A celebration of patriotism and courage

When he served on the front lines during World War II, Randall Ching was fighting two battles.

He was an Army ranger and a member of the Allied forces that fought their way across the beaches and cliffs of Normandy on 1944’s D-Day invasion.

As a Chinese-American, he also faced the challenges of discrimination, reflected in his country’s strict restrictions on Chinese immigration.

His service to our nation has been recognized as a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal, an honor bestowed to show the nation’s respect and appreciation for the some 20,000 Chinese-American veterans who served.

Ching, now 96 and living in Novato, served in the 5th Ranger Infantry Battalion. He is believed to have been the only member of Chinese descent who fought with the elite corps in World War II.

During last week’s online presentation, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the day “a celebration of courage and patriotism.”

He joins David Kong, a longtime Mill Valley resident, who received the honor in 2018. He had served in the Army in the South Pacific warfronts.

Ching was born in San Francisco and raised in Chinatown. In the 1930s, his family returned to China because the U.S. was in the grips of the Depression.

Ching served in the Chinese army after war broke out with Japan. After he returned to America, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and in training camp was recognized as an expert marksman. He was assigned to the Army Rangers who would soon fight their way across Omaha Beach in a bloody victory that led to the defeat and end of Nazi Germany.

He was among the 73,000 American troops who landed on those Normandy beaches on June 6, 1944.

Ching earned a Bronze Star for his heroic service during the war.

Pelosi noted that Ching set an example that his son and grandson followed.

His son served in the

Navy during the war in Vietnam and his grandson joined the Marines and served in Iraq.

Men like Ching are an inspiration of the patriotism, courage and dedication that make up the “melting pot” that has built and has defended our nation and its freedoms.

He accepted the award with an admirable blend of pride, humility and respect.

His advice to others is to remember, today and in the future, those who lost their lives on those battlegrounds “to preserve the freedom they have now. Don’t take it for granted.”

The medal bestowed on Ching comes 76 years after that Army ranger participated in that historic victory is an inspiring reminder of, as Pelosi put it, Ching’s “patriotism and courage” in serving his country.

It is never too late for our nation to express its respect and gratitude.