Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islanders Heritage Month: Gordon Pai‘ea Chung-Hoon, first Asian American rear admiral in US Navy

Gordon Pai'ea Chung-Hoon, born July 25, 1910 in Hawai'ian territory to a Chinese father and Hawai'ian mother, attended the US Naval Academy in May 1934, becoming the first Asian American graduate from the academy. He played football for the Navy as halfback and punter, helping break an 11-year losing streak against Army in 1934. 

After graduation, he was assigned to the USS Indianapolis as ensign.  In January 1937, he served on the USS Montgomery, and then lieutenant (junior grade) on the USS Dent in January 1939.

He served on the USS Arizona as a lieutenant and was in Hawai'i on the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  He was in Honolulu when the attack occurred.  He then worked as a naval liaison officer with coastal artillery, and also served on the cruiser USS Honolulu.

In May 1944, Chung-Hoon commanded the destroyer USS Sigsbee. On April 14, 1945, the Sigsbee assisted in an aircraft carrier strike force off Kyushu, when a kamikaze crashed into her.  The  explosion killed 23 men, knocked out the port engine and steering control and severely damaging her starboard engine.

Admiral Halsey told Chung-Hoon to scuttle the ship, but Chung-Hoon refused, saying "No, I have kids on here that can't swim and I'm not putting them in the water.  I'll take her back."

He managed to keep the ship a float while continuing to fire on enemy aircraft, and made it safely back to port. He received the Navy Cross and the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and extraordinary heroism.

Chung-Hoon commanded the USS John W. Thomason during the Korean War and was promoted to captain July 1, 1953. He retired in 1959 and was promoted to rear admiral, making him the first Asian American flag officer of the US Navy.

He passed away on July 24, 1979, the day before his 69th birthday.

Celebrating Black History Month: Lillian E Fishburne, first African-American female Rear Admiral

On February 1, 1998, Lillian Fishburne was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral by President Bill Clinton.  Born and raised in Maryland, Fishburne was commissioned an ensign after completing Womens Officer School in February 1973. She was assigned as the Personnel and Legal Officer at the Naval Air Test Facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey in August 1974 and assigned as a Navy Recruiter in Miami until November 1977.  She served as Commanding Officer, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station in Key West, and assumed position as Chief, Command and Control Systems Support Division in Washington, DC.

She retired from the Navy in 2001.

Remembering astronaut Ken Mattingly (1936-2023)

Thomas "Ken" Mattingly, an American astronaut who went into space three times, passed away October 31. He was 87.  

Born in Chicago, Illinois, he moved with his family to Hialeah, Florida and soon, airplanes became an early fascination.  He graduated from Miami Edison High School in 1954 and received a BS degrees in aeronautical engineering from Auburn  University in 1958.  He then joined the navy and in 1966 he was selected as an astronaut.

He was scheduled to be the Command Module Pilot on the Apollo 13 mission, but he was removed form the mission because he had been exposed to German measles (which he didn't catch) and was replaced by Jack Swigert.  Mattingly did play a large role in helping the crew get safely back to Earth.

He was placed onto the crew of Apollo 16, the fifth lunar landing mission with John Young and Charlie Duke.  Mattingly and Young were the only two Apollo astronauts to fly on the Space Shuttle missions.  Mattingly carried out an EVA to retrieve film and data packages from the science bay on the side of the service module.

Mattingly served as commander of Columbia (STS-4) in June 1982, the fourth and final orbital test of Columbia.

He served as commander on Discovery (STS-51-C), a Department of Defense mission, in January 1985.

He retired from the Navy in 1986 as Rear admiral.  He passed away in Arlington, Virginia.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Cipriano Andrade, Mexican Rear Admiral in the Civil War

                                                     

Cipriano Andrade, born September 1, 1840 in Tampico, Mexico served in the US Navy for 40 years and attained the rank of Rear Admiral.  During the Civil War, he served aboard the USS Lancaster from August 1861 to October 1863.  He served aboard the USS Pontiac from December 1863 to June 1865.  He served as chief engineer on the USS Ashuelot from September 1, 1881 to November 1881.

He was changed to Captain on March 3, 1899 and in July 1901, he was transferred to the retired list of the Navy with the rank of Rear Admiral.

He passed away in June 1911 in Connecticut.