The first Vietnamese-born general flag officer in the U.S. military

In the first half of the 19th century, many people from Asia, particularly Chinese, immigrated to the United States where opportunities for employment were abundant. This was clearly a condition consistent with a nation that was growing not only geographically but economically as well. By the start of the Civil War, thousands of Asians were living in the United States. Many served with distinction in the U.S. Army.

 http://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/profiles