Gender

Male

Birth date

1936-1-14

Place of birth

Hilo HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

, Honolulu HI

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

Various

Military specialty

Infantry/Intelligence/Airborne

Stationed

My assignments virtually took me worldwide from Hawaii to the West Coast, to the East Coast, to Europe, to the Mideast, to Central America, to Asia, and to Southeast Asia

Separated

Ft. Myer VA

Unit responsibility

Infantry and Intelligence

Personal responsibility

See Additional information below.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

See Additional information below.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

During my career, I was awarded various military medals and citations which included Legion of Merit (2), Bronze Star Medal (2), Army Commendation Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Several Achievement Medals, Distinguished Unit and Meritorious Unit Citations.

Living conditions

See Additional information below.

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

See Additional Information below.

Additional information

My service in the active Army spanned a total of 24 years. As a career officer, I feel that many of the questions, asked above, are not appropriate since they appear to focus on specific time periods. As such the following comments are provided:

My introduction into military service started during my junior year in high school when I enlisted in the Hawaii National Guard. I entered the active Army in 1960 after being commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry from the ROTC Program at the University of Hawaii.

During my 24-years of active Federal service, I was assigned to several Infantry and Intelligence organizations at the unit and theater levels in both peacetime and in combat.

Duties and functions as well as living conditions and situations vastly differed from assignment to assignment as well as the level of command and staff responsibilities and rank at any given point. Regardless of these differences, I can in retrospect conclude that I enjoyed every challenge during my military career whether it was in peacetime or in a combat zone.

I gained a lot from my military experience; after all, that was my career - most of my adult life was as a soldier. What did I learn? I learned that 'to be a good soldier is a noble profession.' Unlike my Japanese American predecessors of WW-II, I did not elect a military career to prove my loyalty to anyone. That proof of loyalty was well-established beyond any doubt by those who served in the legendary All-Nisei units like the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). If I was under any pressure, it was to uphold and continue the tradition and spirit of military service established by these Japanese Americans. I am proud to have had the opportunity to serve my country and to uphold the military legacy of the Japanese American Soldier.

It is interesting and ironic to note that when WW-II started, I was in pre-school (kindergarten) in Hawaii. In 1942, my familty was incarcerated in relocation centers (first in Jerome, Arkansas and later in Tule Lake, California). After the end of the war, my family returned to Hawaii where I resumed grade school, finished high school and went on to finish college. Only in these Great United States can one be incarcerated, presented 15-years later with an opportunity to serve as a commissioned officer, and promoted through the ranks throughout his careet to the grade of Colonel in the Regular Army of the United States, and honorably retired ater 24-years of active service.

Does the country owe me anything? Absolutely not; it has given me everything! Am I proud and fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve? You're Damn Right!