Biographical Note

Tai Sing Loo (1886–1971) was an official United States Navy photographer at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.

Tai Sing Loo was born on April 4, 1886 in Honolulu, Hawaii to Sam Choy Loo and An Quan (Wong Shi) Wong, both born in China. By 1892, the family had relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii. Loo worked as a photographer throughout his life starting in 1909 when he joined Gurrey Art Shop in Honolulu, Hawaii. Loo remained there until 1919. From 1919 until his retirement in 1947, he served as the official United States Navy photographer at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and base. Loo recorded visiting dignitaries, battleships and recreational events. He also helped to break the Japanese Codes that were put into false newspaper advertisements that detailed when the attack would occur and the formations of the planes for the attack. In 1984, the U.S. Navy honored him with a calendar chronicling his career.

Some of his well-known photographs include many of surfer Duke Kahanamoku, Pearl Harbor before and after the bombing, celebrity and presidential visits to Hawaii, and landscapes, including volcanic eruptions. Tai Sing Loo was married to Florence Ngit Young Ching. The couple had four children. He died on August 26, 1971 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Citation:

Found in 1 Collection or Record: