Hondo
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,655
- Location
- Northern California
Adventure thats what I love about pilots, and some Latinos complain about deserved more recognition in WWII, perhaps so but..."I don't think he cared about politics," his son said. "He said it was good pay, and he got to keep flying." this guy wasn't selfish, its a credit to his career, an honor a Vet. God bless Mr. Chew and R.I.P. 
Chinese American was WWII bomber pilot
Growing up in sleepy Courtland, Deming Lum Chew was a restless lad who stowed away aboard buses to watch Westerns at San Francisco movie palaces.
His escapades continued as a young man in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying B-17 bombers over Germany. After the war, he flew supply planes for Chinese Nationalists fighting the communists. He traveled the world by freighter before returning to Sacramento for a career as an architect.
Mr. Chew died Sunday of congestive heart failure, said his son, Terrence Chew. He was 83.
"He always wanted to fly," his son said. "He tried to get on with one of the big airlines back then, but they told him, 'We don't hire Chinese pilots.' "
Mr. Chew sought adventure early. He was born in 1924 in Courtland, where his father owned a general store and ran a bus service between the Sacramento River Delta town and San Francisco. He was 8 years old when he began sneaking aboard buses and traveling alone to San Francisco, his son said.
He played sports and attended Courtland High School until a falling out with a coach led him to transfer. He moved in with relatives in Nevada County and graduated from Grass Valley High School, where he played football and basketball.
After graduation, he joined the Army Air Corps, served as a first lieutenant and became a bomber pilot -- a rare assignment for Chinese Americans at that time, his son said. He flew many missions over Germany, including the bombing of Dresden.
After the war, he spent four years as a pilot for the Central Air Transport Co., a cargo operation of the Chinese government. Stationed in Shanghai, he flew supplies over the "Burma hump" of the Himalayas to Nationalist troops fighting communist forces in civil war.
"I don't think he cared about politics," his son said. "He said it was good pay, and he got to keep flying."
Unable to land a pilot job with a major U.S. airline, Mr. Chew earned a bachelor's degree in architecture at UC Berkeley in 1955. He spent summers flying for Hawaiian Airlines and hopped cargo ships with a buddy after graduation to see the world. He married Elaine Ho in 1959, and they raised two children.
He worked as an architect in Denver before returning to Sacramento by 1966. He opened his own firm downtown, designing mostly single-family homes and medical offices, his son said.
Except for occasionally flying a friend's small plane, Mr. Chew gave up piloting to focus on his family and career, his son said. He remained a lifelong athlete who enjoyed golf, snow skiing, football and basketball. He was a warm and friendly man who loved watching San Francisco 49er games with friends.
"He was very outgoing and personable and accepted you for what you were," his son said. "Everybody loved him."
Chinese American was WWII bomber pilot
Growing up in sleepy Courtland, Deming Lum Chew was a restless lad who stowed away aboard buses to watch Westerns at San Francisco movie palaces.
His escapades continued as a young man in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying B-17 bombers over Germany. After the war, he flew supply planes for Chinese Nationalists fighting the communists. He traveled the world by freighter before returning to Sacramento for a career as an architect.
Mr. Chew died Sunday of congestive heart failure, said his son, Terrence Chew. He was 83.
"He always wanted to fly," his son said. "He tried to get on with one of the big airlines back then, but they told him, 'We don't hire Chinese pilots.' "
Mr. Chew sought adventure early. He was born in 1924 in Courtland, where his father owned a general store and ran a bus service between the Sacramento River Delta town and San Francisco. He was 8 years old when he began sneaking aboard buses and traveling alone to San Francisco, his son said.
He played sports and attended Courtland High School until a falling out with a coach led him to transfer. He moved in with relatives in Nevada County and graduated from Grass Valley High School, where he played football and basketball.
After graduation, he joined the Army Air Corps, served as a first lieutenant and became a bomber pilot -- a rare assignment for Chinese Americans at that time, his son said. He flew many missions over Germany, including the bombing of Dresden.
After the war, he spent four years as a pilot for the Central Air Transport Co., a cargo operation of the Chinese government. Stationed in Shanghai, he flew supplies over the "Burma hump" of the Himalayas to Nationalist troops fighting communist forces in civil war.
"I don't think he cared about politics," his son said. "He said it was good pay, and he got to keep flying."
Unable to land a pilot job with a major U.S. airline, Mr. Chew earned a bachelor's degree in architecture at UC Berkeley in 1955. He spent summers flying for Hawaiian Airlines and hopped cargo ships with a buddy after graduation to see the world. He married Elaine Ho in 1959, and they raised two children.
He worked as an architect in Denver before returning to Sacramento by 1966. He opened his own firm downtown, designing mostly single-family homes and medical offices, his son said.
Except for occasionally flying a friend's small plane, Mr. Chew gave up piloting to focus on his family and career, his son said. He remained a lifelong athlete who enjoyed golf, snow skiing, football and basketball. He was a warm and friendly man who loved watching San Francisco 49er games with friends.
"He was very outgoing and personable and accepted you for what you were," his son said. "Everybody loved him."
