HARA, MINORU "MIN" ROBERT (1922-2000)

     Minoru Robert Hara (Poston 35-9-B) was born on October 24, 1922 in Terminal Island, Los Angeles, to Japanese immigrants, Bennosuke and Matsuno Hara from Wakayama-ken Japan.   
     Bennosuke's family operated a small freight shipping business to Tokyo-Yokohama area.  His father was able to read and speak English with the use of Japanese-English dictionaries before he immigrated to the U.S. in 1898. Bennosuke worked for the Santa Fe Railroad and then tried strawberry farming, operating a boarding house, worked as  a houseboy/handyman for a bank president in San Diego before he finally settled down on Terminal Island and worked as a commercial fisherman. He married Matsuno Okuda, a  picture bride, who immigrated in 1914.  She was from the same fishing village in Tahara, in Wakayama-ken as Bennosuke, and both had a sixth grade education in Japan, and they raised four children: Benji, Masako, Minoru and Mary. 
     His father was the Captain of a commerical fishing vessel when he retired, and his parents returned to their native village in Japan in 1938.  Min had been attending San Pedro High School at the time and went to Japan with his parents, and decided that life in America was better than in the military state of Japan and returning to San Pedro High School 10 months later.  He had attended classes at the RCA Institute Engraving and Watchmaking School, when Executive Order 9066 forced him and his married brother, Benji and his wife, Fusako Rose Hara to evacuate Terminal Island and they were evacuated with the Boyle Heights area and stayed temporarily at a hotel run by the American Friends Committee. They arrived at the Poston, Arizona internment camp on May 29, 1942 and was assigned to the block 35-9-B.
     After recruiting personnel from the Military Intelligence Service visited Poston, Min was one of several who volunteered for the Military Intelligence Service, since he had attended school in Japan for about 9 months and learned to speak Japanese from his parents at home.
     Min Hara graduated from the MIS Language School in June 1943, and had missed being at Poston when his nephew, Kunihiro Lawrence Hara (35-9-B) was born in 1943. Min was assigned to join the 6th Infantry Division in British New Guinea, where the 6th Division soldiers alternated moving to the front for combat duty. Min interrogated the Japanese  prisoners of war.  Later, he transferred to Luzon, Philippines, where he remained until the end of the war.
     During the Occupation years, Hara was assigned to the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) headquarters in Tokyo. Most of his work involved translating Japanese documents, including personal diaries of famous war leaders and Japanese Army generals. His parents had remained in Japan during the war. He stayed in Japan to help set up a new democratic government and to help the poverty-stricken  Japanese people after the war.
     S/Sgt Minoru Robert Hara of the U. S. Army earned many medals for his military service, including the Combat Infantryman's Badge, Bronze Star, Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, and Bronze Service Stars.  He died on December 2, 2000 in Carson, California. He is buried at the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.  He was preceded in death by his brother, Benji Hara (1994).

Sources: http://www.nikkeiheritage.org/misnorcal/profiles/profile.php?id=1012
Terminal Island Life History Project

MURASE, KENJI KENNETH "KENNY", PhD (1920-2009)

