Gender

Male

Birth date

1918-8-1

Place of birth

Pahala Kau HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1941-4-20, Schofield Barracks, Oahu HI

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

Called to active duty as 2nd Lt., with the Hawaii National Guard, as a result of ROTC commission in 1941 to 1943. 20 Apr 1941 - 2 Jun 1942: 299th Inf Regt.

16 Apr 1943 - 17 Jul 1945: 442nd Regimental Combat Team 4 Oct 1948 - 3 Aug 1950: 8th US Army Korea 4 Aug 1950 - 3 Aug 1952: HQ Far East Command 4 Aug 1952 - 28 Feb 1956: Combat Dev Command 1 Mar 1956 - 1959: HQ USA RP&C 1960 - 1966: HQ Combat Dev Comd Ft Ord Ca. and US Army Alaska

Military specialty

1542 (Infantry Unit Commander) 2042 (Test Officer)

Stationed

US, Italy, France, Japan, Korea - Hawaii, California, Mississippi, Kansas, Kentucky, Alaska

Separated

Ft . Lewis WA

Unit responsibility

299th - Defense of island of Kauai 442nd - Defeat of Germany Occupation of Japan Reunification of Korea Develop & test equipment (combat vehicles and armament) Develop and test operational doctrine

Personal responsibility

Infantry unit commander Support armored units in Korea Supervise test of proposed new equipment and develop tactics for future wars Brigade Commander

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

WWII - All of the battles in which the 442nd RCT participated Korean War: Defense of Pusan, Evacuation of Seoul, Breakout to Pyongyang, Holding action - 38th parallel

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Silver Star (Facilitated advance) DUB (2nd Bi cited with OLC) Bronze Star for combat (Oak Leaf Cluster) Air Medal Korean Service Medal Republic of Korea Pres. Unit Citation Legion of Merit Combat Infantryman's Badge. Commendation Medal

Living conditions

Idyllic. Combat conditions in fox holes, other times in tents. Hot meals whenever available. C and K rations normally. Hot meals when Care Pkgs. received from home. Korea - Scrounged from natives, which was normally better because I had my own transportation and was able to find lodging someplace.

Most vivid memory of military experience

The incessant cold of the Vosges Mountains - water seeped into fox holes, sat on steel helmets to keep from getting wet. Uniforms soaking wet and froze on our bodies. Boots totally soaked and feet nearly frozen. Similar experience in Korea. Were not prepared for winter warfare. Had tropical uniform for the longest time. Bought field jacket in the Korean black market, traded whiskey and cigarettes for the parka.

Missed most whilst in the military

Nothing I can recall.

Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?

Personal growth and my ability to withstand any adversity. Nothing today can match the hardships of wartime on the front lines. I want others to respect the hardships we endured for others. I want them to learn to appreciate things we take for granted.

Additional information

All Nisei officers with the 442nd were sent to special Officer's training facilities (away from Camp Shelby) soon after arrival. On completion of this phase of training, all but two Nisei officers (I was one) were transferred to either the 100th Infantry Battalion or the MIS. Orders organizing the 442nd in February of 1943 stipulated that only Caucasian officers would be in command of the infantry units of the 442nd. The 232nd Combat Engineering Company, a component of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) however, was staffed entirely with Nisei officers, with Capt. Pershing Nakada, a consulting engineer from Chicago in command. (These officers were also sent to 'refresher' officer-training camps to learn the 'latest' in combat engineering ideas.) There were also a few Nisei officers in the 552nd Field Artillery Battalion of the 442nd RCT, as the Cannon Company(1) and Regimental Headquarters Co.(1 or 2). There were also Nisei Medical officers (doctors) and Chaplains. I was the only Nisei to be promoted to the rank of Captain. Standards for the 100th Battalion were different from the 442nd RCT. I was integrated into the Regular Army and became the first Nisei to be promoted to the rank of Colonel while in active service.