Japanese American Veterans Association

e-Advocate

Vol. 4, No. 48, June 1, 2022

74th Memorial Day Service at Arlington National Cemetery

Turner Kobayashi, Memorial Day Service, ANC Columbarium, May 29, 2022.  Photo: N. Ford. 

On a day that was the perfect prelude to summer, JAVA along with the Japanese American Citizens League, DC Chapter, the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, and JACL National honored veterans at 74th Annual Memorial Day Service at Arlington National Cemetery in the Columbarium Ceremonial Courtyard on Sunday, May 29, 2022.

The morning service opened with a heartfelt welcome by event Chair Turner Kobayashi followed by a remembrance and moment of silence for "the great American public servant and friend, Norman Y. Mineta." Turner recalled that in 1993, the first year he coordinated the service after his father passed, Norman Mineta, then-Congressman Mineta, was the keynote speaker. Next, leaders of each organization (see JAVA President Gerald Yamada's remarks below) addressed the group reflecting on the theme of Defending Our Freedoms in Adversity. Attendees then enjoyed hearing the thoughts of Thomas Kruhlak, a 5th Grader at Spark M. Matsunaga Elementary School in Gaithersburg, MD, on the meaning of Memorial Day. Sharing the seemingly abrupt move of neighborhood friends whose parents were in the military, Thomas emphasized the sacrifice of military families who must live with constant change because of deployments and reassignments. Keynote speaker Dr. James McNaughton, the author of “Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II and who also served in the U.S. Army, reminded attendees of the "private events" of the war "when telegrams began arriving at the homes of Nisei soldiers, telling mothers and fathers: 'We deeply regret to inform you....' and the tremendous loss suffered by both family and the nation with each death (see Dr. McNaughton's remarks below). After Dr. McNaughton's address, Executive Council member LTC Mark T. Nakagawa, U.S. Army (Ret) gave a special tribute to U.S. Army Colonel Jimmie Kanaya, U.S. Army, a decorated three-war veteran who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Colonel Kanaya's wife, Lynn, and granddaughter flew in from Gig Harbor, WA to attend the service. In keeping with tradition, the morning concluded with Michelle Amano, JACL-DC Board member, reading the Japanese American Creed, which was written by her grandfather, Mike Masaoka. 

Following the service, attendees fanned out across Arlington and placed flowers on over 100 gravesites of those honored by JAVA, JACL-DC, NJAMF, and JACL National. 

The program was recorded and can be viewed on JAVA's Facebook feed:  https://java-us.org/ or visit https://www.facebook.com/Japanese-American-Veterans-Association-201704733192222.

L-R: Lily Wright, Lynn Kanaya, and Howard High, 2022 Annual Memorial Day Service, Arlington National Cemetery. Photo: N. Ford. 

Gerald Yamada, 2022 Annual Memorial Day Service, Arlington National Cemetery. Photo: N. Ford. 

Gerald Yamada

JAVA President

ANC Memorial Day Service Remarks

(as prepared)

May 29, 2022

On behalf of the Japanese American Veterans Association, I welcome you to the 74th annual Memorial Day Service at Arlington National Cemetery.  

JAVA is proud to again co-sponsor this service.  We thank the Key Kobayashi family for organizing this event.

Today, we honor the soldiers who died while serving our country.  For our community, we honor the 800 Nisei soldiers who died during World War II.  They served at a difficult time in our history.   Their loyalty was distrusted based solely on their ethnicity.  Yet, they answered the call to serve to show that they were loyal Americans and still had faith in America.  They truly died “defending our freedoms in adversity.”

The sacrifice of those 800, together with the service of the 33,000 Nisei men and women who served in World War II, did make a difference for our community.  Their patriotism and personal courage forged a lasting legacy that has benefited all of us. 

Their legacy enabled these historic events:

 Japanese immigrants were allowed to become naturalized citizens;

 Executive Order 9066 was revoked and repudiated;

The Redress Commission concluded that Executive Order 9066 was motivated by “prejudice, war hysteria, and the lack of political leadership”;

Those whose lives were disrupted by Executive Order 9066 received a letter of apology from the President of the United States and a $20,000 redress payment;

The National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in World War II was built with the names of those Nisei soldiers killed during World War II inscribed on the Memorial’s granite walls;

The Congressional Gold Medal was bestowed on them by a grateful Nation; and,

The “Go For Broke” Japanese American World War II forever stamp was issued to honor their service.

This annual Memorial Day service, started in 1948 by the Washington, DC JACL Chapter, is a continuing tribute to attest that their service did make a difference.  And, we are here today to affirm that we have benefitted from their legacy.

The Nisei soldiers answered the call to serve as their way to fight for the rights and dignity of the Japanese American community.  On this day, and every day, let us embrace their legacy by keeping faith in America, as our way to fight the on-going war against prejudice, as did the Nisei soldiers whom we honor today.

And, in appreciation to all, who have served and are serving, we simply say, “Thank you for your service and God bless you.” 

Dr. Jim McNaughton, 2022 Annual Memorial Day Service, Arlington National Cemetery. Photo: N. Ford. 

Dr. James C. McNaughton

Arlington National Cemetery

Remarks (as prepared)

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Good morning and thank you for that kind introduction. Thomas, you are a hard act to follow – Good job! Thank you for telling us about Senator Spark Matsunaga.

I am deeply honored to speak here this morning on the theme of “Defending Our Freedoms in Adversity.”

I would first like to acknowledge our distinguished guests and the distinguished organizations that make this ceremony happen year after year, the Japanese American Citizens League, the National Japanese American Memorial Foundation, and especially the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA). I remember how Col. Phil Ishio, JAVA’s founding president, introduced me to other MIS Nisei and taught me so much about their history.

We are gathered here this morning to honor those who lost their lives while serving in the armed forces in time of war, especially Americans of Japanese ancestry who gave their lives for their country during the Second World War and subsequent conflicts around the world.

When most people think of Nisei soldiers, they think of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. When I began learning the story, I approached it from a different direction. I wanted to learn more about the Nisei who served in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS), and especially about the three Nisei for whom classroom buildings are named at Defense Language Institute on the Presidio of Monterey, California: Yukitaka “Terry” Mizutari, Frank T. Hachiya, and George I. Nakamura. All three had been awarded the Silver Star posthumously for valor in the Pacific theater. As a historian, I became fascinated with how these young men answered their nation’s call to defend our freedoms – your freedoms and mine. They fought – and died – on distant battlefields, and in the face of such prejudice at home.

