Rebecca Chan Chung (; professionally known as Rebecca Chan, ; June 27, 1920 – December 7, 2011) was an American military nurse who served with the

Flying Tigers The First American Volunteer Group (AVG) of the Republic of China Air Force, nicknamed the Flying Tigers, was formed to help oppose the Japanese invasion of China. Operating in 1941–1942, it was composed of pilots from the United States Ar ...

and the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. As a nurse with the

China National Aviation Corporation The China National Aviation Corporation () was a Chinese airline which was nationalized after the Chinese Communist Party took control in 1949, and merged into the People's Aviation Company of China () in 1952. It was a major airline under the ...

(CNAC), she flew over

The Hump The Hump was the name given by Allies of World War II, Allied pilots in the Second World War to the eastern end of the Himalayan Mountains over which they flew military transport aircraft from British Raj, India to Republic of China (1912- ...

approximately fifty times. After the war, she became a nursing educator and a leader of the nursing profession in

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

Early life

Birth and parents

Rebecca Chan Chung was born in the David Gregg Hospital for Women & Children (also known as Yiji Hospital 柔濟醫院 located on Duo Bao Road 多寶路 in

Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...

, during the

Warlord Era The Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1928, when control of the country was divided between rival Warlord, military cliques of the Beiyang Army and other regional factions. It began after the de ...

. She was the second child of her parents. Her mother,

Lee Sun Chau Lee Sun Chau (周理信, i.e., 周六姑, 1890-1979) was one of the first female Chinese doctors of Western Medicine in China. Education and Medical Work Lee Sun Chau was an alumna of Belilios Public School (庇理羅士女子中學). In the l ...

周理信 (1890–1979), was one of the earliest Chinese female doctors of Western

Medicine Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

and was a resident physician in the David Gregg Hospital for Women and Children at the time of the birth of Rebecca Chan Chung. Her father, Po-Yin Chan (陳步賢) (1883–1965), was a revolutionary under Dr.

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-senUsually known as Sun Zhongshan () in Chinese; also known by Names of Sun Yat-sen, several other names. (; 12 November 186612 March 1925) was a Chinese physician, revolutionary, statesman, and political philosopher who founded the Republ ...

in the Chinese Revolution of 1911 and was a Senator of

in the 1920s.

Schooling

Rebecca Chan Chung graduated from St. Paul's Girls’ School (primary school, currently

St. Paul's Co-educational College St. Paul's Co-educational College (SPCC; ) is an Anglican secondary school located at 33 MacDonnell Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong. It was founded in 1915 as a girls-only school until the outbreak of World War II, after which it was converted int ...

) in

in 1933. In 1938, she graduated from

Diocesan Girls' School Diocesan Girls' School (DGS; ) is one of the oldest girls' schools in Hong Kong, operated by the Anglican Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui () to provide a well-rounded secondary education for girls. Structure DGS is governed by the Council of the ...

(secondary school) in

, when Miss H.D. Sawyer was the Headmistress.

Career

Rebecca Chan received her Nursing training administered by the Government of Hong Kong in

Queen Mary Hospital (Hong Kong) The Queen Mary Hospital is the largest district general hospital located in Pok Fu Lam on Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. It is part of the teaching hospital of the Faculty of Dentistry and Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hon ...

, in 1938–1941. During

, in the

Battle of Hong Kong The Battle of Hong Kong (8–25 December 1941), also known as the Defence of Hong Kong and the Fall of Hong Kong, was one of the first battles of the Pacific War in World War II. On the same morning as the attack on Pearl Harbor, forces of the ...

in December 1941, she graduated in an emergency fashion, with her Certificate of Training issued by the Medical Department of the Government of Hong Kong on December 10. The certificate was signed by Principal Matron Alice Mary Davies and Director of Medical Services Sir Percy

Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke Sir Percy Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke (, 17 December 1893 – 13 March 1976) was the Director of Medical Services, Hong Kong, from 1937 to 1943 and Governor of the Seychelles from 1947 to 1951. Biography Sir Percy Selwyn Selwyn-Clarke was born in Nort ...

. During

in 1942–1943, Chan was a nurse with the

and then the

, both at or near Kunming Airport (currently

Kunming Wujiaba International Airport Kunming Wujiaba International Airport was an airport that served Kunming, the capital of Southwestern China's Yunnan province. It is located south-east of metropolitan Kunming. Originally built in 1923, it was the city's main airport until ...

Kunming Kunming is the capital and largest city of the province of Yunnan in China. The political, economic, communications and cultural centre of the province, Kunming is also the seat of the provincial government. During World War II, Kunming was a Ch ...

. She worked for doctor Fred Manget, who was under

Claire Lee Chennault Claire Lee Chennault (September 6, 1893 – July 27, 1958) was an American military aviator best known for his leadership of the "Flying Tigers" and the Chinese Nationalist Air Force in World War II. Chennault was a fierce advocate of "pursui ...

. In 1943–1944, as a flight stewardess (Nurse) with the

(CNAC), she flew over

across the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than list of h ...

between Calcutta,

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

, and

Chongqing ChongqingPostal Romanization, Previously romanized as Chungking ();. is a direct-administered municipality in Southwestern China. Chongqing is one of the four direct-administered municipalities under the State Council of the People's Republi ...

, approximately fifty times. These flights were dangerous because the propeller airplanes available at that time were unsuitable for flying at the needed heights. In 1942, Japan had cut off the

Burma Road The Burma Road () was a road linking Burma (now known as Myanmar) with southwest China. Its terminals were Lashio, Burma, in the south and Kunming, China, the capital of Yunnan province in the north. It was built in 1937–1938 while Burm ...

