Ahn’s Moongate Restaurant, the restaurant was one of the first Chinese restaurants in Panorama City in the San Fernado Valley. It lasted for more than thirty years, and closed in 1990.
Reach to the Sky
Philson Ahn, the youngest child, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley and became an engineer. Later he became the aerospace vice president of the Hughes Aircraft Company and even contributed to the development of the Hughes H-4 Hercules, a prototype flying boat designed as a transatlantic flight transport during World War II.
MVP
However, a person in the Ahn family that is easily looked over is Helen Lee: the mother of the five Ahn children. She practically raised them all on her own, as her husband Dosan Ahn Chang-ho served overseas in his endeavors to free Korea from the Japanese Empire. In fact, Dosan Ahn Chang-ho died in 1938 when Imperial Japanese forces caught and tortured him in military prison for his independence work. He died before ever seeing his youngest child, Philson Ahn.
In a time where the United States was rife with racism—especially anti-Asian sentiment—Helen Lee supported her husband’s independence activities from their home in California, and she raised the Ahn children to be strong, tough, and successful. Helen Lee was really the MVP.
I hoped you enjoyed reading about these amazing Korean Americans and their legacy on the United States! I personally thought it was wonderful learning about these people that could technically be considered the first Korean American family in the United States, since all Ahn children were born in the US. Great Korean Americans such as these really make me proud to be Korean American, and I hope you are too!
