Susan Ahn Cuddy

Susan Ahn Cuddy
Ahn siblings, with Ralph on the left, Philip in the center, and Susan on the right
Birth name	Susan Ahn
Born	(1915-01-16)January 16, 1915 Los Angeles, California
Died	June 24, 2015(2015-06-24) (aged 100) Los Angeles, California
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1942–1946
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	Link Training, Gunnery, Intelligence
Spouse(s)	Frank Cuddy
Other work	Library of Congress National Security Agency

Susan Ahn Cuddy (Korean: 안수산, Hanja:安繡山; January 16, 1915 – June 24, 2015) was the first female gunnery officer in the United States Navy. She was the eldest daughter of Korean independence activist Ahn Chang-ho and Helen Ahn, the first married Korean couple to emigrate to the United States in 1902. She joined the Navy in 1942 and served until 1946, reaching the rank of lieutenant. She was the first Asian-American woman to join the U.S. Navy.

Susan Ahn Cuddy was born in 1915 in Los Angeles, California as the eldest daughter of Dosan Ahn Changho and Helen Lee. In 1902, her parents were the first Korean married couple to immigrate to the United States. The couple tirelessly worked to liberate their mother country from Japanese colonization; Ahn Chang Ho would eventually give his life to that movement in 1938, after succumbing to injuries from his constant imprisonment and torture by the Japanese.

As the family established themselves, the Ahn house became a haven for many Korean immigrants. The Young Korean Academy (Hung Sa Dan) made its headquarters at the Ahn′s residence as a resource center for many Korean immigrants. Many exiled Korean patriots, including Soh Jaipil, the first Korean American citizen, visited the Ahns while they lived at 106 North Figueroa during the Japanese occupation of Korea. The third child of five, and eldest daughter, Susan always said that her parents’ sacrifice and dedication to the Korean independence cause would play a defining role in her own identity and values.