We should remember that the Nisei soldiers of the Second World War fought on two fronts. As President Truman told veterans of the 442nd shortly after the war.

“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.”1

But this double victory came at a steep price. Memorial Day is a time for us to reflect upon the price they paid. This weekend thousands of Americans will come together in cemeteries and other public spaces to listen to speeches and place flowers on soldiers’ graves. It is an American tradition more than 150 years old.

How did Memorial Day begin? The first “Decoration Day” was held after the Civil War to honor soldiers who had died fighting for freedom and to preserve the Union. Soon renamed “Memorial Day,” the tradition quickly spread throughout the country. As the years passed, other Americans fell on other battlefields. Along with the Fourth of July and other national holidays, Memorial Day became one of the cornerstones of what some have called America’s “civil religion” – that set of beliefs and practices that are the foundation of our Republic. When we join together in a ceremony like today’s, like when we fly the American flag on special days, we are reminded of what we share as Americans, of what makes us Americans.

It is especially fitting that each year Memorial Day marks the end of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month because military service – and, yes, sacrifice –has been an important part of the story of those Americans from the beginning.

Today’s special ceremony stretches back three-quarters of a century, to a time when Lt. Key Kobayashi, who had served with the Military Intelligence Service during the occupation of Japan, organized a special ceremony to honor the first two Nisei soldiers interred here. We are grateful to his family, who support this ceremony to this day.

This weekend Japanese Americans and their friends will gather at ceremonies such as this in military cemeteries in Italy and France, in the Punchbowl in Hawaii, and in cemeteries across this great land, wherever Nisei veterans have their final resting places.

When America entered the war in 1941, it was not clear whether the Nisei generation would get the chance to fight for their country. In February 1942 President Franklin Roosevelt approved Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced removal and confinement of everyone of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast, including the citizen Nisei. But a year later, Roosevelt declared: “Every loyal American citizen should be given the opportunity to serve this country wherever his skills will make the greatest contribution....” This was a dramatic reversal of the previous policy that had labeled American citizens of Japanese ancestry 4-C, “enemy aliens,” ineligible for service. These Nisei,

fresh volunteers, were organized into the 442nd, which joined the 100th Battalion in Italy. This story is well known.

But on this Memorial Day we should also remember more private events that began a few months later, when telegrams began arriving at the homes of Nisei soldiers, telling mothers and fathers: “We deeply regret to inform you....” In September 1943, the 100th went into battle in Italy, and the telegrams began to arrive, announcing that their son or husband had been killed, wounded or declared missing. Imagine, just weeks before the Christmas season, to receive such devastating news. Issei mothers and fathers were shattered. For those families, their lives were changed in an instant.

Even if they didn’t get a telegram, other Issei mothers and fathers, brothers, sisters, wives, held their breath. Would the next telegram come for them, if not today, perhaps tomorrow or the day after?

As the fighting continued, each telegram landed like a bursting shell, instantly causing overwhelming grief. On the mainland, many Issei parents had already lost so much: their shops, their farms, their fishing boat, their dignity, their

possessions. And now this? For some, it was more than they could bear. In truth, some never recovered from the shock.

The news reports mentioned unfamiliar Italian place names: the Volturno River, Monte Cassino, Anzio. The 100th soon earned the nickname the “suicide battalion.” I don’t think that was very reassuring to the families who waited for news. But what choice did they have? America was at war, fighting what today we would call an “existential” war, and their sons, brothers, and husbands were American citizens. America and its allies were fighting to defend freedom, so that no autocratic ruler would ever again dare to invade a neighboring country. The Nisei had a duty, as American citizens, to fight for their country, and thereby to prove their loyalty and courage. They fought alongside other Americans of other colors, as well as soldiers from other nations, united in a common cause.

The families had a duty as well, a different duty, to be patient, to pray, and hope for a sign their soldier was still alive: a personal letter, a photo, a postcard – anything but a War Department telegram.

When the 100th was joined by the 442nd, the War Department telegrams kept coming, more of them than before, and some now being delivered in mainland camps, with names most Americans had never heard of: Manzanar, Heart Mountain, Jerome, Tule Lake. Names that every American can now read on the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism, not far from here. News from the battle front mentioned more unfamiliar place names: Belvedere, Bruyères, Biffontaine, the Vosges Mountains, and the Po River Valley. In some of the most intense fighting of the war, in eastern France, the 100th and 442nd suffered a combined total of more than a thousand battle casualties, including 200 dead or missing and more than 800 wounded.

And from across the Pacific, other telegrams, in smaller numbers, brought tragic news from unfamiliar placenames like New Guinea, Leyte, Luzon, Okinawa to the families of MIS Nisei. With little public recognition, MIS Nisei were likewise paying in blood to defend our freedoms.

Each soldier lost was a terrible tragedy for his family. But it was just as much a loss to our nation. How many future teachers and business owners, doctors and lawyers, did we lose? How many other Spark Matsunaga’s did we lose, who could have dedicated their lives to public service, to making America “a more perfect union”? How many great Americans like Jimmie Kanaya, who fought with the 442nd, survived a German prisoner of war camp, and went on to serve 34 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of colonel. We will hear more about his story in a few minutes. We can never fully calculate the cost. Each was a unique individual, with unique gifts and a promising future cut

short.

By the time the war ended, Japanese American families shared their sorrow with thousands of other grieving American families. Here in Washington, DC, President Truman honored what remained of the 100th and 442nd with their seventh Presidential Unit Citation. But by then, there were many gaps in the ranks. The Nisei soldiers and their families had paid a high price.

After the war, other Americans of Japanese descent donned the uniform to fight America’s wars in other distant lands, such as in Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, following in the footsteps of the original Nisei soldiers.

Since 1945, our country has honored the Nisei soldiers of the Second World War with military awards too many to count, from the Purple Heart to the Medal of Honor, with monuments, parades, a stamp, Hollywood movies, museum exhibits, and a few years ago the Congressional Gold Medal.

