News of New York born Burmese blood Marine
ronny
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Proud B'klyn family watches as Marine puts flag on statue
New York Daily News
... Chin's father, Stanley, a hotel housekeeper who fled Burma for the
US in 1980, said he wasn't surprised his son wanted to display the
American flag. ...
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Proud B'klyn family watches as Marine puts flag on statue
By JONATHAN LEMIRE and TRACY CONNOR
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
When Marine Cpl. Edward Chin draped the American flag over a statue of
Saddam Hussein yesterday, a crowd of Iraqis fell silent - but his
family in Brooklyn went crazy.
"Suddenly, there was my son - I yelled and started crying," said
Chin's mother, Lai, who saw the moment
Chin, 22, grew up in Chinatown and Brooklyn, and joined the Marines
four years ago after graduating from the Bronx High School of Science.
He shipped out to Kuwait in January, and his family had received only
two letters from him since.
He borrowed a reporter's satellite phone Tuesday to call Fu. "Not to
worry, I'll be home soon," he told her.
By yesterday he was in the Iraqi capital with a group of G.I.s at the
20-foot statue of Saddam that liberated Iraqi civilians were trying to
pull down.
Chin climbed up and put an American flag over the Iraqi dictator's
bronze face. When that didn't go over well with the crowd, he hung an
Iraqi flag, scarflike, on the chain around Saddam's neck - to big
cheers.
Because his back was to the cameras, his mother didn't recognize him.
But moments later, she saw him being interviewed.
"I feel satisfaction that it's almost over, that I can go home soon,"
he told Britain's ITN.
Chin's father, Stanley, a hotel housekeeper who fled Burma for the
U.S. in 1980, said he wasn't surprised his son wanted to display the
American flag.
"He's always been so patriotic," he said.
Originally published on April 10, 2003
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http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/74278p-68671c.html
HOMETOWN HERO
New York Post
... Stanley, a hotel worker, was especially proud of his son given the
fact the family experienced oppression while living in Burma before
fleeing to the United States in 1980 - a week before Edward was born.
...
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New York Post
HOMETOWN HERO
By DENISE BUFFA and GERSH KUNTZMAN
April 10, 2003 -- America's newest hero is a Marine from Brooklyn who
became part of history when he draped the Stars and Stripes over
Saddam Hussein's head.
And Marine Cpl. Edward Chin's mother was sitting in the family's
Bensonhurst home watching it all go down on TV.
Laikoon Chin said she knew immediately Edward was the flag-toting
American who scampered atop the ill-fated statue of Saddam as it and
Baghdad fell.
"I knew from the way he was moving and the gestures he was making,"
she said.
She got her confirmation when the Marine turned toward the cameras and
revealed the name "Chin" on his helmet.
"I just started screaming, 禅hat's my son!' "
And she actually hugged the television.
Edward's father, Stanley, said he wasn't surprised to see his son
taking a central role in toppling a symbol of the Cult of Saddam.
"It's very much like him to be out front," he said. "Edward always
wanted to be a winner. He didn't want to be losing and he didn't want
to be in the middle."
The family had not heard from Edward - the 23-year-old baby brother of
sisters Connie, 27, and Lynn, 25 - since a letter dated Valentine's
Day.
"I'm so proud of him and what he's doing for our country and for Iraqi
freedom," said his mother.
Edward, a graduate of Bronx High School of Science, is repairing tanks
with the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines - a job for which he's been
training his whole life, his mother said.
"Ever since he was a little kid, he liked to play GI Joe," she said.
"He'd go to the toy store and pick only GI Joe."
Stanley added: "And he always wanted to be a Marine because he wanted
to serve his country."
Stanley, a hotel worker, was especially proud of his son given the
fact the family experienced oppression while living in Burma before
fleeing to the United States in 1980 - a week before Edward was born.
"He's proud to be American, doing something for the Iraqi people,"
Stanley said. "And now he's part of history."
Edward's fianc饬 Anna Fu, got a call from him yesterday morning
before his moment in history, thanks to a satellite phone he'd
borrowed from a reporter.
"He sounded exhausted," said Fu, a student at the College of
Technology, where Edward will continue his studies upon his return.
"To the Iraqi people, I would just say, 塑ou're in good hands,' " she
said.
All afternoon yesterday, neighbors dropped by the Chin home to share
that pride.
"Just to know that he's fighting for our freedom and our safety, I
couldn't be more proud," said Robert Paciello. "He's tough as nails.
But then again, that's Bensonhurst. We're all tough."
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http://www.nypost.com/news/worldnews/73183.htm