Asian-American and immigrant experiences in the U.S. military

In 2016, UNC Southern Oral History Program undergraduate intern Tony Hong Liu interviewed June Lee, an Asian-American U.S. Army veteran based in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (June Lee is a pseudonym). Lee discussed her experiences as an Asian female in the military, which was a predominantly white, male environment. 

Lee, originally from Seoul, South Korea, moved to San Diego, California with her family as a teenager, where she experienced cultural and language barriers. She attended university at UCLA, where she had to pay hefty international student fees and realized she wanted to become a U.S. citizen. To do so, Lee turned to the U.S. military. She joined MAVNI (Military Accessions Vital to the National Interest), where she received expedited citizenship in exchange for military service. 

This is not a unique experience. Immigrants have long been an important part of the U.S. military. The U.S. has a history of granting immigrants citizenship in exchange for military service, especially during times of war or low enrollment.  

What was June Lee's experience as an Asian-American immigrant in the U.S. military like? How do her experiences help paint a larger picture of the long-standing relationship between immigrants and the U.S. military? Why is this history important, and how does it relate to the present and future? 

This digital exhibit attempts to explore these questions. 

Audio: Mapping June Lee's military journey

Timeline: A long history

More information

More oral histories of Asian-American and immigrant veterans can be listened to in the Library of Congress' collection. There are also many excellent resources to further explore this topic. Simeon Man's Soldiering through Empire: Race and the Making of the Decolonizing Pacific explores the role of Filipinos, South Koreans and Asian-Americans who fought in Vietnam and how their experiences were impacted by colonialism and race making. In Serving Our Country: Japanese American Women in the Military During World War II, Brenda Moore showcases first-hand accounts of Japanese-American women who played important roles in WWII.