LTC John Yen Sung Ching

Commanding Officer 1st Battalion 22nd Infantry

4th Infantry Division

1st Field Force (IFFV)

September 11, 1970 - 19 February 1971

LTC John Ching assumed Command of 1st Battalion upon the death of LTC Barney Neal in September 1970.
He relinquished Command of the Battalion to LTC John J. Madigan on February 19, 1971.

Above: A page from the Daily Staff Journal of 1/22 Infantry for September 11, 1970.
Item No. 33 gives the entry that LTC John Ching assumed command of 1st Battalion
on September 11, 1970 at 1800 hours (6:00p.m.)

Item No. 32 is the final part of the description of the incident in which the previous Battalion Commander,
LTC Barney Neal was killed along with his artillery officer LT. Jimmy Nobles.

Journal courtesy of Ralph "Bo" Bonnema Company C 1/22 Infantry 1970-1971

John Y. S. Ching was born in Wailuku, Maui, Territory of Hawaii on July 10, 1931.

The Army Registers from 1961 through 1966 show him as serving as an enlisted man from
December 8, 1947 to June 1, 1951. However, that entry may be in error as it would have him serving
in the Army at the age of 16. The Registers from 1967 onward show his basic pay entry date into the Army
as September 12, 1949. That date appears to be an accurate one, as he graduated from High School and began studies
at the University of Hawaii-Manoa that year and the date is most likely the official date of his entry into the R.O.T.C. program.

He graduated from the U.S. Army Infantry School Officers Basic Course in 1953 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant
In the U.S. Army reserves on July 1, 1953. (The Army Registers from 1961 through 1966 show the date of this commission
as June 1, 1953, but again the Registers from 1967 onward correct this date to July 1, 1953.)

Ching received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Hawaii in 1954.

He was promoted to the temporary rank of 1st Lieutenant (AUS) on January 1, 1955.

Ching was given a commission as a 1st Lieutenant in the Regular Army on February 18, 1958
with date of rank back to July 1, 1956.

On August 21, 1959 he was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain (AUS).

He was promoted to the permanent rank of Captain in the Regular Army on July 1, 1960.
Also in 1960 he graduated from the U.S. Army Infantry School Officers Advanced Course.

Ching received a promotion to the temporary rank of Major (AUS) on July 17, 1964.

On July 1, 1967 he was promoted to the permanent rank of Major in the Regular Army.

He was promoted to the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel (AUS) on November 17, 1967.

The 1st Battalion website does not have access to the Army Registers after 1969 so
the dates of Ching's permanent promotions to Lieutenant Colonel and Colonel in the Regular Army
are unknown at this time.

In the Department of State Publication 7877 of January 1982, listing the key officers of foreign service posts,
Colonel John Ching was listed as being in charge of the Office of Defense Attache at the
US Embassy in Ghana.

John Y. S. Ching retired from the Army on July 31, 1983.

Birth: July 10, 1931
Death: April 1, 2008
Honolulu
Honolulu County
Hawaii, USA

JOHN YEN SUNG CHING passed away peacefully in his home, among those who loved him after enduring
a decade of progressive Alzheimer disease on April 1, 2008. He lived 76 years: as a thoughtful, hardworking son and brother,
a loving and devoted husband, a respected and dedicated father, a generous and playful grandfather and great-grandfather,
a loyal and peaceful friend and neighbor and always committed, competitive and trustworthy in his career and life endeavors.
John was born July 10, 1931, in Wailuku, Maui, to Annie Louise Murray and Henry Yau Ching as the third of six children.
He often recalled many fond memories of growing up in Kalihi Valley where he raised ornamental flowers, fished and hunted pigs
in the Koolau Mountains and sang and played his ukulele. He attended St Anthony School in Kalihi until 9th grade and graduated
in 1949 from Iolani Academy. He continued his education at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, majoring in Business Finance
and Agriculture and also participated in the ROTC and National Guard programs. After college John joined the U. S. Army
as a 2nd Lt. in 1953. In the Army he served in Korea, Vietnam conflict three times, Pentagon, Ghana, and stationed at various
U.S. bases. Always an opportunist for adventure and learning he traveled much of Asia, Europe and North America between tours.
John served proudly for 30 years and retired as a full Colonel. Missing him dearly is his loving and devoted wife
Annabelle Kai Ching; his sons: John Y.S. (Sally ) and Jayson J.; his daughters: Jere Ching-Zuttermeister (Marney),
Julie L. Suenaga (Scott), Luana M. Kelley (Edward) and Teine K. Belcher (Edward), 15 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
He is survived by Brothers, Henry Ching and Evert Chong; Sisters, Amy Cummings, Annie Louise Wolverton, Kathleen Novack
and predeceased by Sister Elsie Conger. A CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, APRIL 18,
AT OAHU CEMETERY CHAPEL: VISITATION 9:00AM, SERVICE 10:00AM. CASUAL ATTIRE.

Burial:
O'ahu Cemetery
Honolulu
Honolulu County
Hawaii, USA

The above obituary for John Ching and his photo on the COMMANDERS page
and at the top of this page are taken from the Find A Grave website created by Meg Utz

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