But in my mind, the most meaningful tribute the nation can pay to each fallen soldier is a simple soldier’s headstone in a place of honor such as we see here today. Arrayed in straight rows like soldiers in formation, we can see each name, but together we also see them as a proud part of American history. The Nisei soldiers who lie here today became part of the American story. They rest in the company of other loyal men and women who served before them, and those who served after the seven Issei seamen whose names are inscribed on the USS Maine monument just uphill from us; those who died fighting for freedom in Korea and Vietnam; and those who fell in later conflicts. They are part of what makes America, America. All Americans give them our heartfelt thanks for their service and sacrifices.

Their example of patriotism and valor is an inspiration to all Americans to continue defending our freedoms in the face of whoever threatens our nation or seeks to divide us, to defend this great nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

I would like to close with the words of Senator Spark Matsunaga, who spoke at a ceremony held here in Arlington on Memorial Day in June 1963. He said:

“If we the living, the beneficiaries of their sacrifices, are truly intent upon showing our gratitude, we must do more than gather together for speech-making and perfunctory ceremonies. We must undertake to carry on the unfinished work which they so nobly advanced. The fight against prejudice is not confined to the battlefield alone. It is still here and now with us.”2

1 Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953 (Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office, 1966), 15 July 1946, https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/library/publicpapers/170/remarks-upon-presenting-citation-nisei-regiment.

2 Rep. Spark M. Matsunaga, remarks at Arlington National Cemetery, June 2, 1963, printed in the Congressional Record – House (June 11, 1963): 10666.

Legacy Faces among WWII Nisei Portraits in The Go For Broke Spirit Photo Exhibit

JICC Exhibit Poster, Honoring The Go For Broke Spirit. Poster Designed By: Olivia Solley. 

As viewers consider why the Nisei WWII veterans chose to serve their Country despite the intense discrimination they and their families faced, many of whom were imprisoned behind barbed wire in internment camps, their stories affirm the words of President Harry S. Truman to the returning Nisei soldiers at the end of WWII, “You fought not only the enemy abroad, but you fought prejudice at home – 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.”

While Sato’s portraits mainly feature images of Japanese American WWII veterans, he has included five additional portraits for the DC exhibit of Japanese Americans from the Washington, DC area who served in more recent U.S. conflicts including Vietnam, the Gulf Wars, and Afghanistan.  They followed in the footsteps of the Nisei soldiers’ WWII exceptional service that opened opportunities and paved the way for other Japanese Americans. Sato’s additional portraits include GEN Paul M. Nakasone, USA; LTG Michael K. Nagata, USA (Ret); RADM Mel Chiogioji, USN (Ret); LTC Rodney S. Azama, USA (Ret); and CPT Wade Ishimoto, USA (Ret).

The exhibition runs from June 9 to July 22, 2022, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday to Friday. Admission is free. The JICC will have special gallery hours from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Saturday, June 11, 2022, and invite the public to hear Shane Sato speak at 2:00 pm about his work and the specific portraits on view. The program will be free, and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

The portraits on view at the JICC are taken from Shane Sato’s hardcover books, The Go For Broke Spirit: Portraits of Courage and The Go For Broke Spirit: Portraits of Legacy. In addition to inspiring you, these coffee table books make handsome gifts. From June 9 to June 11, Mr. Sato will be at the JICC to sign his books. Shane’s books are $60.00 each or $110.00 for both volumes on Sato’s website https://www.thegoforbrokespirit.com/jiccjava. 

For more information about Shane Sato’s work, please visit the website - https://www.thegoforbrokespirit.com/; Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/goforbrokespirit/; and Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/goforbrokespiritbook/?hl=en.

The exhibit is co-sponsored by the Japanese American Veterans Association through contributions from Glen S. Fukushima and Dr. Thomas Yoshikawa, Japan Information & Culture Center, the Veterans Memorial Court Alliance through a grant from the Japanese American Community Foundation, and Mr. Shane Sato.

 Day of Affirmation Dinner at National Museum of the U.S. Army

July 16, 2022

National Museum of the U.S. Army, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Photo: Howard High. 

The Japanese American Veterans Association

Invites You to Celebrate

Day of Affirmation Dinner 

Saturday, July 16, 2022

4:30 pm to 8:30 pm

National Museum of the U.S. Army

 Fort Belvoir, VA 

Cocktails: 5:00 pm

Dinner: 6:00 pm

Presentation: 7:00 pm

 LTC Robert Vokac, USA (Ret), will Share Memories from his Grandfather, U.S. Army Colonel Virgil R. Miller, of Commanding the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

RSVP by June 30, 2022

Business Attire   I   $150 Per Ticket

*Attendees are asked to arrive by 4:30 pm to clear security before the museum stops admitting at 4:45 pm. All guests will be allowed to visit and tour the museum at any time on Saturday, July 16th at no extra charge.

Day of Affirmation Activities

Day of Affirmation Ceremony - Friday, July 15 at 12:00 o'clock, noon, at the National WWII Memorial on the Mall. JAVA will commemorate the 1946 triumphant return of the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team from the battlefields in Europe to Washington, DC where they were received by President Harry Truman and presented the seventh presidential unit citation. 

For this year’s ceremony, LTC Robert Vokac, USA (Ret), will serve as the wreath escort. He is a grandson of COL Virgil Miller, who was the commanding officer of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team beginning with the battle to save the Texas Lost Battalion. One of the two wreath bearers will be Sandra Tanamachi, whose uncle, Saburo Tanamachi, was killed in action while serving with the 442nd RCT in its efforts to save the Texas Lost Battalion and is the first Japanese American to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. COL Miller was one of the pallbearers at Saburo Tanamachi's service at Arlington. The other wreath bearer will be Missy Higgins Abrunzo, whose father, Marty Higgins, was the commanding officer of the Texas Lost Battalion at the time the 442nd RCT rescued it. Later, Higgins helped to lobby Congress for passage of the Immigration Act of 1952 which granted citizenship to the Issei or Japan-born parents of the Japanese Americans.

All are welcome to attend this year’s program in person; the program will also be livestreamed.

The Go For Broke Spirit Photo Exhibit - Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC), 1150 18th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. Exhibit features images of Japanese American veterans who served during World War II by Shane Sato, a photographer based in Los Angeles, CA. The exhibit runs from June 9-July 22, Monday-Friday.

National Museum of U.S. Army - Saturday, July 16 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, all dinner attendees will be on a guest list for admission on Saturday, May 16. For more information about the museum collection or for tickets to visit on a different day see the website www.thenmusa.org. 

