A native of Canton, China, Fang A. Wong came to the United States and became a naturalized citizen in 1963. Volunteering for the U.S. Army in 1969, he served 25 months in Vietnam and had tours in Germany, Korea and stateside. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Republic of Vietnam Service Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (6 Campaign Stars). During his service, he also earned his BS and MA degrees. Wong retired after a twenty-year career as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW3) and continued to serve through a company that supported the Army Software Engineering Center at Fort Monmouth, NJ.
On September 1, 2011, Fang A. Wong was elected National Commander of the American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization. He is the first minority, first foreign-born American, and first New York Legionnaire in thirty-one years to hold this post.
For more than twenty-three years, Wong has been a member of the Lt. B. R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post #1291 in New York serving as Post Adjutant from 1996 to 2009. He was honored with an Honorary Life Membership in 2001. A former national vice commander and past department commander of New York, Wong has held elected and appointed offices at every level.
Fang A. Wong has served on national veterans advisory committees and commissions and in 2006, was honored by the Department of Homeland Security with the Outstanding American By Choice Award. Through his post in Chinatown, he was instrumental in organizing relief efforts during the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. He is the recipient of the New York State Senate Liberty Medal and several military service awards including Bronze Star, Defense, Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Republic of Vietnam Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (6 Campaign Stars).
