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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Joseph Hong

In memory of:

Flying Officer Joseph Hong

May 23, 1944

Military Service

Service Number:

J/37185

Age:

20

Force:

Air Force

Unit:

Royal Canadian Air Force

Division:

24th Operational Training Unit

Citation(s):

1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, General Service Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. Operational Wings posthumously awarded 10 January 1947.

Additional Information

Born:

December 8, 1923
Windsor, Ontario

Enlistment:

August 25, 1942
Windsor, Ontario

Son of Mi Hong and June Chung (née Eng) Hong, of Windsor, Ontario.

Brother of Private George Hong who was killed while serving with the West Nova Scotia Regiment.

Brother of Mrs. Jean Lee, Sue, Douglas, Mrs. Ruth Floyd, Mrs. May Lee and half brother of Vin Win Hong and Tor Hong.

Flying Officer Hong is listed on the Roll of Honour at the Chinese Canadian Military Museum.

Commemorated on Page 338 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY
Calvados, France

Grave Reference:

Coll. grave XXVII. G. 4-7.

Location:

This cemetery lies on the west side of the main road from Caen to Falaise (route N158) and just north of the village of Cintheaux. Bretteville-sur-Laize is a village and commune in the department of the Calvados, some 16 kilometres south of Caen. The village of Bretteville lies 3 kilometres south-west of the Cemetery. Buried here are those who died during the later stages of the battle of Normandy, the capture of Caen and the thrust southwards (led initially by the 4th Canadian and 1st Polish Armoured Divisions), to close the Falaise Gap, and thus seal off the German divisions fighting desperately to escape being trapped west of the Seine. Almost every unit of Canadian 2nd Corps is represented in the Cemetery. There are about 3,000 allied forces casualties of the Second World War commemorated in this site.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

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  • Memorial– Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Father J P Lardie's comments as inscribed on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Joseph Hong is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Joseph Hong is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Flying Officer Joseph Hong is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Flying Officer Joseph Hong is also commemorated on the Bomber Command Memorial Wall in Nanton, AB … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens
  • Memorial– Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022

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    Memorial
    Memorial – Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
  • Photo of Joseph Hong

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    Photo of Joseph Hong
    Photo of Joseph Hong
  • Photo of JOSEPH HONG– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

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    Photo of JOSEPH HONG
    Photo of JOSEPH HONG – From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Family Photo– Childhood family portrait of Joseph Hong, mother Chung (June) Hong, sisters Ruth, Jean and May, and brothers George and Douglas.

    Details

    Family Photo
    Family Photo – Childhood family portrait of Joseph Hong, mother Chung (June) Hong, sisters Ruth, Jean and May, and brothers George and Douglas.
  • Buying Bonds– Joseph Hong, mother Chung (June) Hong, sisters Jean and May buying Victory Bonds to aid in the war effort.

    Details

    Buying Bonds
    Buying Bonds – Joseph Hong, mother Chung (June) Hong, sisters Jean and May buying Victory Bonds to aid in the war effort.
  • Photo of Joseph Hong– 17 year old Joseph Hong in cadet's uniform, with Pat the family dog.

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    Photo of Joseph Hong
    Photo of Joseph Hong – 17 year old Joseph Hong in cadet's uniform, with Pat the family dog.
  • Photo 2 of Joseph Hong– 17 year old Joseph Hong after cadet inspection at Walkerville Collegiate Institute, 1938.

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    Photo 2 of Joseph Hong
    Photo 2 of Joseph Hong – 17 year old Joseph Hong after cadet inspection at Walkerville Collegiate Institute, 1938.
  • Chinese Memorial– Chinese memorial to Joseph Hong

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    Chinese Memorial
    Chinese Memorial – Chinese memorial to Joseph Hong
  • Newspaper Article– Flying Officer Joseph Hong was a popular member of The Windsor Star newspaper's advertising staff. He was remembered as one of the leading members of his class at Crumlin Navigation School. It was noted that he was the first man of Chinese ancestry in the Windsor area to have graduated as an RCAF officer.

    Details

    Newspaper Article
    Newspaper Article – Flying Officer Joseph Hong was a popular member of The Windsor Star newspaper's advertising staff. He was remembered as one of the leading members of his class at Crumlin Navigation School. It was noted that he was the first man of Chinese ancestry in the Windsor area to have graduated as an RCAF officer.
  • Newspaper Clipping– From the Windsor Daily Star. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – From the Windsor Daily Star. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– This was taken from The Windsor Daily Star, Monday 29 May 1944

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – This was taken from The Windsor Daily Star, Monday 29 May 1944
  • Document– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Document
    Document – From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Biography– From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Biography
    Biography – From the research work done by Margaret Rose Gaunt and submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Grave Site– Grave site in France of Flying Officer Joseph Hong and the other 5 members of the Whitley Bomber shot down during a mission on May 23, 1944 helping prepare for D-Day. The inscription of Joseph's headstone says "Union Of A Chinese Heart With A Canadian Spirit."

    Details

    Grave Site
    Grave Site – Grave site in France of Flying Officer Joseph Hong and the other 5 members of the Whitley Bomber shot down during a mission on May 23, 1944 helping prepare for D-Day. The inscription of Joseph's headstone says "Union Of A Chinese Heart With A Canadian Spirit."
  • Grave Marker– Grave site in France of Flying Officer Joseph Hong. The inscription of the headstone says "Union Of A Chinese Heart With A Canadian Spirit."

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – Grave site in France of Flying Officer Joseph Hong. The inscription of the headstone says "Union Of A Chinese Heart With A Canadian Spirit."

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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