Leah Hing facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leah Hing
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| Born | September 25, 1907 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
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| Died | July 21, 2001 (aged 93) Portland, Oregon, U.S.
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| Burial place | River View Cemetery Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Pilot |
| Known for | First Chinese American female aviator |
Leah Hing (1907–2001) was an amazing American pilot. She was the first Chinese American woman to get her pilot's license! She learned to fly from a famous pilot named Tex Rankin in 1934. Later, during World War II, she used her skills to fix airplane instruments at an air base in Portland.
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Early Life and Dreams
Leah Hing was born in Portland, Oregon, on September 25, 1907. She grew up near Salem, Oregon, and helped on her father's hops farm during school breaks. Her family was part of the Chinese community in Portland.
When she was five, her family moved to the Ladd's Addition neighborhood in Portland. Leah lived there her whole life. She was active in groups like the Tanda Campfire Girls and the Portland Chinese Girls' Club.
In 1927, Leah danced in the Portland Rose Festival. She was one of 18 Chinese American girls in the show. Two of her friends from the show, Hazel Ying Lee and Virginia Wong, also became pilots later! Leah was also one of the first Chinese American women in Portland to work as an elevator operator.
Touring the Country
In 1927, Leah and five other young women started the Portland Chinese Girls' Orchestra. Leah played the saxophone, and they had drums, a xylophone, and other instruments. Her friends Lillian Lang and Virginia Wong were also in the band.
After playing locally for three years, they joined a traveling show called The Honorable Wu's Vaudeville Troupe. This allowed them to travel all over America and Canada. At that time, it was hard for Chinese American women to find many jobs.
The band only played one song, "Happy Days Are Here Again." Even though they didn't earn much money, they got to see many places. While they were playing in Chicago, Leah took her very first airplane ride. This flight made her decide she wanted to become a pilot!
Becoming a Pilot
Learning to Fly
When Leah returned to Portland, she worked at her father's Chinese Tea Garden restaurant. There, she met Tex Rankin, a well-known flight instructor. He invited her to join his flying school.
Leah had her first flying lesson in March 1932. Tex Rankin said she was a very fast learner. He was amazed that she learned how to control the plane so quickly. She even landed the plane with little help on her very first try!
Flying for Her Country
Leah wanted to teach other Chinese women to fly. She believed women could fly just as well as men. She also thought that pilots were important for a country's future.
After Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931, a Chinese American flying school started in Portland. Its goal was to train pilots to help China in the Second Sino-Japanese War. Leah wanted to join, but her father said no.
However, her father did let her buy her own plane! It was a 1931 B-5 Kinner Fleet biplane. Leah used it to perform in exciting airshows along the West Coast. She even once landed her plane in her brother's wheat field as a surprise visit! By 1942, she had flown for over 200 hours.
Plane Adventures
Leah had a few exciting moments with her planes. Once, she hit a pothole on the runway, and her plane flipped over! It had to be rebuilt.
In 1936, another pilot accidentally crashed into Leah's parked plane. Her plane was damaged, but she was not in it. The other pilot's family bought Leah's damaged plane. With that money, Leah bought a new plane that used to belong to a famous stunt pilot.
In 1937, Leah crashed her plane while landing at the Boeing Field airport. The plane was badly damaged, and Leah and her passenger had only minor injuries.
Helping During World War II
During World War II, Leah worked at the Portland Air Base. She checked and fixed flight instruments, which are important tools for pilots. She also joined the West Coast Civil Air Patrol. This group flew missions to watch for enemy activity.
After Japanese Americans were sent to internment camps, Leah and other Chinese Americans started wearing special buttons. These buttons showed they were Chinese, so people wouldn't confuse them with Japanese people. Leah said they were "very proud" to show their heritage.
Joining Pilot Groups
Leah joined a group called The Ninety-Nines in 1941. This organization was for women pilots. She helped organize meetings for the group.
Leah and her friend Lillian Lang also worked at the Aero Club of Oregon. Leah worked there as a switchboard operator and hat check girl until she retired in her sixties. She was known for knowing "every hat that was ever bounced upon the counter."
Helping Her Community
Leah was very involved in her community. She helped immigrants study for their citizenship tests. People would go to her instead of a lawyer because she was so good at helping them prepare.
She was also the manager of the Chung Wah Hoopers, an all-girl basketball team from Portland's Chinatown. The team played games to raise money for older and poorer Chinese Americans to buy food.
A Life of Independence
Leah's sister, Lily, passed away in 1933. Her parents also passed away later, in 1956 and 1957.
Leah was a bridesmaid at her brother's wedding in 1934. She received several marriage proposals herself but always said no. She enjoyed her independence and didn't want to get married.
Besides flying, Leah had many other talents! She sold insurance, had her own watch-repair business, and was a professional photographer. She loved to travel all over the world and the United States with her parents and her friend Lillian Lang. Leah and Lillian were also famous for the fun parties they threw at Leah's home in Ladd's Addition.
People who knew Leah described her as someone who truly enjoyed life. Her sister-in-law said Leah "kept everyone laughing" and had a lot of "gumption," meaning she was brave and determined. She always did what she wanted to do, even if her parents were more traditional. Leah Hing passed away in July 2001.
Legacy
Leah Hing is honored in a mural at the Portland International Airport that shows famous female aviators from Oregon. Her story has also been featured in museum exhibits. Her very first plane is now displayed at the Pearson Air Museum.
See also
- Hazel Ying Lee
- Bessie Coleman
- Mary Riddle
- Dorothy Hester Stenzel
- Arthur Chin
- Henry Hope Wong
- Rose Lok
- Lee Ya-Ching
- Tex Rankin
