Table of Contents
Introduction
Dr. Sammy Lee: Doctor Diver
Dr. Sammy Lee, an American of Korean descent, was the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal. Born in Fresno, California, in 1920, Sammy Lee enjoyed a relatively normal life in the United States until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The attack sparked a wave of paranoia and prejudice toward Asian Americans. Lee answered the prejudice he endured by joining the U.S. Army, where he served for many years as a medical officer. In diving circles, however, no one ever doubted Lee’s patriotism nor his passion for the sport. Though World War II prevented Lee ...(100 of 358 words)