Alfred Yuen Soo

ALFRED YUEN SOO
May 21, 1922 – May 3, 2020

Our Dad passed away peacefully early on Sunday morning. He was born in Berkeley, CA to Bing Yue Soo and Ivy Dang and was the youngest of eight children. He was a third generation Chinese-American and lifelong resident of the East Bay Area, living in El Cerrito for 64 years.

Al grew up in Berkeley, attending public schools and Chinese school. As a youngster he sold newspapers in the summer and delivered them while in Junior and Senior High School. He helped his father sell trees at Christmas to earn money. His sister, Marie, remembers her younger brother always counting and saving his money.

Describing himself as “an average student in classes of better than average students”, Al graduated from Berkeley High School intending to continue his education by majoring in engineering. At San Francisco City College, he earned money with a part-time job as the school’s basketball team manager.

When the United States entered World War II, Al dropped out of school but took maximum advantage of his engineering training to work as a shipfitter to build Victory ships. He chose the swing shift so he could earn more money than the day shift and because “the graveyard shift would mess up the whole day if you had to work and then sleep all day.” He worked at the Kaiser Shipyard #3 in Richmond, CA commuting with friend, Woo Fee Gee, who owned a model A car.

In February, 1943 Al was drafted into the Army and began his basic training before being assigned to Weather Observer School in Chanute Field, IL. He requested an assignment for meteorology training, but was told that only applications for pilot, bombardier, and navigator were being accepted. Applying his engineering skills, he trained as a navigator. 2nd Lieutenant Alfred Soo was assigned to a bomber crew that flew a B-17 out of Knettishall, England. The plane was hit by flak during his third mission over Hamm, Germany. He survived after being blown out of the plane, had three operations, and was a POW for the last six months of the war. Al was awarded a Purple Heart. In later years, he participated in several oral history projects to share his WWII experiences, including the Rosie The Riveter/World War II American Homefront and the World War II Museum in New Orleans.

Through the GI Bill, Al completed his civil engineering degree from U.C. Berkeley and then was employed by CalTrans working on the construction, design, and operation of the California highway and freeway system. He was registered as a licensed Professional Engineer and as a licensed Traffic Engineer. Working as the Senior Traffic Engineer member of the Multidisciplinary Accident Investigation Team (MAIT), a program between CalTrans and the California Highway Patrol, was particularly interesting to him. Al contributed to his El Cerrito community serving as a Public Safety Commissioner and as its Chairman. He also served as the foreman on several juries.

His family was first and foremost in his life. He married Nettie (Wong) in 1949, who predeceased him in 2005. Al is survived by his children Linda Rains (Lyle), Charmaine, Cynthia Lew (Tim), Rodney (Ling), and Nancy; four grandchildren Nathan (Suzie), Megan (Bryce), Madelyn, and Gary and one great- granddaughter Xyla; sister, Marie Fong; four in-laws; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Al and Nettie enjoyed traveling, including car trips and cruises with family and friends. Special to Al were attending 388th Bomb Group annual reunions, visiting his children in Southern California, Hawaii, and Washington State, and cruising in China and Alaska and through the Panama Canal. Highlights included visits to national parks with his son and grandson, his
grandchildrens’ high school and university graduations, a plane ride in a restored B-17 Bomber with his eldest grandson, weddings of two grandchildren, and the birth of his great-granddaughter. Al looked forward to all family gatherings, especially the recent Soo Family Chinese New Year celebrations, where five Soo generations gathered for food and conversation.

Al will be remembered by family and friends for always having engaging conversations about their interests, careers, basketball strategies, U.C. Berkeley Bears, Golden State Warriors, WWII experiences, and for his love of Chinese food.

The family wishes to express thanks to his caregiver, Uinita, and to the SFVA Medical Center staff for the thoughtful and dignified care of their father.

Donations can be made in Alfred Y. Soo’s memory too:

www.388thbga.org – Knettishall Memorial