Yankess Honor WWII Veteran Edward Chan, 97, At Game Vs. Red Sox

THE BRONX, NEW YORK — Private First Class Edward Chan, who served as an Army Medic in World War II, has followed New York Yankees since he was a boy.

The Yankees honored Chan, 97, as their Veteran of the Game during Sunday's rivalry game with the Boston Red Sox. The Freehold resident was originally scheduled to be the guest of honor on June 12, but the special event was rescheduled because of bad weather.

Chan and his brothers listened to the Yankees on the radio from their home in Mount Vernon, N.Y.

"We would cheer for the great legends of the day - Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio," he told Patch previously.

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Three of Chan's daughters were at the game with him on July 17, and several of his grandchildren (he has 12).

"Being honored as the Yankees Veteran of the Game with my loving family and so many Yankees fans at the stadium cheering me on is a special moment that I will always cherish," Chan said.

"I thank everyone involved at the Yankees organization and the Veteran of the Game LLC for creating this amazing experience and for their dedication to honor Veterans," Chan continued. "I now will have a greater appreciation for the Yankees and the sport of baseball when I watch the games from home."

The New York Yankees, Islanders, Mets, and the Brooklyn Nets participate in the Veteran of the Game program, as does the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Chan and his two brothers served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

Chan came home and became a teacher after studying at New York University and Columbia Teachers College. He taught for 33 years in Pennsylvania and on Long Island and was an active member of his church community, both on Long Island and in New Jersey.

Chan and his wife, Ellen, had five daughters. Ellen died in February 2018; they were married for 64 years.