   
 Kenji Murase, PhD
      Kenji Kenneth "Kenny" Murase (Poston 308-1-C) , was born on January 3, 1920  in Parlier, California to Japanese immigrant sharecroppers, Mantsuchi and Moto Murase.  He grew up in a  poor family.  He graduated as valedictorian of his Reedley High School class. His  parents did not support his desire to attend college, so he ran away from the family farm, first to U.C.L.A., then U.C. Berkeley, where he was a member of the Japanese Students Club.  His  junior year at U.C. Berkeley was interrupted by the wartime evacuation and incarceration of Japanese Americans following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. 
     Kenny, his parents and brothers, Charles Manichi and Yoshio Murase,  were evacuated from Reedley, California and first transported on a hot, dusty railroad trip to the station at Parker, Arizona on August 4, 1942.  From there, they continued on a hot, dusty trip out into to the Arizona desert to their final destination at  Poston camp III, block 308-1-C.  
      At Poston, Kenny was worked as the City Editor for the Poston III Press Bulletin, the camp's newspaper.  He  served as the Poston III Representative on the Poston Student Relocation Council, an affiliate of the National Japanese American Relocation Council, which was staffed by the American Friends Service Committee, and promoted by Eleanor Roosevelt.   
    Kenny Murase worked hard to find a way to continue his college education and inquired at Wayne State University in Michigan,  which was the first college to accept a student from the internment camps, until the Detroit City Council adopted a resolution stating that Japanese American students were not welcomed.  Finally, on October 7, 1942 , Kenny departed from the Poston internment camp to attend Temple University in Haverford, Pennsylvania.  His younger brother, Yoshio,  left Poston on February 4, 1944 to attend college in Pocatello, Idaho, and his older brother, Charles,  left Poston to attend college in Chicago on April 3, 1944.  His parents remained at Poston block 308-1-C for the duration of World War II, and finally was able to leave Poston on January 16, 1945 and return to their home near Reedley, California.
     In 1944, Kenny earned a B.A. degree from Temple University, and married Kimi Tanaka (Poston 308-10-D)  in Philadelphia. He went on to earn a Master's degree in social work in 1947, and became the first American Fulbright Scholar in Japan in 1952.  He spent a year at Osaka University and studied the needs of war orphans as well as teaching social work. 
     Kenny Murase served as the field director for Columbia University School of Social Work "Mobilization for Youth Project, which involved low-income, ethnic households in Manhattan's Lower East side, as part of President L. B. Johnson's War on Poverty in the 1960s.  Kenny earned a Doctorate in Social Work in 1961 from Columbia University.     Kenny was one of the first faculty members recruited for the new Graduate School of Social Work & Social Research at San Francisco State University in 1967, where he taught for 23 years.  
      He authored many publications on the mental health and social service needs of Asian Pacific Americans.  He served on the Council on Social Work Education’s Commission on Minority Affairs,  the National Association of Social Worker’s National Task Force on Minority Research, and consulted for the National Institute of Mental Health, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, and the President’s Commission on Mental Health. He wrote the original United Way proposal to fund United Japanese Community Services, the Japanese Community Youth Council, and Kimochi, Inc. a senior program in San Francisco.  He also conducted community needs assessments for planning the future Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California and the Kokoro Assisted Living Facility projects.
     Kenji Murase, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Social Work Education at San Francisco State University, died at the age of 89 years, in San Francisco on June 2, 2009. He was  preceded in death by his  (social worker) wife, Seiko (Ota) Murase (2007); father,  Mantsuchi (1956);  mother, Moto (1977); and brothers,  Charles Manichi (1997) and Yoshio (2006).
     His is survived by daughters, Emily (Neal), and Miriam (Greg); and son, and Geoffrey (Christine).

Sources: http://articles.sfgate.com/2009-06-15/bay-area/17208094_1_social-work-asian-american-students-internment
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ssw/news/jun09/kenjimurase.html
http://rafu.com/news/2009/06/kenji-murase-89-professor-of-social-work-at-sfsu/
http://www.pacificcitizen.org/node/368
http://www.bulletinboards.com/v2.cfm?comcode=jbens10&cat=2&loginpswd=yes&stm=yes&bypass=yes&msgid=1929990&fm=1&nw=x

OKA, SABURO "SABU" T. (1923-2006)

