Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Major Taylor Dinh, highest ranking Asian-American in OKC PD

In 2022, Taylor Dinh, a Vietnamese American, was promoted to Major, becoming the highest ranking Asian American in the Oklahoma City Police Department.  I can't find much about him on the internet, but congratulations!

Dinh's Story

Celebrating Asian-American Heritage Month: Kurt Chew-een Lee, first Asian American Marine officer

Kurt Chew-een Lee, born January 21, 1926 in San Francisco, California to Chinese immigrants, is the first Asian-American to become an officer in the US Marine Corps.  He was in high school when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and he joined the Marine Corps in 1944.  He graduated from The Basic School, USMC officer training in 1946 as second lieutenant, becoming the first non-white officer and the first Asian-American officer in the Marine Corps.

He served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War.  He attained the rank of major on January 1, 1963 and retired in 1968.  He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star and two Purple Hearts.  He passed away in March 2014.