In 1915 when World War I was in full swing, a second-generation Korean American Susan Ahn was born in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
When the Pacific War1 broke out, she volunteered for the U.S. Navy, but because of being Asian, she failed the officer test. But she tried again and became the first Asian American woman to join the U.S. Navy. Even after she became an officer, she was excluded from the code-breaking task for six months just because she’s an Asian. Later, however, her ability was acknowledged and she became the first Asian American cryptanalysis expert in the U.S. Armed Forces.
1. The war between Japan and the Allies from 1941 to 1945. As part of World War II, it began with Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor and ended up with Japan’s unconditional surrender.
The reason she chose the place where racism and sexism were severe was to follow the will of her father who fought against Japan. Susan’s father was Ahn Chang-ho, who devoted himself to the independence of Korea during the Japanese colonial era. When his first daughter Susan was eleven years old, he left for China to deliver independence funds to the Provisional Government of Korea in Shanghai and could not return to his family.
“Be a great American. But do not forget the spirit of Koreans.”
In the spiritually and economically difficult situations due to the absence of her father, Susan Ahn fought against discrimination and prejudice by keeping her father’s will in her heart. Los Angeles County declared March 10, 2015, to be “Susan Ahn Cuddy Day,” which was the anniversary of the death of Ahn Chang-ho.