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One of only two Mississippi River Delta Chinese classified as KIA during WWII, Tuck volunteered to serve his country despite the gross discrimination and injustices he faced both at home and in the armed services. Growing up in the Jim Crow south as the son of a materially poor but family rich widow merchant, he gave the ultimate sacrifice in the Kakazu Ridge assault on Okinawa as part of the Army’s segregated self-proclaimed “yellow brigades.” His ultimate sacrifice paved the way in both spirit and example for his siblings and countless nephews/nieces who have gone on to earn numerous Ivy League degrees and become productive Americans. As the national debate continues over immigrants, the story of Tuck and similar countless “illegal” (as defined by the discriminatory “yellow laws” that were finally repealed on the backs and lives of MLK and other pioneering Civil Rights Leaders of the 20th century) Chinese immigrants’ contributions to America cannot be underestimated – a history lesson that all should notice and learn from today.
Cornerstone of Peace, Okinawa