Saburo Oka
       Saburo T.  Oka (Poston block 222-5-B), was born on October 18, 1923 in San Juan Bautista to Japanese immigrants, J. and Same (Chayama) Oka.  The Oka family had  eight children, Kimiyo, who was born in Japan, and immigrated in 1913, Kazuo, Helen Aiko, Hisako Louise, Yoshiye, Giro, Saburo and Michiko.  The family relocated to Monterey in 1929, where Saburo and  his siblings attended local schools and high school.
     The bombing of Pearl Harbor occurred during Saburo's senior year in high school.  His mother, who was widowed,  voluntarily evacuated her family with her married son, Kazuo and his wife, Sachiko.  They left the Monterey area and went inland to central California to Fresno.  Unfortunately after a few months, the family was forced to evacuate by train to their new living quarters in the Arizona desert.  They arrived at the Parker Arizona railroad station on July 14, 1942 and were transported out to the Poston internment camp, block 222-5-B.
     Helen Aiko Oka (Poston block 222-5-B) was nominated a contestant for the Queen contestant in the Poston County Fair.  She found employment at camp II working as a block 222 dietitian.  Later, she became engaged to "Juichi" Nick Nishi, who played baseball on the block 221 Shamrocks "AA" baseball team as a pitcher or left fielder.  He had won 2nd place in the summer of 1944 Catfish Fishing contest.  Nick later volunteered for the Military Intelligence Service.  On March 16, 1943, Aiko Helen Oka was the first in the Oka family to leave Poston, as she followed Nick Nishi to Camp Savage in Minnesota. 
     Kazuo Oka and his wife, Sachiko left Poston camp II on June 7, 1943, as Kazuo had found a job in Detroit.  Sachiko transferred to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming to join her family.
     Saburo Oka (Poston block 222-5-B) played on the block 222 Clippers basketball team, and got a job working at the Poston Warehouse. On August 25, 1943, he volunteered for the all nisei U.S. Army unit. Saburo was hired for a job in Minneapolis, and he left Poston on July 11, 1944.  On February 12, 1945, Saburo went to work in Detroit.  He reported for military service on 12/22/1945 at Fort Lewis, Washington.
     Giro Oka (Poston block 222-5-B) was a pitcher for the block 222 Horsehiders softball team.  He located a  job in Detroit, and left Poston on July 18, 1944.  Later, Giro  enlisted into the U.S. Army on March 19, 1946 at Camp Beale, in Marysville, California.
     Hisako Oka (Poston block 222-5-B) was a member of the Red Cross, the only successful organization in Poston.  She was hospitalized at the Poston General Hospital in August of 1945.
     Michiko Oka (Poston block 222-5-B) was in the first high school class to graduate at Poston II, the class of 1943; and nominated for Queen candidate in both the Greater Poston Fair, and the FFA Winter Gathering .   She was a member of the Sub Debs Club, and a block 222 Girl Scout leader. Michiko decided to join her family members in Minneapolis, and left Poston on September 19, 1944.  
     Yoshiye,  Hisako  and their mother, Same Oka (Poston block 222-5-B), were the last of the Oka family to leave Poston on September 3, 1945 and they returned to Monterey, California. 
   After Pfc. Saburo Oka was discharged from the U.S. Army, he returned to Monterey, got married and raised a family with 3 children.  He worked briefly at the wharf, and then with the Monterey Transfer and Storage for 33 years before retiring.  Saburo Oka, age 83 years, died on December 25, 2006. He was preceded in death by his mother, Same (1960); sisters, Michiko (1988), Hisako Louise (1997), and Aiko Helen (1998); and brothers, Kazuo (1965) and  Giro (1991).

     He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betty (Yaemi) Oka; daughters, Marsha (Al) Holmes of Union City and Ellen of Elk Grove; and son, Todd of Fremont.
   
Sources: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?n=saburo-oka-sabu&pid=20450915&fhid=6695
The Monterey Herald, December 28, 2006

WADA, DR. GEORGE (1912-1981)

