Vol. 7, No. 90, July 1, 2025
In This Issue…
- President’s Message
- 2025 National Memorial Day Ceremony, COL(R) Danielle Ngo, JAVA Vice President
- Correcting the Record: The Posthumous Recognition of WWII Nisei Linguist George T. Yamaguchi, Howard High, JAVA President
- My Uncle Roy Kobayashi: From Prisoner of the US to Helping Liberate the German Concentration Camp at Dachau, Larry Kobayashi
- Day of Affirmation Ceremony – July 15, 2025
- Day of Affirmation Luncheon
- Upcoming JAVA Events
Presidents Message
Washington, D.C.
I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the V-E Day Special Edition issues we shared throughout June. A heartfelt thank you to LTC(R) Bob Vokac for taking the lead on this meaningful project. And sincere appreciation to Antoinette Phelps, Kay Izumihara, and Jason Kuroiwa for their tireless work in coordinating, editing, and reviewing each submission – your teamwork made it all come together beautifully.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to publish V-J Day Special Edition to honor the end of the war in the Pacific and to recognize the exceptional service of the Nisei Soldiers of the Military Intelligence Service. Their contributions during the war – and especially during the postwar occupation – played a key role in bridging the divide between the U.S. and Japan, laying the foundation for the strong friendship and alliance we enjoy today.
On June 28, we hosted our virtual scholarship presentation, awarding 14 outstanding students. It was more than just a celebration of academic achievement – it was a tribute to the enduring legacy of the WWII Nisei soldiers, whose courage and loyalty helped shape our nation. Our scholarship program serves as a living bridge between their sacrifices and the bright future of the next generation. A huge thank you to our Scholarship Committee for their many hours of thoughtful review, and a special shoutout to Chris Ota DeRosa for her outstanding leadership in guiding the program.
Our next major gathering is right around the corner – the annual Day of Affirmation will be held Tuesday, July 15 at 9:00 AM (Eastern Time) at the National WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. We are deeply honored that Colonel (Ret.) Paris Davis, Medal of Honor recipient will join us for this special occasion. Following the ceremony, we’ll host a luncheon at the Army and Navy Club at 11:00 AM (Eastern Time), where COL(R) Davis will be our keynote speaker.
If you’d like to join us for the luncheon, you can reserve your spot here
I truly hope to see many of you there!
Warm regards,
Howard High
2025 National Memorial Day Ceremony
Arlington, Virginia
Written By: Col Danielle Ngo, U.S. Army (Ret), JAVA Vice President
On May 26, 2025, the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) was honored to participate in the National Memorial Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Representing JAVA at the solemn event were President Howard High and Vice President Danielle Ngo.
The ceremony, hosted annually by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington and attended by the President of the United States, pays tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces who gave their lives in service to the nation. Among the ceremony’s most moving moments was the wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in which national leaders, veterans organizations, and dignitaries reaffirmed the nation’s commitment to remembering the fallen.
JAVA’s presence at the ceremony underscored the proud legacy of service by Japanese American veterans, whose courage and patriotism helped shape American history — from World War II to today’s modern military.
“Memorial Day is a sacred occasion for all Americans,” said Howard High. “For our community, it is also a time to honor the legacy of Japanese Americans who, even in the face of great adversity, answered the call to serve.”
Vice President Danielle Ngo added, “As we remember the fallen, we also recommit ourselves to preserving their stories and ensuring their sacrifices are never forgotten.”
JAVA continues its mission to honor Japanese American military service, promote education and remembrance, and support veterans and their families. For more on JAVA’s programs and events, please visit www.java-us.org.
Washington, D.C.
Written By: Howard S. High, JAVA President
In the final, chaotic days of World War II—just hours before Japan’s surrender—a U.S. military transport plane crashed into a cliff in Okinawa, killing all 31 soldiers aboard. Among them were ten Nisei linguists of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS), Japanese American soldiers whose critical skills were meant to help usher in a peaceful occupation of Japan. For nearly 80 years, their sacrifice went unrecognized.
The Plane Crash of 1945
On August 13, 1945, a C-46 transport plane carrying 31 American service members—including paratroopers, a counterintelligence team, flight crew, and ten MIS linguists—crashed while attempting to land at Naha Airfield under blackout conditions prompted by an air raid alert. All aboard perished.
The ten Nisei soldiers, Japanese Americans trained to serve as linguists and cultural interpreters, were en route to Japan to support the imminent U.S. occupation. They were to be among the first Americans on the ground, bridging language and cultural gaps to ensure a peaceful transition in a devastated nation.
Yet for nearly eight decades, most of the crash victims were denied the Purple Heart—classified as “non-battle” casualties due to the chaos and oversight of the war’s closing days. Only two were officially recognized with the medal.
Setting the Record Straight
That changed thanks to the persistence and scholarship of Dan Matthews of Minnesota and Mark Matsunaga of Hawaii—sons of WWII veterans who refused to let history forget. Through tireless research and advocacy, they uncovered the disparity in recognition, documented the oversight, and presented their findings to the U.S. Army’s Human Resources Command.