Glen S. Fukushima Donates $1M to the Japan Fulbright Commission

Glen Fukushima meets President Biden in Tokyo.  US Ambassador Emanuel is at center.  Photo: Courtesy of U.S. Embassy, Tokyo.

U.S. Embassy, Tokyo Press Release

Tokyo, Japan.  On May 22, during U.S. President Biden’s trip to Tokyo, Glen S. Fukushima, Vice Chairman of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, announced to the President the establishment of the Fulbright-Glen S. Fukushima Fund through a $1 million donation to expand study and research opportunities for Japanese and Americans. This is the largest single donation ever made by a U.S. citizen to the U.S.-Japan Fulbright exchange program.

U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel welcomed Mr. Fukushima’s generous commitment to promote education exchange: “The timing of the announcement during President Biden’s historic visit to Japan demonstrates the important role that individuals such as Mr. Fukushima play in strengthening the U.S.-Japan Alliance. Opportunities like this one serve as a down payment on the future of our peoples by enabling them to realize their academic aspirations.”

In announcing his commitment to President Biden, Mr. Fukushima commented, “I am pleased to have this opportunity give back to the Fulbright Program, from which I benefited greatly when I was a Fulbright Fellow from Harvard University at the University of Tokyo in 1982-1983. President Biden’s visit to Japan is the perfect occasion to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Fulbright Japan, and I hope my modest donation will contribute to promoting U.S.-Japan intellectual, educational, and cultural exchange.”

Mr. Fukushima is an alum of the U.S.-Japan Fulbright exchange program, and his donation is one of the largest ever made by an individual to the Fulbright program globally. The new Fund represents a major step forward for educational opportunities between the United States and Japan by supporting higher education. Educational exchange is a cornerstone of the rich people-to-people ties that underpin the U.S.-Japan friendship and Alliance.

Currently in its 70th year, the Fulbright program in Japan has produced six Nobel Prize winners and boasts of close to 10,000 alumni who have made important and lasting contributions in their respective fields. Fulbright enables recipients to pursue academic study and research, while also developing leaders who can contribute to promoting mutual understanding between the United States and Japan. Like all Fulbright grants, those awarded through the Fulbright-Glen S. Fukushima Fund will be through an open and merit-based selection process.

For more information on the Fulbright program, please visit the Japan-U.S. Educational Commission’s webpage at www.fulbright.jp .

SIPC Welcomes Glen S. Fukushima as Vice Chair of Board of Directors

SIPC Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC – April 11, 2022 – Glen S. Fukushima has been named to the Board of Directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), which maintains a special reserve fund authorized by Congress to help investors at failed brokerage firms. 

Lynn Mariano, JAVA's Hawai'i Regional Representative, Receives Colonel Charlie Norton Award at Special Forces Association Chapter XI Dinner 

Major Lynn Mariano, U.S. Army (Ret), accepts Colonel Charlie Norton Award at the Annual Special Forces Association Chapter XI Black Tie Dinner, May 6, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of L. Mariano. 

Major Lynn Mariano, U.S. Army (Ret), JAVA's Hawai'i Regional Representative, was honored for his exceptional leadership at the Annual Special Forces Association (SFA) Chapter XI Black Tie Dinner held at the Army / Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA, on May 6, 2022. Colonel Charlie Norton, U.S. Army (Ret) was President Emeritus and Founder of the SFA Ch XI. LTC Ray Oden, USA (Ret), who spoke at JAVA's 2021 Summer Quarterly luncheon is the current President of SPA Ch XI. Virginia "Ginny" Norton, SFA Ch XI Secretary praised Lynn's clear-minded guidance of the group and then presented him with the COL Charlie Norton Award (see remarks below). JAVA President Gerald Yamada was also in attendance. 

Remarks By

Virginia "Ginny" Norton

Special Forces Association Chapter XI Secretary

(as prepared)

It is my honor and pleasure to present the Norton Award.

The award is named in honor of my husband, Charles W. Norton, Jr.  He was a founding member of Chapter XI and later a two-term President of the Chapter.  The award is given for exceptional leadership of and in the Chapter.

This year’s awardee is well chosen.   If I tell you why, most everyone will guess, so let me just call him up and then tell you why he is this year’s awardee.

Lynn Mariano, please join me up here.

Just over a decade ago the chapter went through a contentious and very unsettling time. The President at that time ignored the SFA constitution and bylaws and presented a method of election that guaranteed he and his chosen few would be elected. When called out on this, the chapter voted down his “proposal”, he metaphorically picked up his marbles and went home.  He quit the chapter taking a dozen or more members with him.

Angst and dismay are too mild to describe how the remaining members felt.  And no one wanted to take on the problems. Lynn stepped up and volunteered. He was the right man at the right time to lead the chapter. His calm and steady leadership along with his tact in dealing with the problems the rift created enabled to chapter to right itself and maintain an even keel.

Today the chapter is as strong as ever due to Lynn.

On a personal note I can attest to the fact that he went above and beyond the call of duty as President.  When Charlie died Lynn was a tremendous help to me and our family.  And, no, I was not a member of the selection committee.  Although I agree whole heartedly with their selection!

Lynn, please accept this well deserved award and congratulations.

Virginia "Ginny" Norton, SFA Ch XI Secretary and Widow of COL Charlie Norton, U.S. Army (Ret), Major Lynn Mariano, U.S. Army (Ret), and LTC Ray Oden, U.S. Army (Ret) at SFA Ch XI Annual Black Tie Dinner, May 6, 2022.  Photo: Courtesy of L. Mariano. 

42nd Anniversary

"Operation Eagle Claw" and Letter of Appreciation 

Eagle Claw mission members and an Iranian Hostage. L-R:  Guy Chapman, Steve Wright, Wade Ishimoto, Paul Zeisman, Billy Gallegos (hostage), Mel Wick, Jorge Torres-Cartagena, Jim Magee, Nick Nickel. Photo: Courtesy of Wade Ishimoto.

On April 20, 2022, Wade Ishimoto organized and led a panel discussion commemorating the 42nd Anniversary of "Operation Eagle Claw."  Eagle Claw was the attempt to rescue 53 American hostages held in Tehran, Iran, in April 1980. The mission was aborted due to the lack of helicopters to continue.  Five Air Force and three Marines were killed when a helicopter inadvertently crashed into a C-130 after the mission was aborted. Over 400 people attended the presentation at the U.S. Army Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, NC.  A heart-warming letter was received in the aftermath from the family of Colonel Lee Holland, who was the Army Attache in the Embassy and taken hostage. The COL Holland's letter is below.