Dr. George Wada
     George Wada was born on February 22, 1912 in Oakland, California to Japanese immigrant parents, Shukichi and Sawato Wada,  who arrived to the U.S. in 1905.  Other children in the family was an older sister, Chiye and younger brother, Henry Kiroku Wada and they lived in San Leandro. 
     In 1940, George Wada earned a B.A degree and later, a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.  He completed his internship at the San Francisco City and County Hospital.
      Dr. George Wada was practicing medicine in Los Angeles before the evacuation in May 1942.  He arrived at the Poston, Arizona internment camp I on June 3, 1942.  His record albums were used for the summer of 1942 Starlight Symphony.   He was served on the Poston General Hospital medical staff. In December of 1942, he traveled to Grants, New Mexico to visit his mother, who voluntarily evacuated. Dr. Wada helped to established the Poston III Medical Clinic.  Dr. Wada departed from Poston on November 23, 1943 and went to Philadelphia, where he served as a resident physician at the Stetson Memorial Hospital.  He later opened his practice for many years in Los Angeles, California. 
     Dr. George Wada died on April 10, 1981 in Los Angeles. He was preceded in death by his mother, Sawato (1952), and brother, Henry Wada(1981).

     He was survived by his sister, Chiyeko Fujii.

Source:  http://www.oac.cdlib.org/view?docId=tf596nb4h0&doc.view=items&style=oac4&item.position=4541

MORI, KIKIYE "KIKKIE" EMILY (NOMURA) 1920 - 2010

"Kikkie"  Mori
      Kikuye  "Kikie" Emily  Nomura, (Poston block 54-8-A) was born on  October 20, 1920 in Brawley, California to Japanese immigrant farmers, Hisakichi William and Tsuchi Nomura.  She was welcomed into the family by her older sister, Hisaye Dorothy and brother, Tatsuro William.   
     Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Nomura family was evacuated from Calexico, California and transported to their new living quarters in the Arizona desert at the Poston internment camp block 54-8-A.  At Poston camp I, Kikkie became the Assistant Block Manager in August of 1942.  Her father, Hisakichi Nomura, was named to the Issei Advisory Board Works Project. On March 14, 1943, Kikkie married Sgt. Shinji Henry Miyata at Poston chapel 44.  Sgt. Miyata was formerly from Imperial, and had enlisted in the Army in April 1941.  Following the marriage, Kikkie transferred to Poston camp 2 to live. The Nomura family and Kikkie Miyata departed from Poston on September 8, 1945 and went to Downey, California.    After the end of World War II, the Nomura family relocated to Santa Barbara, where Kikkie met Joe Itsuki Mori, a former Gila internee who served in the U.S. Army during the occupation and reconstruction of Japan.  They were married in Santa Barbara and raised their two sons.  Joe and his brother Frank Mori, established the Kata Shi Nursery in Goleta, California.
      After retiring, Joe started a Japanese antique business.  He voluntarily served on the board for the Meals on Wheels program for three years, while he and Kikkie volunteered  for the program over 25 years. They were involved with the Bethany and the Free Methodist Churches. 
     Kikkie Mori, age 90 years, died on November 6, 2010 in Santa Barbara, California. She was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Itsuki Mori (2009); father, Hisakichi Nomura (1966); mother Tsuchi Nomura (1986); and brother Tatsuro William Nomura (1988).
     She is survived by her sister, Dorothy Fujii; and sons,  Forrest and Paul.

Sources: http://www.independent.com/obits/2010/nov/22/emily-mori/
http://www.independent.com/obits/2009/aug/10/joe-mori/

SHIMAZU, SGT. NELLY AIKO (SASUGA) 1924-2009

     Nelly Aiko Sasuga (Poston 2-7-B) was born May 21, 1924 in Los Angeles, California to Japanese immigrant parents, Shozo and Shima Sasuga.  Her sister, Hatsuko was born in Japan, and her older brother, John had been born in the U.S. Her father was an artist, who was working at a drug store in the 1930s.  
     The Sasuga family was forcibly evacuated from Los Angeles and transported  to their new desert living quarters Poston, Arizona.  They arrived on May 29, 1942 and  assigned housing at block 2-7-B. Her father was a member of the Red Cross, the only success organization at Poston, and was selected to be on the Issei Advisory Board's Food Committee. 
     Her brother, John Sasuga left Poston to attend the University of Texas in Austin on January 24, 1943.   
     Nelly Sasuga volunteered entered in the U.S. Women's Army Corps on October 28, 1944 at Phoenix. She was the sixth woman from Poston to join, and proudly served as a sergeant in the United States Women’s Army Corps during World War II.  Her parents departed from Poston in August of 1945 and returned to Los Angeles.
     Nelly married John Shimazu and they raised five children.  Nelly Shimazu died on September 2, 2009 at the age of 85 years in Gardena, California. She was preceded in death by her father, Shozo (1973); mother, Shima (1978); and brother Yasuo John Sasuga (1997).
     She is survived by husband, John Shimazu; daughters, Evelyn (Eric) Yee, Helen (Cliff) Jeng, and Irene Robinson and Susan Shimazu; and son, Steven (Gayle) Shimazu.