Their work—alongside the integrity and dedication of Mr. Dennis Christensen of the Army’s Awards and Decorations Branch—led to the Army’s 2024 decision to award posthumous Purple Hearts to the 29 soldiers from the crash who had not previously been recognized as killed in action (KIA). These medals were awarded in addition to the two Purple Hearts that had been issued shortly after the war. It was an act of institutional humility and long-overdue justice.
On May 10, 2024, at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial, five Purple Hearts were presented to the families of the Nisei from Hawaii. The ceremony was led by retired General Paul M. Nakasone, JAVA’s Honorary Chairman and son of an MIS veteran, who paid tribute to the unique cultural role of these soldiers in both war and peace.
A Place of Honor and Memory
Among those who perished in the crash was T/4 George T. Yamaguchi of Portland, Oregon. A proud son, a quiet patriot, and—uniquely among the ten—he is the only MIS linguist from that mission buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
In December 2024, Mr. Richard Yamaguchi, George’s nephew, authorized an exact duplicate of the engraved Purple Heart and Certificate to be donated to JAVA for public display. Mr. Christensen worked tirelessly to make this happen—an act that, to our knowledge, was unprecedented for an outside organization.
At this year’s Memorial Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery—jointly hosted by the Japanese American Veterans Association, the Japanese American Citizens League (Washington, D.C. Chapter and National), and the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation—we had the solemn honor of displaying the exact duplicate of the Purple Heart Medal and Certificate awarded posthumously to T/4 George T. Yamaguchi. The medal, displayed with solemn reverence, stood as a powerful emblem of both the deep loss suffered and the enduring legacy left behind by these brave Nisei soldiers.
After the Memorial Day observance, we displayed the items alongside Yamaguchi’s headstone. In doing so, we sought to honor one soldier and restore dignity and recognition to all ten MIS linguists aboard that ill-fated flight and to the 31 brave souls who perished in service to this nation.
Preserving the Past, Inspiring the Future
JAVA is proud to serve as the steward of this medal and memory. We will continue to display it at events and exhibitions, ensuring that future generations remember the courage, loyalty, and sacrifice of the Nisei soldiers who served their country even as their loyalty was questioned at home. This reflects the very mission of JAVA: to preserve, honor, and amplify the stories of WWII Nisei soldiers whose contributions shaped our nation’s history and inspire future generations.
My Uncle Roy Kobayashi: From Prisoner of United States to Helping Liberate the German Concentration Camp at Dachau
Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Written By: Mr. Larry Kobayashi
Prelude to War
Roy (Tokio) Kobayashi was born in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, in 1922. He was one of six kids and my uncle. When he graduated from McKinley High School in 1940, he was the President of the “Radio Club” and a member of the US military Reserve Officer Training Candidate (ROTC) program.
After the attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Uncle Roy’s life changed like so many other Americans. Many Japanese Americans were suspected of collaborating with the enemy and were rounded up on the mainland and also in the Hawaiian Islands, including my uncle Roy because of his amateur radio skills.
The Formation of the US Army Japanese American 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
Uncle Roy joined the Hawaiʻi Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV) in 1942. The Volunteers were created in February 1942 by the military governor in Hawaiʻi to allow the Japanese American males to serve in some war capacity. (Dorothy Hazama, 1986). They were used to build embankments, fences and to repair military installations in Hawaiʻi.
While uncle Roy worked for the VVV, the military Governor General Emmons in Hawaiʻi was petitioned to form a special unit to accommodate the Japanese Americans in the US military. On 26 May 1942, U.S. Army Chief of Staff General George C. Marshall issued orders to create what later became the US Army 100th Infantry Battalion or the “One Puka Puka.” (using the Hawaiʻi term for hole or “puka.”)
The hard charging resolve of the Japanese Americans during the training of the 100th battalion played a crucial role in convincing President Roosevelt and the War Department to open the US military to more Japanese American volunteers leading to the birth of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and the subordinate 522nd Independent Artillery Battalion (IAB.) (Tanaka, 1982)
Going to War
Uncle Roy left the VVV and on 25 March 1943 enlisted into the Army. The military realized that uncle Roy’s skills with amateur radios better equipped him to be a radio operator than an infantryman and he soon joined the 522nd IAB, Battery C forward observer team as a radioman.
The 522nd IAB was composed of a headquarters company, three firing batteries of four 105mm howitzers, a service company and a medical detachment. (Go For Broke National Education Center, 2024)
The forward observer group included an officer in charge, radio/wireman, and an “instrument man” who calculated the firing solution. The forward observers would spot the targets, make the firing calculations and relay the firing solution. The 522nd “Sharpshooters” were known to be one of the fastest and most accurate artillery units in Europe reaching speeds of three rounds in less than one minute for each gun. (Go For Broke National Education Center, 2024)
After training on the US mainland with the 442nd team, Uncle Roy and the 522nd IAB deployed to Castella, Italy on July of 1944. During this battle, they became known as the “air burst experts” because they were able to time their munitions to explode above the enemy sending shrapnel over a wider area killing more enemy. (Tanaka, 1982)
The 442nd was then moved northwest into France where they soon became instrumental in the rescue of the Texas “Lost Battalion.” (Densho Encyclopedia, 2024) The First Battalion of the Texas 141st Regiment had been trapped in the Vosges Forest for days and the 442nd was ordered to rescue them.
