In 1942, during World War II, Grandmaster Robert A. Trias was stationed in the British Solomon Islands. At this time Grandmaster Trias was a middleweight boxing champion for the United States Navy. During this same time a Chinese missionary, Master T'ung Gee Hsing, was seeking the conversion of the Solomon Island natives. After observing Grandmaster Trias training for an upcoming boxing match, Master Hsing offered to teach him Hsing-Yi in exchange for lessons in "American Boxing". At first Grandmaster Trias refused, annoyed by the interruptions during a busy training schedule. Finally Grandmaster Trias decided to teach Hsing a lesson in the ring. The exchange that followed was a turning point for Grandmaster Trias, who was unable to land a single blow. He decided to pursue the art so generously offered to him by Master Hsing. From then on, Karate became his way of life.

Later during the war, in 1944, while stationed in Singapore, Mr. Trias continued his training in the martial arts with his second instructor Hoy Yuan Ping at the Hock Keng Temple. Hoy Yuan Ping's instructor was Hashinosuka Fukuda, of the Tenshin Shinjo School of Kempo ju-jitsu in Japan.

Karate was first introduced to the United States by Grand Master Trias in 1945. He opened the first Karate school in the nation in 1946 in Phoenix.