Susan Ahn Cuddy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Susan Ahn Cuddy
The Ahn siblings: Ralph (left), Philip (center), and Susan (right)
Birth name	Susan Ahn
Born	(1915-01-16)January 16, 1915 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	June 24, 2015(2015-06-24) (aged 100) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	San Diego State University
Spouse(s)	Frank Cuddy
Relations	Ahn Changho (father) Philip Ahn (brother) Ralph Ahn (brother)
Other work	Library of Congress National Security Agency
Military career
Allegiance	United States
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1942–1946
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	Link Training, Gunnery, Intelligence
Battles/wars	World War II

Susan Ahn Cuddy (Korean: 안수산; January 16, 1915 – June 24, 2015) was a true pioneer. She was the first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy. This means she taught others how to use big guns on planes.

Susan was the oldest daughter of Ahn Chang-ho and Helen Ahn. Her parents were the first married Korean couple to move to the United States in 1902. They worked hard to help Korea become free from Japanese rule. Susan joined the Navy in 1942 and served until 1946. She became a lieutenant, a high rank. She was also the first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy. Plus, she was the first Korean-American to work in U.S. Naval Intelligence, which gathers important information for the country.

Early Life and Education

Susan Ahn was born in 1915 in Los Angeles, California. Her parents, Dosan Ahn Changho and Helen Lee, were the first married Korean couple to move to the United States. They came in 1902. They worked tirelessly to free their home country, Korea, from Japanese control. Her father, Ahn Chang Ho, sadly died in 1938 from injuries he got while being held and hurt by the Japanese.

The Ahn family's home became a safe place for many Korean immigrants. The Young Korean Academy, a group helping Koreans, even had its main office there. Many Korean patriots who were forced to leave Korea visited the Ahns. This included Soh Jaipil, the first Korean American citizen. Susan was the third of five children and the oldest daughter. She often said her parents' dedication to Korean independence shaped who she was.

When she was young, Susan worked for her father's independence groups in Los Angeles. She went to Beaudry Elementary, Central Junior High, and Belmont High School. She loved sports like baseball and field hockey. At Los Angeles City College, she was in charge of women's baseball and played second base. She even played for the Bing Crosby's Croonerettes softball team. She stopped playing to keep her amateur status for college baseball.

Ahn Cuddy finished college at San Diego State University in 1940. She then joined the United States Navy in 1942.

A Trailblazing Career

After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Susan Ahn Cuddy wanted to join the Navy. She tried to join the Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES). Her first try didn't work. But on her second try, she was accepted! She was sent to a special Navy school at Smith College in Massachusetts. She became the first Asian American woman in the Navy. This was a time when many people had negative feelings towards Asians. Women also faced challenges in the military. She told her biographer, John Cha, "A lot of people thought that women didn't belong in the service. That made us try harder."

Susan Ahn Cuddy in World War II

Susan felt that joining the U.S. Navy helped her honor her father. She wanted to fight against the Japanese, who she saw as "predators." She worked hard and moved up in the Navy. In 1943, she became an instructor for Link Trainer flight simulators. These machines taught pilots how to fly in a pretend cockpit. Later, she became the first female aerial gunnery officer in the Navy. In this job, she taught male recruits how to fight in air battles. This included how to fire a .50-caliber machine gun in the air.

Ahn Cuddy eventually became a lieutenant. She then worked for U.S. Navy Intelligence and the Library of Congress. She also worked for The National Security Agency (NSA) in Washington, D.C.. During the Cold War, she led a special group of over 300 agents. This group focused on Russia. She even got a special scholarship from the NSA to study at the University of Southern California in 1956. Susan worked on many top-secret projects for the Department of Defense and other agencies until 1959.

Even today, Susan Ahn Cuddy's achievements are seen as amazing and unique.

Personal Life and Family

Susan Ahn Cuddy was also a trailblazer in her personal life. In April 1947, she married Francis X. "Frank" Cuddy. He was an Irish-American Chief Petty Officer. They got married in a Navy chapel in Washington, D.C. This was one of the few places that would marry them. At the time, laws often prevented people of different races from marrying. Frank also worked for Navy Intelligence and the NSA. He was a code-breaker and helped the United States support Korea. He also helped Susan's family with their restaurant business. In 1959, the couple moved to Los Angeles. They wanted to raise their children and hoped Susan's mother would accept her mixed-race marriage.

Susan and Frank had two children, Philip "Flip" and Christine. Susan left her intelligence work in 1959 to spend more time with her kids. Back in California, she helped her oldest brother, Philip Ahn (a famous Asian American actor), and her sister Soorah run their popular Chinese restaurant, Moongate. After Philip passed away in 1978, Susan took on more family responsibilities. She worked to organize her family's important records and managed the restaurant until 1990.

In 2003, the California State Assembly named Susan Cuddy the Woman of the Year. This was to honor her dedication to public service. On October 5, 2006, she received the American Courage Award in Washington D.C.

In her later years, she stayed very active. She spoke at Navy events and Korean American community gatherings. She even campaigned for presidential candidate Barack Obama. She was a breast cancer survivor and helped raise money for the cause. Many government groups and nonprofits honored her. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors even named a "Susan Ahn Cuddy Day." Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas said, "These were all firsts as an Asian American woman in a man's world... Anti-Asian sentiment was brazenly common, but that didn't stop Susan Ahn Cuddy—she just knew what her mission was."

Death and Legacy

Susan Ahn Cuddy passed away at her home in Northridge, California, on June 24, 2015. She was 100 years old.

Her life story is told in the short book Willow Tree Shade by John Cha.

Family

• Dosan Ahn Chang Ho, 1878 – 1938 (father)
• Helen Lee (Yi Hye Ryon), 1884 – 1969 (mother)
• Philip Ahn, 1905 – 1978 (brother)
• Philson Ahn, 1912 – 2001 (brother)
• Soorah Ahn Buffum, 1917 - 2016 (sister)
• Ralph Ahn, born 1926 - 2022 (brother)
• Francis Xavier Cuddy, 1917 – 1998 (husband)
• Christine Ahn Cuddy, born 1950 (daughter)
• Philip Ahn Cuddy, born 1955 (son)

Awards and Recognition