During the operation, the 552nd IAB artillerymen received incorrect coordinates from headquarters which was detected and fortunately corrected in the field. Had the 522nd forward observer team not made the corrections they might have actually hit the troops they were trying to rescue, the Texas battalion. (Densho Encyclopedia, 2024) After several days of brutal fighting, the 442nd was able to break through to the lost battalion with a loss of over 800 casualties to rescue the Texas battalion of 275 men which had lost 64 casualties.
Into the German Homeland
In March 1945, Uncle Roy and the 522nd IAB were separated from the 442nd to assist in the push against the German homeland. During the next two months, they were attached to four different divisions and moved as many as four times a day to assist in the breakthrough.
In April, the 552nd IAB moved deeper into Germany paving the way for the drive on Rothenburg, Morlbach, and Salzburg, Austria. The US forces quickly overran fortifications and airfields with destroyed artillery and German military aircraft.
In their operations around Munich, they stumbled across over 9,000 former German prisoners who were being marched through the snow across the countryside. Many of the prisoners were emaciated and died on the march. Their German guards ran away or were killed. The prisoners were victims from the Nazi concentration sub-camps around Dachau. Elements of the 522nd would later run into other Dachau subcamps in the region.
Finally, after the German surrender in May 1945, the 552nd IAB was moved off their artillery mission to man sentry posts and road blocks near Donauworth, Austria to sweep up fleeing German troops. In November 1945, the 522nd IAB along with uncle Roy was then moved back to the US to resume their lives which had been put on hold for years.
Uncle Roy married Setsuko Ebesugawa the next year and had three sons. He became an air traffic controller and supervisor with the Federal Aviation Administration. He died in 1987 and is buried with Setsuko in the military veteran’s cemetery in Hilo, Hawaiʻi.
Day of Affirmation Ceremony – July 15, 2025
Washington, D.C.
World War II Memorial, 1750 Independence Ave. SW, Near 7th St. & Independence Ave. SW, Washington DC, District of Columbia 20024
July 15, 2025 at 9:00 ET
The Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) is honored to announce a landmark commemoration marking the 80th anniversary of the return of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team from Europe. President Harry S. Truman received the unit at the Ellipse, the outer south lawn of the White House, recognizing their extraordinary service and sacrifice.
On that rainy day in 1946, President Truman bestowed the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team with its seventh Presidential Unit Citation, a testament to the exceptional bravery and unwavering dedication of this segregated, Japanese American unit, which had been activated in 1943. In his address to the soldiers, President Truman’s words echoed their valor, “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice – and you have won. Keep up that fight, and we will continue to win – to make this great Republic stand for just what the Constitution says it stands for: the welfare of all the people all the time.”
Unrivaled in their valor on European battlefields and in the Pacific, these soldiers not only altered the course of World War II but also redefined the future for Japanese Americans. President Truman’s tribute recognized the pivotal choice of Nisei soldiers to serve a nation that once doubted them, challenging prejudice in a struggle that endures today. Their legacy endures as a cornerstone in the fight against discrimination and as the foundation for the rights and benefits shared by all Americans.
To commemorate this historic event, JAVA will lay a wreath at the Price of Freedom Wall, National World War II Memorial, at noon (East Coast time) on July 15, 2025, honoring the 33,000 Japanese American men and women who served in World War II.
The “Day of Affirmation” ceremony will be live streamed via Facebook on July 15, 2024, at 9:00 am EDT / 6:00 am PDT / 3:00 am HST. To watch, please visit the JAVA Facebook.
Day of Affirmation Luncheon – July 15, 2025
Following our Day of Affirmation Ceremony, please join us for a luncheon at:
July 15, 2025 at 11 AM ET
The Army and Navy Club
901 Seventeenth St, NW, Washington, D.C., 20006.
Keynote Speaker U.S. Army Retired Paris D. Davis, Medal of Honor recipient
RSVP NLT July 10, 2025
Lunch Includes:
Pre-Set Iced Tea
Army Navy Signature Salad
Field Greens, Tomato, Candied Pecans, Mandarin Oranges, Blue Cheese Crumbles, Rice Wine Vinaigrette
Rosemary-Roasted Free-Range Chicken
Horseradish Whipped Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, Madeira Reduction
Haagen-Dazs Cinnamon Ice Cream Waffle Cone Cup
Please let us know if you have dietary or allergy restriction.
For more information or any questions, please contact [email protected].
2025 Q2 Donation Acknowledgement
The Japanese American Veterans Association greatly appreciates your continued support and generosity in supporting our Nisei legacy and empowering our next generation.
Upcoming JAVA Events
Tuesday, July 15, 9:00 AM ET. 6th Annual Day of Affirmation Ceremony, WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C. Luncheon to follow at The Army and Navy Club, 901 Seventeenth St, NW, Washington, D.C., 20006.
Tuesday, November 11. Veterans Day Program, National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II, Washington DC.