Corporal Randall Ching
Corporal, 5th Ranger Battalion. Ching was the only Chinese American Ranger who served in the 5th Ranger Battalion and the only Ranger of Chinese descent among the 6,000 rangers who in World War II.
Randall Ching was born on 21 August 1924 in Chinatown, San Francisco. During the Great Depression, he, his brother, two sisters, and their parents traveled to and lived in China from 1933 to 1941. Randall and his siblings escaped China in 1941 in the wake of the Japanese invasion. By 23 March 1943, he had enlisted in the United States Army.
Randall did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. When asked whether he wanted to be a mess cook, Randall volunteered instead to be a Ranger. For his Ranger training, he was sent to Camp Forrest, TN, and Fort Pierce, FL, for amphibious training. Through his Ranger training, he became a feared fighting infantryman, especially with his knife fighting ability and marksman- ship. From January 1944 to October 1945, he served with the highest honors with Co. B of the 5th Ranger Bn. He earned the Bronze Star Medal with a “V” (Valor) Device and one Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster during this period. (One Bronze Star was awarded for night action at the Battle of Brest on 2 September 1944.
Using just his knife not to draw attention to himself and his position, he first eliminated the occupants of a fortified position. Later that night, again with just his knife, he single-handedly took out an enemy patrol. A second Bronze Star was awarded later for ground combat during the Normandy Beachhead Landing, specifically on Omaha Beach, on 6 June 1944.) Randall also earned the coveted Combat Infantry Badge. The 5th Ranger Bn. earned two Army Presidential Unit Citations. He was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with Silver-Gilt Star and (recently) the French Legion of Honor, Chevalier. He was Honorably Discharged in October 1945 and returned to San Francisco. In 1946, he returned to China to visit his parents and met and married the former Violet W.Y. Au, originally from Hawaii. In late 1947, they moved back to San Francisco, where they eventually raised a son and three daughters.
From 1953 to 1954, Randall took advantage of the GI Bill to complete the requirements to acquire his GED. Wanting a better life for his family, he went to night school at Heald’s College in 1954, where he received an AA Degree in Electronics Maintenance. After graduation in 1959, he worked as an Electronics Technician and retired in 1990 after 30 years.
Randall initially didn't talk much about his experience or accomplishments in WWII. It was not until his son enlisted in the United States Navy and was sent to the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, to serve with the “Brown Water Navy” that Randall began sharing his wartime experiences.
In sharing his combat exploits, Randall said it was never about getting medals or accolades. It was a job that had to be done when called upon by his country in its time of need. Through these experiences, Randall taught his four children the importance of life, its values and virtues, and love and devotion to one's family and country. In addition to his four children, Randall is also blessed with seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
