Dr. Chung (1889-1959) was the first Chinese-American woman to become a physician. Battling racial and gender stereotypes, Chung opened one of the first medical clinics in the western United States, in her home state of California.

Nicknamed “Mom,” because of her aptitude for caring for “adopted sons”—American soldiers and actors like John Wayne and Ronald Reagan—who she spent time with in San Francisco, Chung’s medical career took many turns. She first started out practicing medicine as a surgeon to those injured working on railroads and treating celebrities in the burgeoning Hollywood industry. In the 1920s, she moved her practice to Chinatown, San Francisco, and around the time of World War II, she formed lasting bonds with many pilots, submariners, and soldiers, with whom she helped form the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

WAVES allowed women to serve in shore establishments while men served sea duty. Established in 1942, WAVES paved the way for women to take on posts previously only held by men.