Chinese-American WWII Veterans to receive Congressional Gold Medal

Former Monterey Park Mayor Betty Tom Chu, John Gee and John Wong proudly announced this special event to the Monterey Park City Council and residents at the February 6th meeting.

On December 20, 2018, President Donald Trump signed the Chinese-American World War II Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Act into law, ordering the creation of the medal to recognize the Chinese Americans who volunteered or were drafted in WWII when the Chinese Exclusion Act was still in place.

They are members of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance Ad Hoc Committee, who worked on the Chinese American WWII Veterans Project to recognize those who volunteered or were drafted when the Chinese Exclusion Act was still in place.

They thanked Congressmember Ed Royce for his assistance on this very special project.

After years of advocacy, the approximately 20,000 Chinese-American veterans of World War II will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.

The bill to award the medal was introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate in 2017, the result of a campaign by the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A.) called the Chinese American WWII Veterans Recognition Project. It passed unanimously in the Senate this past September and in the House on Dec. 12.

The law stipulates for the striking of one gold medal, which would be given to the Smithsonian Institute and be available for display elsewhere, particularly in locations associated with the veterans. The Treasury Department would also be able to strike bronze duplicates of the medal.

Members of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance stated they are working on providing each and every World War II veteran or their family members with a duplicate of the medal at their cost.

Mrs. Chu said this movement began in Monterey Park and she thanked all of the elected officials and residents for their support.

Mayor Peter Chan, Mayor Pro Tem Hans Liang, Councilmember Mitch Ing, Councilmember Teresa Real Sebastian and Councilmember Stephen Lam thanked Betty Tom Chu, John Gee, John Wong and Chinese American Citizens Alliance for their longtime efforts for getting the Chinese-American Veterans from World War II honored for their sacrifices and service to our United States of America.