The heroic history of the Toy family

 

 

   

    D.H. Toy’s eldest son William and second son Grey encountered World War II’s baptism of fire and received many honors.

    

    Eldest son William K. Toy joined the U.S. Army in 1940 and underwent training in Oklahoma and Texas.  In 1942 he was sent to Panama and then to China via North Africa and the Persian Gulf.  From 1943 to 1944 he returned to India to train Chinese troops.  Afterwards he returned to headquarters in northern Burma and

 with the Chinese fought the Japanese, earning the Asian-Pacific Campaign Medal and World War II Victory Medal as well as five other awards.        Serving twenty years, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and was the highest ranking Chinese-American veteran.  He was assistant professor of military science at Phoenix Union High School ROTC and Commander of American legion Post 50 as well as Arizona Bushmasters Regimental Combat Team Chapter President.

    Second son Grey Toy enlisted in the US Army Air Corps in 1942, served in special operations, and specialized in aiming and guidance systems.  In January of 1943, he went to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio to train in aircraft guidance, bombing, and auto-pilot systems.  In 1943 he was posted to North Africa.  From 1944 until December 0f 1945, he served in China with the 14th Air Force (Flying Tigers) and the XX Bomber Command to fight the Japanese aggressors, earning the European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, and five other awards.

    In the early years of the Second Sino-Japanese War, China’s situation was extremely desperate.  The war material purchased from various foreign countries could not counter the Japanese aggression. And The Chinese Air Force suffered great losses.  After the Pearl Harbor attack, the United States declared war with Japan and became a Chinese ally.  America trained Chinese military personnel, and Arizona was a prime training site.  D.H. Toy’s daughter provided much information.

    During an interview, including a photograph of “Second Graduation of Chinese Air Force Personnel“  taken on May 15, 1942 during China’s most difficult wartime.  These trainees returned to China and joined the Flying Tigers’ flying and ground-based personnel.

    According to sixth daughter Violet Toy, as a renowned resident, her father D.H. Toy earnestly supported the war effort and invited these Chinese trainees to their home to enjoy the sweet-smelling company of his daughters.

    Some Chinese trainees even gave the Toy family photographs of the wartime activities, including Madam Chiang Sung Mei-ling’s visit to the United States, photographs which hitherto had not been publicized.

    On August 15, 1945, Japan unconditionally surrendered, pleasing all the world, and The Toy family participated in a parade celebrating the World War victory.  This photograph shows the Toy family car driven by D.H. Toy himself, decorated with red, white and blue streamers and daughters beautifully made-up and holding US and Chinese flags.

    Miss Violet Toy (R)celebrating the victory of World War II (1945).  70 years later, the author Homer Zhang interviewed Ms. Violet Toy (2015)

The author visited the Toy family four times and recorded and photographed much historical information to record the history of this heroic family. 

 

(back)