Spread across Joseph Tong's coffee table insite his Clearwater apartment are pictures from his past. Some of the photos are from his childhood. Others show the now-retired U.S. Army Sergeant First Class in uniform.

“I was a good looking kid back then," Tong laughs.

Tong wasn't born in America.

“Oh, I was born in Hong Kong in 1952 and came to the United States in 1966, when I was 13 years old," he said. 

He's now a U.S. citizen. Tong grew up with his parents and seven siblings in Brooklyn, New York. As a teenager he worked three jobs while attending high school. But when he hit senior year, his grades were not up to his father's standards. 

“Back then we have those big biology books. He threw the book at me. So I went away, and there was no return," Tong recalled. “I signed up with the Army, and I enlisted.”

From 1971 to 1996, he served in the U.S. Army. But in his 25 years of service, he was never sent into combat.

“I consider myself very fortunate in the military," Tong said. 

In fact, he just narrowly missed being sent overseas during the Gulf War. 

“The closest I ever get to is during Desert Storm," said Tong. "We were watching CNN at 3 o’clock in the morning with the precision bombing, every time we bomb we go, ‘Yeah!’ So it was a 100-hour war, so we didn’t have to go.”

Tong officially became a U.S. citizen in 1973 and is proud of his heritage and journey. 

“I am American first and utmost. I gave my life for over 20 years [to] the military, how loyal can I be?” said Tong, when asked if he considers himself an American or Chinese American. 

While his life in the U.S. has been a good one, Tong does say he has experienced racism. 

“Oh, are you kidding me?" he laughs. "From day one, they, ya know school kids, they called me ching ching, chong chong, or whatever. I didn’t pay attention to it back then. I don’t even know what that is. But yeah." 

Hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased this past year during the pandemic — something Tong says he saw coming. 

“I have been thinking about it ever since former President Trump, when he mentioned China virus, and I told everybody, 'There you go, it’s started.' And mark my words, that is exactly what happened.”

Tong has not experienced any hate in the past year, but he does have advice for anyone who does have to deal with any racism or hate.

“If they encounter any racists, speak up. And I just hope for the best," Tong said. 

For more information on Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, click here.