Source: http://rafu.com/news/nelly-aiko-shimazu/

SASAKI, YOSHIYE (YAMADA) 1916-2011

Yoshiye Sasaki
     Yoshiye Yamada (Poston 19-8-D) was born January 6, 1916 in Los Angeles, the 4th child of eight born to Japanese immigrants, Fukumatsu and  Tatsu (Sunakoda) Yamada.   
      When Yoshiye was four years old, she was sent to Japan to visit with her grandparents. She ended up staying in Japan,  attended schools, and was raised by her relatives.  Yoshiye returned to the U.S. in  1940.  


     Yoshiye met her future husband, Hideo Sasaki when he was in hospital recovering from tuberculosis.  She married Hideo in April 1942 in Los Angeles. They had only been married a month when they were forcibly evacuated with her husband from Los Angeles and arrived on May 27, 1942 to their new desert living quarters at the Poston, Arizona internment camp block 19-8-D. Hideo was a member of the Red Cross, the only successful organization in camp.  He found employment at the Sculpturing Department and engraved items.  Hideo was elected a Representative to the Cooperative Congress in the fall of 1943.  
     Yoshiye's family was also evacuated to the Poston, Arizona internment camp, and her mother, Tatsu filed a request for repatriation.  On August 24, 1943, the Yamada family (Tatsu, Akira Tom and Fusako) got their request and departed from Poston, Arizona and were repatriated to Japan. 
     Yoshiye and Hideo Sasaki stayed in Poston and finally departed on October 9, 1945 and returned to the Los Angeles area.

     Yoshiye was a member of Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple Fujinkai  in Los Angeles, and died on February 6, 2011 at the age of 95 years.  She was preceded in death by her father, Fukumatsu (1924); mother, Tatsu (1981); husband, Hideo Sasaki (1961); brothers, Akira (1943), Yoshiharu (1920), and Katsuto (1932); and sisters, Takaku (1920) and Fusako (2007).
     She is survived by her son, Joe (Julie) Sasaki; sister of Yaeko Yamada of Japan and Toshiko Kosako.  

Source: http://rafu.com/news/yoshiye-sasaki/

OKAMOTO, VINCENT H.