, so the Hump route became the only access to China. In 1943–1948, she was a flight stewardess, nurse and then head nurse with the

based in Dum Dum Airport (currently

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport () is an international airport serving the city of Kolkata and the Kolkata metropolitan area, the capital metropolis of the Indian state of West Bengal. It is the primary aviation hub for eas ...

Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...

(or Calcutta),

, and after 1946 in

Shanghai Longhua Airport Derived from nearby Longhua Temple, Shanghai Longhua Airport , also romanised as Shanghai Lunghwa Airport, is a converted heliport located south of downtown Shanghai, China, on the bank of the Huangpu River. It opened in the early 1920s and ser ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

. Her autobiography, ''Piloted to Serve'', provides details of her experience. In 1963, while serving as a Sister Tutor (nursing instructor) with the Government of

, Chung studied in the College of Nursing in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, where she received a Sister Tutor Diploma. In

, she headed the large nursing school of the

Tung Wah Group of Hospitals The Tung Wah Group of Hospitals (), with a history dating back to 1870, is the oldest and largest charitable organisation in Hong Kong. It provides extensive education and community services through 194 service centres spread across Hong Kong. ...

as its Sister Tutor-in-Charge from 1964 to 1975. In 1974, she became a Fellow of the College of Nursing, Australia. Chung was appointed a member of the Hong Kong Nursing Board by Hong Kong Governor Sir Robert Black. She was made a member of the Hong Kong Midwifery Board by Hong Kong Governor Sir

David Trench Sir David Clive Crosbie Trench (; 2 June 1915 – 4 December 1988) was a British Army officer and colonial governor who served as the Governor of Hong Kong from April 15, 1964 to October 19, 1971 and was High Commissioner for the Western Pacif ...

. In addition, she was elected and served as the President of the Hong Kong Association of Nurses and Midwives.Rebecca Chan Chung, Deborah Chung and Cecilia Ng Wong, ''Piloted to Serve'', 2012.

Marriage and family

Husband

Rebecca Chan married Leslie Wah-Leung Chung 鍾華亮 (1917–2009) in the Old Mission Church,

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

, on July 7, 1945. This day coincided with the July 7 Chinese National Day, chosen by the Government of China to remember the Marco Polo Bridge Incident of July 7, 1937. This Incident was instrumental in uniting the Chinese people to fight against the Japanese invasion in

. Leslie Wah-Leung Chung was a member of the

Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps The Royal Hong Kong Regiment (The Volunteers) (RHKR(V)) (), formed in May 1854, was a local auxiliary militia force funded and administered by the colonial Government of Hong Kong. Its powers and duties were mandated by the Royal Hong Kong R ...

. While serving as a gunner in the 4th Battery, he was wounded in action in Lei Yue Mun Fort (specifically Pak Sha Wan (Chai Wan) 白沙灣) in the

in December 1941. In August 1945, about 1.5 months after the wedding, Leslie Wah-Leung Chung left his bride and Calcutta to study Economics at

Lafayette College Lafayette College is a private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Easton, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1826 by James Madison Porter and other citizens in Easton, the college first held classes in 18 ...

Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River and the Delawa ...

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

. The newlyweds were thus separated for 3.5 years. In

in 1965–1968, Leslie Wah-Leung Chung was elected and served as the President of the Hong Kong Chinese Civil Servants’ Association. His most noteworthy contribution was the establishment of equal pay for men and women, including the right for married women to be permanent employees. Before this, the job status of a woman changed from permanent employee to temporary employee once she was married, thus losing the pension benefit. He also founded St. Mark's School (Hong Kong), and served as the Head of the Department of Commerce and Business Studies in Hong Kong Technical College (currently

Hong Kong Polytechnic University The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU or HKPU) is a public research university in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The university is one of the eight government-funded degree-granting tertiary institutions in Hong Kong. Founded in 1937 a ...

). He was responsible for starting the accounting education in Hong Kong. Rebecca Chan Chung and Leslie Wah-Leung spent their retirement years in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. They were married for 64 years. Their combined military burial took place in

Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto Mount Pleasant Cemetery is a cemetery located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is part of the Mount Pleasant Group of Cemeteries. It was opened in November 1876 and is located north of Moore Park, a neighbourhood of Toronto. The cemetery has k ...

, on Easter Saturday, April 7, 2012. Veterans of Canada, United States, and Hong Kong were present in the ceremony.

Daughter

Deborah Chung Deborah Duen Ling Chung (professionally known as D.D.L. Chung, ) is an American scientist and university professor. Early life and education Chung was born and raised in Hong Kong. Her mother was Rebecca Chan Chung (United States World War II ...

(鍾端玲) is the second child of Rebecca Chan Chung and Leslie Wah-Leung Chung. She is a co-author of Rebecca Chan Chung's autobiography, ''Piloted to Serve'', and gives lectures on the subject.

is an American scientist, university professor and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (elected in 2023). She is best known for her invention of smart concrete. She is ranked by the 2022 Stanford University study to be 13th among 315,721 materials scientists in the world (living and deceased), 10th among those that are living, and 1st among those that are female.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chan, Rebecca 1920 births 2011 deaths Hong Kong nurses Hong Kong academics Flying Tigers Chinese emigrants to British Hong Kong Hong Kong emigrants to Canada Republic of China Air Force personnel Female United States Army nurses in World War II Alumni of Diocesan Girls' School