TO: Mission Members of Operation Eagle Claw.

FROM: The family of Col. Leland J. Holland, Former American Hostage

            The family of James M. Brinkmann II

            On April 20^th, I had the privilege of attending your presentation at the Airborne & Special Forces Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, regarding Operation Eagle Claw. From start to finish, your shared stories, honesty, facts and candid conversations were both moving and eye-opening.

            I was present, representing my father, our family, and my deceased husband James M. Brinkmann Sr. I was impressed from the time I stepped out of my car, through the time I sat listening to the initial presentation and panel discussion. The second presentation was as powerful as the first. It was extraordinary to put faces to some of the bravest people I never had the privilege to know.

            I was working in Washington, D.C. at the time the Embassy fell. My mother received a call from the son of Col. Tom Schafer, USAFDAT at the US Embassy. He informed us of the situation, as best he knew. A short time later, we received a call from the US Army.

            During the next 444 days, as you well know, the world changed. Our family’s lives were forever altered. My father’s life would never be the same again. My husband returned home with shadows in his eyes. Never to discuss where he had been.

            As we waited, day after day, for news. The news found us. The first I heard about Operation Eagle Claw, was the same as the rest of the world. Our family had been assigned a New York Times reporter, Karen Dewitt. She came to my workplace and asked me what I thought of the failed rescue mission. My reply was simple. President Carter had to try, he had to do something. To do nothing was not an option.

            We wept for the Mission members who were lost. For those who returned home, we said prayers that your Members would endure. Confident that you would learn from the experience and if possible, try again to rescue the Hostages.

            We believed in your Mission. We believed it was a true cause. Though we didn’t know any of you, we believed in each of you.

            After the Hostages were released, coming home was not the end of the story. My father, strong as he was, suffered greatly at the hands of his captors. Nine months in solitary confinement in Evin Prison, left him with scars aplenty. What it also left him with was a sincere determination to resume his life, and his military career.

            He succeeded. He shared his stories with many, but some stories he kept for his family. One story he shared was about a series of brutal interrogations. At lulls in the worst of his torture, his captors would berate him, trying to make him believe that the United States had forgotten him and the rest of the Hostages. That they would live their lives out as Hostages in Iran until they were found guilty of crimes against Iran, and executed. Or to be Forgotten, forsaken by their own country. Yet with each session, he challenged his captors. Calling them liars and fools. Idiots and … well, some things that do not bear repeating. When his captors questioned his certainty of his charges against them, my father explained that America would never forget them. That they would never leave, not one, of the Hostages in Iran. That America would one day come for them. That they would go home and Iran would be left to rot. It would be Iran that would be forsaken. Forgotten.

            Be assured, our father NEVER doubted that a rescue mission would be attempted. He just needed to stay ready for when the time came. Though he may not have known you, he believed in every one of you, and of Operation Eagle Claw, though he knew not the Mission’s name.

            On behalf of our family, living and those passed, we thank you all, the Members of Operation Eagle Claw, for your dedication to your duty to the United States of America. And,

FOR HAVING THE GUTS TO TRY

You will ever be heroes to us.

Respectfully, and with great pride,

The family of Colonel, Leland James Holland

The family of James Michael Brinkmann, Sr.        

P.S.: Be it known, that a florist in a small town in southern Maryland, from 1988 until 2015, every year that we lived there, without fail would donate floral wreaths, so when we could coordinate the trip, my friends and family would then take them to Arlington Cemetery to be placed at the Iran Rescue Mission Memorial as well as their mass grave adjacent to the Memorial. Along with wreaths for my father’s grave in Section 7A.

The small town in southern Maryland, never forgot the 53 American Hostages or the “Rescue Attempt” as they named it.

On May 17, 2022, Wade Ishimoto was a guest speaker for the U.S. Department of Education on a nationwide teleconference hosted by U.S. Department of Education employees Michael Chang and Amy Yamashiro. Wade discussed that it was the bravery and sacrifices of those in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service of Nisei descent that really paved the way for progress in the Americans of Japanese Ancestry community versus other court rulings.  He also commented on his life growing up in a diverse community and how he encountered racial prejudice after retiring from the U.S. Army. He left the audience with some words of advice: avoid stereotyping; remember that you are an American first; stay involved in our country through military, national, and public service; and build extended families that are diverse.

[Ed Note: Thank you to Wade Ishimoto for submitting both articles.]

WWII 100^th Battalion Veterans Connect

Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura 

Hershey with President and Mrs. Bush, Marianne and Mike Miyamura. Photo: Courtesy of Mike Miyamura.

By Peggy Mizumoto

The stars came together, when Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura traveled to attend the March 25, 2022 groundbreaking ceremony for the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas.

Hershey joined 14 other Medal of Honor (MOH) recipients at this event. Sixty-six are alive today. The MOH heroes who were present served with incredible valor in Afghanistan, Vietnam, Korea, and Iwo Jima. On November 15, 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed into law the March 25th as National Medal of Honor Day which made it most meaningful to have President George W. Bush and Mrs. Bush present for this historic groundbreaking event on March 25, 2022. 

Link to full ceremony: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGcb6hPzr4A

March 25, 2022 groundbreaking ceremony for the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas. Photo: Courtesy of Mike Miyamura.

Some may know that Hershey also served in the 100th Battalion at the end of WWII, prior to his heroic service in the Korean War. Hershey was held back from going overseas with the 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, initially due to not meeting the age requirement. Before being assigned to D Company, Hershey was actually in A Company, as were Mano, Don and Toke.  As a result of knowing this special coincidence, it was a hope and priority to connect these four patriots, if at all possible, while Hershey was in California. Over a couple online meetings, Hershey, Mano, Don and Toke were able to video chat and ask each other questions about training, going overseas, locations and times of their combat service and return, officers, medics and comrades.  When Hershey described returning with the ” 442 colors”, Don and Toke said they were on the same ship. (On a side note, Hershey believes it likely that he was in Lecco, Italy, when my Dad, Robert Katsumi Mizumoto, C Company, was there.)

