Susan Ahn Cuddy
| Susan Ahn Cuddy | |
|---|---|
 Ahn siblings, with Susan on the right and Philip in the center | |
| Born |
January 16, 1915 Los Angeles, California[1] |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942 - 1946 |
| Rank | Lieutenant[2] |
| Unit | Link Training, Gunnery, Intelligence |
| Other work |
Library of Congress[2] National Security Agency[2] |
Susan Ahn Cuddy (Korean: 안수산, Hanja:安繡山, born January 16, 1915) is the first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy. She is the eldest daughter of Korean independence activist Ahn Chang-ho and Helen Ahn, the first married Korean couple to immigrate to the United States in 1902. She joined the Navy in 1942 and served until 1946, reaching the rank of lieutenant. She was the first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy.[3] Cuddy went on to work for U.S. Navy Intelligence, and later the Library of Congress and the National Security Agency. She became the first woman gunnery officer in the U.S. Navy and the first Korean-American in U.S. Naval Intelligence by 1946.[3] She retired in 1959 and returned to her birthplace in Los Angeles, California where she helped manage her family's Cantonese restaurant Phil Ahn's Moongate until 1990.[4][5]
In 2003, Cuddy was recognized by the California State Assembly as Woman of the Year for her public service. In 2006, the Asian American Justice Center of Washington D.C. presented her with the American Courage Award.[4] Her life story is also the subject of the short biography Willow Tree Shade by John Cha.[5]
In 2015 the East West Players, America’s premier Asian American theatre company, performed “Born to Lead: The Susan Ahn Cuddy Story” in the Creveling Lounge at Pasadena City College.[3]
References
- ↑ Ha, Julia (2009). "Defining Herself". KoreAm (February 2009).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Features Notable Asian Americans". Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. District of Columbia. 15 May 2009. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Keely Damara. "First Asian American woman Navy officer honored in ‘Born to Lead’". PCC Courier. Retrieved 2015-04-12.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Susan Ahn Cuddy". Retrieved 2008-03-12.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Mother Didn't Speak to Me for Five Years…". Audrey Magazine. May 2005. Archived from the original on 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2008-03-12.
Publications
John, Cha (2005). Willow tree shade: the Susan Ahn Cuddy story. Korean American Heritage Foundation. p. 315. ISBN 978-89-953916-0-0. Retrieved 22 November 2009.
External links
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