Tseng Ping

Tseng Ping graduated from St. John's University in 1928.  An Anglican university, St. John's was one of the most prestigious universities in China before the Communists came into power in 1949.  He did not want to work in his father's restaurant business, so he enlisted with the U.S. Asiatic Fleet in 1929.  He is know to have served aboard the USS Augusta as a M.Att.3c. as of November of 1936.

Tseng Ping transferred to the USS Marblehead in 1940 when the USS Augusta was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet in late 1940.  One of the reasons he gave for the transfer was that he wanted to fight the Japanese, and that he would have a better chance of doing that with the U.S. Navy than with the Chinese army.  He had the opportunity to retire in early 1941, but chose to stay in the U.S. Navy. Ironically, if he had chosen to stay with the USS Augusta, he may have survived the war unharmed.

Died: Friday, February 06, 1942
Buried at: Manila American Cemetery
Location: Fort Bonifacio, Manila, Philippines
Plot: N Row: 17 Grave: 20

ID: 04985160
Entered the Service From: China
Rank: Steward's Mate, First Class

Special thanks to David Zhu for the photogaph and information regarding Tseng Ping.

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