Zoom Participants: Hershey and Mike Miyamura, Don Miyada, Toke Yoshihashi, Peggy Mizumoto, Leslie Sakato, Susan and Scott Takahashi, Gigi McPhee and Mano Kawahara, Lynn and Mike Mori. Photo: Courtesy of Peggy Mizumoto.

On this trip west, to our great delight, Hershey spent time in California with family and friends, including his close friend, Vietnam Veteran, Ken Hayashi. We enjoyed a memorable afternoon reconnecting, laughing and reminiscing. To describe it as special is quite an understatement.

Hayashi Family L-R: Elias, Kimberly, Ken, Colleen, Cory, and Kristyn with Hershey in center. Photo: Courtesy of Peggy Mizumoto.

It is my special honor to call these men my friends. These modest combat veterans are so generous with sharing some of their challenging and heartbreaking wartime memories as well as being role models for patriotism, duty, courage, respect for the chain of command, and love of country.  

For more background, this link is to a dramatization of part of Hershey’s Korean War experience: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmYL2z5YK5U

This link is to a video record of some of Hershey’s own remembrances:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvUycZhp2U4

[Ed Note: Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura is an Honorary JAVA Chair. Also, thank you to Peggy Mizumoto for submitting the article.]

Tak Furumoto Marches In NYC's Inaugural Japan Parade

May 14, 2022

JAVA Member and Vietnam veteran Tak Furumoto salutes in Japan Parade, May 14, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of T. Furumoto. 

New York, NY.  JAVA Member Tak Furumoto proudly took to the streets to march in the first Japan Parade on Saturday, May 14, 2022. The parade, which featured George Takei as Grand Marshall, celebrated Japanese culture and showcased the area's Japanese American community, including those in the military. 

Furumoto, a Vietnam veteran, was escorted by Army troops and is forever grateful to David Iwata for use of the insignia for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. "We displayed the banner of 442nd/100 Battalion. This was met with rousing ovation all the way thru the Parade route-it was overwhelming, like being paraded thru the CANYONS OF HEROES." 

For more photos of the NYC Japan Parade see coverage by the Star-Advertiser at https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/05/14/photo-gallery/new-york-city-celebrates-japan-day-with-first-ever-parade/.

Inaugural Japan Parade, New York City, May 14, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of T. Furumoto.  

100th Bn/ 442nd RCT flag in Inaugural Japan Parade, New York City, May 14, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of T. Furumoto.  

[Ed Note: Thank you to Tak Furumoto for submitting article and photo.]

Three Japanese Americans are Among Five Slated to Receive Upgrades to Medal of Honor for

Korean and Vietnam Wars  

By JRT Research Team

Washington, DC.  President Joseph Biden signed the 2022 National Defense Authorization Bill which contained a provision for five Distinguished Service Crosses (DSC), including three designated for presentation to Japanese Americans, to be upgraded to Medals of Honor (MOH). Additional processing of paperwork is required before the President can present the MOH to the soldiers or their families.  If all three are approved for the upgrade this would raise the Korean War Americans of Japanese Ancestry Medal of Honor count to two and the Vietnam War count to three. During WW II,  21 Nisei received the Medal of Honor.

SP-5 Dennis M. Fujii. Photo: Courtesy of Dennis Fujii.

The DSC citation for SP-5 Dennis M. Fujii, dated March 20, 1971, said Fujii, who was born in Hanapepe, Kauai, Hawaii, was assigned as crew chief of a helicopter Medical Evacuation Team of the 237th Medical Detachment. During the period February 18-22, 1971, his team's mission was to evacuate wounded South Vietnamese military personnel from Communist-held territory in Laos, part of the former French Indochina. When the helicopter attempted to land, the enemy attacked with overwhelming firepower, damaging the helicopter, and wounding the pilot and Fujii.

A second helicopter landed safely and the wounded and the crew members of the downed helicopter were piled into it and left without Fujii because the enemy was too close. Another helicopter was preparing to rescue Fujii, however, using South Vietnamese commo, Fujii declined saying enemy firepower was too intense to attempt a rescue and the South Vietnamese troops needed a medic. Using his M-16 rifle, Fujii spent the night and the next day helping stave off the enemy while at the same time administering medical aid to South Vietnamese soldiers. At Fujii's request, the Americans responded with artillery and AC 130, and helicopter gunships. This caused the remaining North Vietnamese troops to retreat

The 150 SVN troops and Fujii were successfully helicoptered out of the battlefield.  However, the helicopter Fujii was in was damaged by enemy fire during the getaway, so had to make a crash landing at Ranger South in Laos.  Fujii's heroic deed in Laos conveyed in clear and practical terms the U.S. Army's dictum to an ally: We will not leave you behind.

S/Sgt Edward Noboru Kaneshiro.

The DSC citation for S/Sgt Edward Noboru Kaneshiro of Kunia Camp, Wahiawa, Oahu said he was killed on March 6, 1967, at Bin Dinh and is interred at Punchbowl, Hawaii. Kaneshiro was assigned to Co C, 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division. On December 1,1966, while serving as squad leader in a search and destroy mission at Phu Huu 2, Kimson Valley, South Vietnam, Kaneshiro’s attack forces found himself facing a well-entrenched and heavily fortified North Vietnamese defense force. Sergeant Kaneshiro ordered his men to stay undercover, then crawled forward to attack the enemy. He began by launching grenades from the parapet. The enemy machine gun silenced, he jumped into the trench to sweep its length, destroying one enemy group with M-16 fire and two other groups with grenade fires. At the end of Kaneshiro’s effort, his men moved in to retrieve the dead and wounded. Sergeant Kaneshiro's assault enabled the orderly extrication and reorganization of the platoon. Sergeant Kaneshiro displayed conspicuous gallantry and uncommon heroism under fire, at the cost of his life. Kaneshiro’s awards include the DSC, Purple Heart, Defense Service Medal, and Vietnam Service Medal.

PFC Wataru Nakamura.

