May Quan Tsang, My Grandmother's Journey, Part 4

I started to record my father, aunts and uncle's depositions to get my grandmother back to New York in order of birth.  But it was my Uncle Herbert's deposition which gave the most information (he's the youngest).  Here is his story.  His deposition ver batim.

HERBERT WONG, of 95 Elizabeth Street, New York City, N. Y., being duly sworn, deposes as follows:

1.    My name and address are as above given, though I am, currently, a United States, soldier, Army Serial Number U. S. 51141936, serving with the combat engineers, a member of Engineer Reserve Training Company, Engineer Replacement, ordered to report to Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, May 12, 1952, under orders to proceed to the European Theatre of Operations.  My rank is that of Private in the Corps of Engineers.  I have just completed a course of training as Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

2.    I execute this affidavit in behalf of my mother, Mrs. May Quan Wong, also known as Quan Shee Wong, for whose relief a Bill has been enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, that, in the administration of the immigration and naturalization 4P of the Immigration Act of 1924.  I execute this affidavit now, although I do not know that the same has been signed by the President of the United States, because of my imminent departure from the United States for service in Europe with our armed forces, as aforesaid, to aid the officers of the United States consular service and the officers of the United States immigration and naturalization service in identifying my said mother as the person for whose relief the said Bill was enacted, and to determine her eligibility for the required travel documents to permit her return to the United States.  To this purpose I affix hereto, before my subscription of this document, the photographic likenesses of my said mother and of myself, with our names inscribed under said respective photographs, and the notarial seal of the Notary who shall notarize this instrument stamped thereon.

3.    I am an American citizen by birth, having been born in New York City May 21, 1931, the son of my said mother and of her husband the late Kern Wong, a Chinese merchant who, and this upon information and belief as I do not remember him nor his death, died in New York City November 4, 1931, some six months after my birth.  I am the youngest of five children born to my said mother and my late father in New York City, the four older being as follows:  Dorothy, born December 2, 1926,; Joyce, born November 24, 1927; Robert, born January 30, 1929, and Albert, born February 21, 1930.  In May, 1935, when I was about 4 years of age, my mother returned to China, taking all five children with her.  There we remained until after the cessation of hostilities in World War 2, save Robert who returned to the United States in 1940.  In Asia, we lived at Hong Kong at 26 King Kwong Street, until about one year after the occupation of Hong Kong, by the Japanese, at which time we went to Kwong Chow Wan, now part of the Southern district of what is known as Hong Kong New Territory.  While in Hong Kong at Kwong Chow Wan I attended elementary schools.  After the war, in October, 1946, my sister Dorothy took Joyce, Albert and myself back to New York, where we lived first at 166 Hester Street and then at 95 Elizabeth Street.  In New York I attended public School 23 at 20 Mulberry Street, and then Seward Park High School, at 350 Grand Street, and finally The New York School of Printing, at 461 Eighth Avenue, New York City.  In civilian life I am a type-setter by trade, and well able to support myself.  In this capacity I have been employed by Tai Jung Press, 5 Elizabeth Street, New York City, The Chinese-American Press of 199 Canal Street, New York City, and the National Screen Service, of 1600 Broadway, New York City, by whom I was employed at the time of my induction into the armed forces.  I enclose, attached hereto, letter from National Screen Service.  Since I have been first gainfully employed I have at all time contributed to the general family expenses, including to the support of my said mother in Hong Kong, though my older brother Robert has been, and is, her principal source of support.  In the event that he should, for any reason, cease so to be, I and my other brother and sisters would be able to support her and, in the event the others could not join me, I would support her myself and do hereby guarantee that she shall, after her arrival in the united States, never become a public charge.

4.    I was inducted into the armed forces of the United States November 15, 1951.  I have at all times been a law abiding citizen, and have never been accused of, or convicted of, having committed any crime.  I am not, nor have I ever been, a communist nor a member of any totalitarian organization, or group.  Nor have I ever heard of my said Mother being other than a courageous, law-abiding person, who detests communism and who loves the United States and the America people.  At great risk to herself she preserved our papers, proving our American citizenship, during the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong and China and at great personal sacrifice she sent us all back to the United States to claim our American heritage, when she could not return with us but was compelled to remain in Hong Kong alone.  Immediately herein below are the photographic likenesses of my said mother (her’s to the left)and of myself (mine to the right), with our names written thereunder and the notarial seal of the Notary who notarizes this document stamped thereon.

MAY QUAN WONG                               HERBERT WONG

WHEREFORE, I have hereunto subscribed my name and affixed my seal.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 12^th day of May, 1952, by HERBERT WONG, the deponent herein, who identified before me the two photographic likenesses heretofore above affixed as being that of himself and that of his mother, in whose behalf this affidavit has been executed.

                                                      Notary Republic