John Yoshio Kashiki was born in Los Angeles on July 14, 1919. When his father became ill, John took over the family farm in Holtville in the Imperial Valley. John attended the University of California, Davis to study agronomy and economics. During summers he loaded train cars in Fresno. It was during those summers in Fresno that he met Mary Nakamura. When WWII began, John and his family were interned in Poston, Arizona camp III. During the first year at Poston, Mary and John were married. They had a daughter, Judi, who was born in the Poston III camp during the time that John served overseas as a member of the 442nd's Cannon Company.
After the war, John had lost his family farm in Holtville to squatters and all of the family possessions had been burned. The family moved and settled in Parlier where John worked three jobs until he was able to rent a small farm which is still their homestead today. John and Mary worked growing stone tree fruit and grapes. They harvested, packed and drove their produce to the market. Their family business grew into the KASH Inc, a farming and fruit packing business which had branches in Philadelphia, Mexico, Japan and South America.
In December 2009 at age 90, John received his honorary Bachelor of Science degree from UC Davis, conferred on students who were removed from their studies due to Internment. John believed in serving his community and was a board of director for the Reedley Hospital and the Parlier-Orange Cove United Health Clinics. John also served on numerous agricultural boards helping develop the industry here in the United States and abroad.
John is survived by his wife Mary; daughters, Judi (Jim) Nishimine, JoAnn (Rodney) Chang and Carole (Eddie) Ogawa ; and grandchildren & great grandchildren.
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Local man accepts Congressional Gold Medal of Honor for grandfather
Nov 11th, 2011
Templeton resident Jason Chang, director of business development for Twin Cities Community Hospital and National Vice President for the Japanese American Citizens League, recently accepted the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor on behalf of his grandfather, John Kashiki (Poston 328-5-B), at the congressional celebration of Japanese Americans who served in World War II.
Kashiki was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honor that can be given to a U.S. citizen (fewer than 180 of these medals have been awarded), for his service in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. One of the most decorated army battalions of all time for its size and length of service, the 442nd was made up of 3,000 Japanese American internment camp prisoners who volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army to prove that they were not American enemies.
The 442nd’s most notable feat was the rescue of “The Lost Battalion of WWII” (1st Battalion, 141st Infantry), which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on Oct. 24, 1944. After two failed attempts by other US troops to rescue the battalion, the 442nd broke through German defenses and rescued about 230 men, suffering more than 800 casualties in the process.
The event celebrating the valor of the 442nd Battalion and other Japanese American soldiers in World War II was the result of legislation that California’s Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Adam Schiff co-sponsored and which was signed into law last year. Speaker of the House John Boehner emceed the ceremony held for 1,200 guests in the Emancipation Hall in Washington DC.
“I was very proud to attend this historic event and accept the medal for my grandfather..
Kashiki was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honor that can be given to a U.S. citizen (fewer than 180 of these medals have been awarded), for his service in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. One of the most decorated army battalions of all time for its size and length of service, the 442nd was made up of 3,000 Japanese American internment camp prisoners who volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army to prove that they were not American enemies.
The 442nd’s most notable feat was the rescue of “The Lost Battalion of WWII” (1st Battalion, 141st Infantry), which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on Oct. 24, 1944. After two failed attempts by other US troops to rescue the battalion, the 442nd broke through German defenses and rescued about 230 men, suffering more than 800 casualties in the process.
The event celebrating the valor of the 442nd Battalion and other Japanese American soldiers in World War II was the result of legislation that California’s Senator Barbara Boxer and Representative Adam Schiff co-sponsored and which was signed into law last year. Speaker of the House John Boehner emceed the ceremony held for 1,200 guests in the Emancipation Hall in Washington DC.
“I was very proud to attend this historic event and accept the medal for my grandfather..
Source: http://www.pasoroblespress.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=6545&page=72