PFC Wataru Nakamura was born in Los Angeles and moved to San Francisco, CA. Confined to the internment camp at Rowher, AK he volunteered to join the 442nd. He served in a line company in four battle campaigns. When the Korean War began, he volunteered again to serve in a line company. On May 18, 1951, Nakamura distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism at P'unch'on, Korea. Nakamura’s citation said his unit sustained a vicious attack on the night of May 17, 1951, which neutralized communications facilities between the 1st platoon and the Company Command Post. At approximately 0430 hours on May 18, 1951, under conditions of rain and fog, Nakamura volunteered to check and repair the damaged line. Unaware that the enemy had infiltrated and captured heavily-fortified friendly positions, he moved forward until he came under a withering hail of hostile fire. Disregarding his own safety, he made a one-man assault, silencing a machine gun and its crew with his carbine and bayonet and destroying two other enemy positions with grenades. When his ammunition was expended, he was forced to withdraw. While withdrawing he met a carrying party, obtained replenishments from them, and, returned to engage the enemy. He wiped out an enemy position and attacked the remaining bunker, killing one and wounding another enemy soldier before he was mortally wounded by grenade fire. His awards for WWII and Korean Wars include two Combat Infantryman’s Badges, Distinguished Service Cross, Purple Heart, Bronze Star, and Distinguished Unit Citation. Nakamura is interred at Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. 

For Gregg Kakesako’s article on this subject in Hawaii Herald, dated February 4, 2022 click here.

To read more about Asian Pacific Americans in the military including Medal of Honor recipients clink on the following link: http://www.army.mil/asianpacificamericans/.

Kenneth Fujimoto, left, during World War II. Kenneth Fujimoto, right, after the war. Photo: Courtesy of Marisa Fujimoto / David Fujimoto.

Reprinted with Permission

Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Kenneth Yukio Fujimoto fought alongside members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II, but his love and dedication to his family may be his greatest legacy.

Kenneth Fujimoto, above, during World War II. Photo: Courtesy of Marisa Fujimoto. 

Fujimoto’s son recalls that his father’s longtime friends from the 442nd often gathered around the family dinner table absorbed in deep conversation, telling their life stories and reminiscing about shared memories.

“People like Spark Matsunaga and Daniel Inouye used to come over sometimes just to hang out,” said Earl Fujimoto. “They were all great men, and my family and I could all tell how much it meant to my dad that he had people to share his experiences from the war with. It was an honor being able to know soldiers from the 442nd, including, of course, my dad.”

Fujimoto was born on Feb. 9, 1922, in Paauilo on Hawaii island. Joining the military at just 20 years old, he served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team from 1943 to 1945 and became a sergeant for G Company’s 2nd Battalion, earning a Bronze Star for his heroic actions in combat.

His sister in-law, Marjorie Yonezaki, spoke of the nisei veterans’ modesty after the war, despite all of their great feats.

“They didn’t talk about all that they had accomplished, but they didn’t have to because we all knew that it was a proud moment for them to have had such an impact on all of our futures,” she said.

In Marjorie’s eyes the legacy that Fujimoto left with his loved ones was his bravery.

After he returned home from the war, Fujimoto started his new life, taking his passion and courage from his wartime experiences with him through his challenges.

“Even after the war they were still broke,” said Fuji­moto’s sister-in-law, Mary Seichi. “I remember seeing them hunting for coins under tables … but they kept going and persevered to end up growing wonderful lives for themselves anyways,” and displaying the determination typical of Nisei veterans.

In Seichi’s eyes, Fujimoto’s lasting legacy was his perseverance.

About two years after the war, using the GI Bill, Fuji­moto attended Monroe College of Optometry to earn his O.D. (doctorate in optometry). He continued to study optometry at the American Optometric Center for the next year. His hard work paid off as he proceeded to become an optometrist with his own practice and later served as president of the Hawaii Optometry Association, the Hawaii State Board of Exam in Optometry and the Contact Lens Society of Hawaii.

Along with his well-earned career, Fujimoto went on to find love. In 1952 he married Katherine Seichi, and within 10 years they had five sons: Mark, Todd, David, Eric and Earl.

Fulfilling Fujimoto’s wishes of having his legacy and hard work carried on, when he died on Jan 30, 2000, his oldest living son, David, took over the family business, Fujimoto Eye Care.

Still, after all of these years since the war and his death, Fujimoto’s determination, passion, bravery, love and spirit will remain forever remembered.

Although he was a soldier, in his son Earl’s eyes, the lasting legacy Fujimoto left was the unconditional love he had for his family.

“After knowing him for a huge part of my life, and knowing all that he did before I was born,” said Earl Fujimoto, “I can easily say that I am proud to be his son.”

Marisa Fujimoto. Photo: Courtesy of Jamm Aquino. 

Marisa Fujimoto is a junior at Kalani High School. She is the granddaughter of Kenneth Yukio Fujimoto.

Honolulu Star-Advertiser Editor’s Note: Nisei Impact is a youth storytelling project led by the Star-Advertiser and the nonprofit Nisei Veterans Legacy... we will publish a story, written by a high school student, about the Nisei veterans in our families and communities.

[Ed Note: JAVA wishes to thank the many JAVA members who recommended this series. JAVA also thanks Jayna Omaye and Marsha McFadden at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Lynn Heirakuji at the Nisei Veterans Legacy for granting reprint permission. To read the article online click

https://www.staradvertiser.com/2022/04/12/hawaii-news/nisei-impact-world-war-ii-veteran-left-behind-legacy-of-bravery-and-dedication/ ]

Chicago World War II Nisei Veteran Inducted into the France Légion d’honneur

Ken Tamura. Photo: Courtesy of Jeff Morita.

By Jeff Morita 

Honolulu, HI. Mr. Ken Tamura a retired electrical and instrument technician, Metropolitan Sanitary District of Chicago, was born on March 27, 1923, in Okmulgee, Oklahoma. After the Pearl Harbor attack, the Tamura Family was uprooted from their home in the Virgil District of Los Angeles, California. First, the family was sent to the Pomona Assembly Center, and consequently interned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Wyoming.

On June 30, 1945, Mr. Tamura was inducted into the U.S. Army and received basic combat training at Camp Blanding, Florida. On January 6, 1945, Tamura boarded a troop ship for the European Theater of Operation, and on January 17th arrived at the Port of Marseille, France. Tamura was initially assigned to L “Love” Company, 3rd Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team as a replacement assault infantry rifleman. Tamura was subsequently assigned to C “Charlie” Company, 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd RCT.  

