Ming Chang

Ming Erh Chang (20 April 1932 – 3 October 2017) was an American rear admiral who last served as Naval Inspector General from 1987 until his retirement in 1990. He became the first naturalized Asian American naval officer to reach flag rank in the United States military. After Chang left the navy, he was the vice president and corporate director for the Pacific region at Raytheon International and then president of MEC International, LLC.

Chang enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1955 and received his commission in 1957, before beginning active service in the U.S. Navy in 1960. During his career, he was deployed on the ground during the Vietnam War with U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam, and later commanded a destroyer, a cruiser, and a cruiser-destroyer group. He held degrees in the fields of physics and engineering from the College of William & Mary, the Naval Postgraduate School, and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Early life and education Ming Erh Chang was born on 20 April 1932 in Shanghai, and was the son of Yu Ching Chang, who became a chief petty officer of the United States Navy. Ming Chang graduated from the College of William & Mary in 1955 with a bachelor of science degree in physics and then enlisted in the U.S. Naval Reserve, beginning his service on 13 November 1955. He was commissioned as an ensign in the Naval Reserve on 30 September 1957. Chang later received a bachelor of science in electronics engineering in 1962 at the Naval Postgraduate School, and graduated from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in 1974. He died on October 3, 2017, from complications of Parkinson's disease. Admiral Chang was interred at Arlington National Cemetery on March 7, 2018.

Awards and recognition Legion of Merit (two awards); Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V"; Air Medal with Numeral "3"; Combat Action Ribbon; Navy Unit Commendation (awarded U.S. Naval Forces, Vietnam); Meritorious Unit Commendation (awarded USS Rathburne); Navy Expeditionary Medal (Iran/Indian Ocean); National Defense Service Medal; Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Cuba) with two Bronze Stars (Taiwan and Korea); Federal Republic of Germany Cross of Merit; First Class of the Order of Merit Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces; Honor Medal First Class Republic of Vietnam; Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star; Vietnam Service Medal with three Bronze Stars; Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross Color); Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.