BERNARD WONG (1910-1941)
"Barney"
(CNAC 1933 - January 20, 1941)
(Captain - ???)

Background music to this page can be controlled here. "Good Night Sweetheart" sung by Brent Spiner

HUGE UPDATE - Saturday, November 12, 2016 Dear Tom: My name is Lily Liu, I am now living in Vancouver, B.C. Canada. I am Bernard Wong's niece. My mother Lucy Wong Mah was Bernard Wong's older sister. I read from your CNAC web site and found my cousin Bernadine's email and some of the information about uncle Bernard and she herself. My mother had 16 siblings, the eldest son was from my grandfather's first wife, the rest from my grandmother Tam, 7 girls and 8 boys (with the eldest son altogether were 9 boys) Uncle Bernard ranked 8th among the boys, my mother ranked 5th among girls. My mother borne in the year of 1904, passed away in the year of 1983. I was 9 years old when uncle Bernard's accident happened, I still remembered when uncle Moon called my mother told her the miserable news, my mother refused to accept until next day the English newspaper release confirmed that was true. At that time, uncle Bernard only married one year had a newborn baby girl about one month old. Three of the siblings, Uncle Benjamin (he ranked the 3rd in the boys, Ph. D from Chicago, Illinois University, well known dentist in Shanghai during those days), Uncle Bernard and my mother, they all lived in Shanghai those days and were very close. Later I knew that my cousin Bernadine went back to States with her mother, until last year I read the book "China Wings" and got a clue of her and now from your web site knew a little bit more. I will appreciate if through your kindness I could contact my cousin Bernardine (her email address or home address). Attached please find the photo of my Uncle Bernard's marriage celebration. My mother said that Uncle Bernard was very close to me when I was a baby and toddler girl. So I kept this photo with me all these years. Thanks and best regards. Lily Liu and here's that wedding picture... Linda Lo and Bernard Wong probably Shanghai - 1940 We are 99.9% sure this is Bernard Wong Taken in the mid-late-1930's or very early 1940's Aviation Historian Bill Larkin says the plane is a Douglas Dolphin. Thanks Bill... UPDATE September 2014 I have been intouch with Bernardine (Wong) Bowersox, the daughter of CNAC Captain Bernard Wong. She and her family attended the CNAC Reunion in September 2014 and the CNAC Reunion in September 2015. Until very recently she knew nothing about her father. After Bernardine's mother passed, she found this photo in the bottom of a trunk. Bernard holding his young daughter, Bernardine. She was about 40 days old when her father died in 1941... UPDATE: September 18, 2016 Bernadine sent me the following e-mail: "Hi Tom, No, I don’t mind if you post what I wrote here to Bernard’s CNAC page. I want to thank you so much for creating such beautiful website for my father, I appreciate you very much!! My mother’s maiden name is Linda Lo. Her DOB: 2/15/18, Not sure where she is born. Uncle Moon told me that my father lived with his dentist brother in Shanghai while working for CNAC. My father was buried next to his co-pilot in HK. I have never met his co-pilot’s family. If my father were alive today, he would have been 106 years old. Since he is next to the youngest of 8 siblings, I really don’t believe any of them would be living now. Further, I don’t know any of his sibling’s names and birth dates. I don’t have a middle name. The question I have to ask myself is: what questions/information do I want to know about my father. Do I still want to try to learn more or not. My conclusion is: I am very content to learn everything that Uncle Moon told me about him, (I spent 4 days with Uncle Moon 2 years ago). Again, I want to thank you very much for all you have done for me. Bernardine September 16, 2016 Hi Tom, When I was around 25 years old, an older lady and her children and grandchildren came from Vancouver, Canada to visit me in Maryland. She told me that she is my father's older sister, I don't remember her name. My father is the seventh of eight children. I was so surprised and happy that she came to visit me, but I didn't ask many questions, as she seemed to be in tears when she saw me. A cousin in Chicago named Benjamin Wong used to sent me many gifts, then we lost in touch. Uncle Moon told me that my father went to flying school in Chicago. My uncle in Shanghai is a well known dentist (uncle moon can't remember his name) whom my father lived with while working for CNAC. I am so sorry that I didn't ask more questions when I had the opportunity, I was terrified by my step father, we are not allow to ask these questions, because it is a family secret, and they have wiped Bernard Wong totally out of our life, what a pity!! Thank you so much for all you do for me, Bernardine (note from: CNAC Web Editor, Tom Moore - Slowly we are putting together more details about Bernard Wong. If you have any information, please let us know. Thanks.) Bernardine and her daughter, Linda Haver, at the cemetery in Kowloon where Bernard is buried. Bernardine re-painting her father's headstone... Her son-in-law, Ken Haver, in purple Bernard is buried next to his co-piot, K.C. Wu Wedding in Texas (what year?) Bernardine, Hana Haver (granddaughter) and Linda (daughter) Backyard in Maryland way on the left - Courtney Hsieh (nephew?), Linda, Bernardine and Jay (son) January 20 or 21, 1941, near Kian in Kiangsi Province (All crew killed. Mr. Z. Kwong, a CNAC employee and Mr. Y.W. Yeh, civilian, were also killed. One traveling CNAC radio operator, P.L. Chang survived.) Plane Ford Trimotor #?? From Gene Banning's list of 8/31-00: "killed in Ford crash near Kian (Kiangsi Province) 1/20/41." The North-China Herald February 5, 1941 (Courtesy of Patti Gully) K.C. Wu C. Chen Mr. Z. Kwong Mr. Y.W. Yeh, civilian. P.L. Chang March 15, 2014 Moon Chin tells me that there were only four people on this plane. His friends, Captain Bernard Wong, Co-Pilot K.C. Wu and Radio Operator C. Chen. Not sure who, but one man was traveling with the cargo - lots of Chinese money. BUT, I need to talk with Moon again to make sure I've got the story correct. More later... Moon also tells me that in order of seniority, the first five Chinese-American Captains (checked out) were Moon Chin, Joy Thom, Donald Wong, ??? (Moon can't recall this one, but we're about 99.9% sure it was Hugh Chen) and Bernard Wong. If you would like to share any information about Bernard Wong or would like to be added to the CNAC e-mail distribution list, please let the CNAC Web Editor, Tom Moore, know. Thanks!