Tamura served heroically in the (France) Rhineland-Maritime Alps — Northern Apennines — and Po Valley Campaigns. By World War II end, Tamura had attained the rank of Private First Class. Tamura then volunteered for service in the Military Intelligence Service and attended the Military intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling, Minnesota (September 1945 thru April 1946). Post-graduation, Tamura was assigned as a document translator to the Allied Translator and Interpreter Service, General Headquarters, U.S. Army Force Pacific, Tokyo, Japan (April thru June 1946). On June 12, 1946, Tamura was honorably discharged at the 4th Replacement Depot, Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and returned to and settled in Chicago, Illinois.

For his honorable U.S. military service, Tamura received the Bronze Star Medal — Army Good Conduct Medal — American Campaign Medal — European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with three Bronze Campaign/Battle/Service Stars — World War II Victory Medal — World War II Army Occupation Medal with Japan clasp — Distinguished Unit Badge (now known as the Presidential Unit Citation) — Combat Infantryman Badge — and Honorable Service Lapel Button-World War II.  In 1985, his wife Betty preceded him in death.  Mr. Tamura passed away on Thanksgiving Day 2021.  Mr. and Mrs. Ken Tamura are survived by children Paul (Lori Fukushima) in California — Janice in Illinois — and Glenn in Texas, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.  

A special note of gratitude is extended to Pascale Furlong Thome, Press and Communication Attache, Consulate General of France in Chicago indispensable in processing Mr. Ken Tamura's Légion d’honneur nomination.

[Ed Note.  Since 2014, Morita, a retired U.S. Army and Department of the Army Civilian (40-years total service) has meticulously researched and submitted 57 comprehensive French Légion d’honneur nomination packets for 100th/442nd Veterans. To date, the Government of France has inducted 39 of the 57 veterans Morita has assisted into the National Order of the Legion of Honour. Morita  < jeff_kine_57@icloud.com > welcomes any request for pro bono assistance.]  

Ken Tamura's Certificate Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur. Photo: Courtesy of Jeff Morita. 

Save the Date

Upcoming JAVA Events

Day of Affirmation Ceremony, National WII Memorial, Washington, DC. Friday, July 15 at 12:00 noon (EDT).

Day of Affirmation Dinner at National Museum of U.S. Army, Saturday, July 16 from 4:30 to 9:00 pm (EDT).

JAVA Scholarship Awards Presentation, Livestream on Facebook. Saturday, July 23 at 3:00 (EDT).

TAPS

Norman Y. Mineta

November 12, 1931 - May 3, 2022

Washington, DC, Memorial Service

Time & Location

June 11, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM EDT

National United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016, USA

About

The Mineta family invites you to a celebration of a life well-lived and to honor Norman Y. Mineta. 

Limited parking available at National United Methodist Church, Horace Mann Elementary School, and American University. People are strongly encouraged to use Lyft or Uber.

The Mineta family requests that for your health and safety and that of other guests, we kindly ask that everyone wear a mask.

RSVP: https://www.minetalegacyproject.com/event-details-registration/washington-d-c-memorial-service-for-norman-y-mineta/form 

San Jose, CA, Memorial Service

Time & Location

Jun 16, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT

San Jose Civic, 135 W San Carlos St, San Jose, CA 95113.

About

A public ceremony honoring the life, career, and legacy of Norman Y. Mineta will be held at San Jose Civic auditorium.

Family requests guests to be vaccinated (honor system) and wear masks.

RSVP: https://www.minetalegacyproject.com/event-details-registration/san-jose-ca-memorial-service-for-norman-y-mineta/form

Norman Y. Mineta Celebration of Life, Japanese American National Museum, Los Angeles, CA

Time & Location

Jun 15, 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM PDT

About

The Japanese American National Museum invites you to join in celebrating the life of Board of Trustees Chair Norman Y. Mineta on June 15, 2022 at 10:30am. The public are welcome to join in person or via livestream.

RSVP In Person: https://9644p.blackbaudhosting.com/9644p/tickets?tab=2&txobjid=c163ee9b-32c6-44e5-8bd9-bdb824c90774 

Watch Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyZYDcA8mYA

George H. Inouye

May 23, 1919 - January 11, 2022

George H. Inouye. Photo: Courtesy of  Inouye Family.

George H. Inouye passed away peacefully at his home in Yuba City, CA, on January 11, 2022, at age 102 3/4.  He is survived by his sister, Mary “Mel” Tsuji, four children: Joanne Inouye, Wayne Inouye (Shannon), Mitzi Nakashima, Julie Inouye (Dr. Michael Rubottom), seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and two step-great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and several amazing caregivers. He was predeceased by his wife Betty (1992), his parents (Sadame and Tamaye Inouye), and siblings John Inouye, Ann Kodama, and Lily Moritsugu.

George was born outside Stockton, CA, on May 23, 1919; graduated from Sacramento High in 1938, and attended Yuba Community College. George, his siblings, and their Issei parents were interned at Amache Camp in Granada, Colorado. In 1942, George enlisted in the Army and served with the Military Intelligence Service as a translator and photographer. He was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal in 2012. 

George was a farmer in Yuba City from 1947 until his retirement in 1993. Mechanically-minded since he was a child; George repaired cars, trucks, and other farm equipment.  He even invented several designs for tractor attachments which John Deere uses today. After the war, he served on numerous agricultural boards in northern CA. Additionally, George was an active volunteer in the community; frequently serving on the Boards of the Marysville Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Marysville Buddhist Church, Northern California District Church Board, and Yuba City Lions Clubs.  George was honored with numerous awards from each of these organizations.  He served on the School Board of Trustees for Central Gaither Elementary from 1958 to 1970 and was a member of the VFW Nisei Post #8985 since 1948. He was also one of eight directors helping improve the CA Board of the Bracero program from 1956 to 1959, and personally sponsored three men who eventually became U.S. citizens.

Memorial Services and a Celebration of George’s Life will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2022, at 1:00 PM, at Marysville Buddhist Church, 125 B Street in Marysville, CA 95901. Face masks, proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and temperature check are required upon entering the Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in the memory of George Inouye may be made to the Marysville Buddhist Church, the Marysville JACL (P.O. Box 2253, Marysville, CA 95901), or a charity of your choice. 

Questions or Suggestions: Please contact Neet Ford at javapotomac@gmail.com.

Japanese American Veterans Association:  Address: P.O. Box 341198, Bethesda, MD 20827 I www.java-us.org.