The first known American-born Chinese female physician, Margaret Jessie Chung, established one of the first Western medical clinics in San Francisco’s Chinatown during the early 1920s. Her career spanned from serving as an Illinois state criminologist to acting as a clandestine recruiter for the Flying Tigers after volunteering as a front-line surgeon during the conflict in China.
Early Education and Identity
Born in 1889 in Santa Barbara to parents who emigrated from China, Chung grew up under the constraints of the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act. After her father died following a car accident, she supported her ten younger siblings from the age of ten. She eventually enrolled at the University of Southern California in 1907, funding her education through speech contests and various jobs. By 1911, she entered the Keck School of Medicine of USC, often adopting a masculine style of dress and using the name Mike.
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Following her graduation in 1916, administrative boards repeatedly rejected her applications for missionary work due to her heritage. She began her career as a surgical nurse at the Santa Fe Railroad Hospital in Los Angeles before moving to Illinois for an internship at the Mary Thompson Women’s and Children’s Hospital. In 1917, she served at the Juvenile Psychopathic Institute of the State of Illinois. She later returned to Los Angeles to practice surgery at the Santa Fe Railroad Hospital, where her patients included Mary Pickford.
The San Francisco Clinic and Wartime Mobilization
Chung settled in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1922 to open a private practice. In 1925, she became a department head at the newly opened Chinese Hospital, overseeing gynecology, obstetrics, and pediatrics. During the lead-up to World War II, she utilized her social and political connections to support the war effort. This included secret recruitment for the 1st American Volunteer Group and lobbying for the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. Despite her efforts, she remained barred from joining the latter due to government scrutiny regarding her sexual orientation.
The Mom Chung Network
Throughout the war years, Chung maintained a vast social network of military personnel, politicians, and celebrities, including John Wayne and Ronald Reagan. She offered support to hundreds of servicemen, categorized as 'Fair-Haired Bastards' for pilots, 'Golden Dolphins' for submarine crews, and 'Kiwis' for others. She hosted large gatherings for these individuals and distributed tokens like jade Buddhas. By the end of the war, this surrogate family encompassed more than 1,500 people.
Fast facts
- Born: 1889, Santa Barbara
- Died: 1959, San Francisco
- Medical degree: 1916, University of Southern California
- Clinic location: San Francisco's Chinatown
- Notable surgical patient: Mary Pickford
- Wartime role: Recruiter for the Flying Tigers
- Civic advocacy: Helped establish the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service
Questions readers ask
Was Margaret Chung allowed to serve in the military?
No. Although she was instrumental in lobbying for the creation of the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, she was not permitted to join due to government suspicions regarding her sexual orientation.
Why was she called Mom Chung?
The nickname originated from the care she provided to military pilots, including feeding them and offering support. Some accounts suggest the name arose when she provided meals to pilots who arrived at her clinic hungry.
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