Hon. Vincent H. Okamoto
      Vincent H. Okamoto (Poston 12-5-AB), was born in 1943 in the Poston, Arizona internment camp.  He was the youngest of ten children born to Henry S. and Yone Okamoto.  The Okamoto family was evacuated from Santa Ana on May 15, 1942 to the wartime desert home on the Colorado River Indian Reservation.  His brother George, found outside employment in Greeley, Colorado and left Poston on September 6, 1943. Vincent's father found a job outside of Poston in Chicago, Illinois and left on May 2, 1944. His sister, Hannah was hired in Chicago and left on May 2, 1944. His brother Thomas reported to Fort Douglas, Utah for military service on August 4, 1944 and his brother Frank  went to Washington DC on February 13, 1945.  The rest of his family--his mother Yone; sisters, Helen and Dorothy; and brothers, Roy, Ben and Paul;  along with Vincent, finally departed from Poston on May  22, 1945 and went to Miami Beach, Florida.
     The Okamoto family eventually moved to South Chicago, where his parents ran a small grocery store. When Vincent was 12 years old, the family moved to Gardenia, California, where he attended Gardena High School, and elected senior class president, and became a three-year letterman in track and football, as well as belonging to the Men's Honor Society. 
     Following high school, Vincent attended El Camino College for three years, and received a B.A. degree in international relation in 1967 from University of Southern California.
2nd Lt Vincent H. Okamoto
     In serving his country, Vincent became a 2nd Lieutenant of the B Company, 2nd Battalion., 27th Infantry, first stationed at Fort Bragg, then Vietnam, and finally in Berlin, Germany. He was a rifle platoon leader, infantry company commander, airborne ranger, and intelligence officer attached to the Special Forces.  Vincent showed exceptionally valorous actions on August 24, 1968 while serving as a platoon leader with an infantry unit near Dau Tieng. He had been injured three times in combat and was “the highest decorated Japanese American to survive the Viet Nam War.” During his military service, he received the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and three Purple Hearts.  
     After his military service, Vincent attended the University of California Law School from and earned a J.D. in 1973. He served four years as the deputy district Attorney for Los Angeles County.  He was partner in the law firm of Okamoto & Wasserman for eight years practicing business and corporate law, family law, personal injury and criminal law.  In 1981, he became founder of the Pacific Heritage Bank, and has been chairman of the Board, chief executive officer, and president. The bank, which he left in 1995, became one of the largest minority-controlled financial institutions in the United States.
     Vincent served 4 years as a councilman for the Gardena City Council and mayor pro tem from 1977-1978. He was president of the Japanese American Vietnam Veterans Memorial Committee and has served on the board of the Japanese American Bar Association. In 2002, he was appointed by Governor Gray Davis as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge.  
     Vincent H. Okamoto was inducted into the U.S. Army Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning Georgia. 
     In 2008, the Nikkei Writers Guild announced its first publication, a book called, "Wolfhound Samurai" by Vincent H. Okamoto. 
The book is a fictional story of one Japanese American soldier's experience during his tour of duty in Vietnam. Christopher Nagata, the main character, is raised American with American ideals and learns the harsh reality of serving in the American military while looking like the enemy.

 

Sources: http://www.metnews.com/articles/judg041502.htm
http://www.jalivinglegacy.org/press/2008/WolfhoundSamurai_2008.pdf
Distinguished Asian Americans: A biographical dictionary. By Hyung-chan Kim.
http://www.25thida.org/TLN/tln4-03.htm








ICHIUJI, JOSEPH

Joe Ichiuji
522nd Field Artillery Battalion, 442nd RCT

     Joseph Ichiuji  (Poston 308-11-A) was born in Salinas, California, one of six children of Kikujiro and Katsu Ichiiuji, who had immigrated from Shimane Prefecture, Japan in early 1900's.  He spent much of his childhood in Pacific Grove, California, where he attended public schools.
     He was drafted in September 1941 and completed basic training in Camp Roberts, California.  However, he was discharged at the convenience of the government.  He returned home to help his family with the evacuation.  In April 1942, he and his family moved to Reedley, California before being finally placed in Poston Relocation Camp in Arizona in August 1942.  In February 1943 he volunteered for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and took his basic training in Camp Shelby, Miss. and served with Battery A of 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team.  He saw action in Italy, France and Germany in 1944 and 1945 and his unit was involved with the liberation of Jews from one of the sub camps of Dachau concentration camp.
     He was discharged from the Army in January 1946 and went home to Pacific Grove, California.  He attended the Benjamin Franklin University in Washington DC under the GI Bill of Rights and received his bachelors and masters degrees.  He entered federal civil service with the Veterans Administration and after 37 years of service, he retired from Agency for International Development in 1979 as Deputy Division Chief of Financial Management.
     He has been active with Washington DC JACL Chapter, Japanese American Veterans Association and Go For Broke National Veterans Association.  He is currently active with National Japanese American Veterans Council and National Japanese American Memorial Foundation.
     He is married to former Asako Tsuda of Cheyenne, Wyoming.  They have two children, Karen Ramone, from Bedord, NY and Douglas Ichiuji, from Front Royal, VA.

Source: http://hirasaki.net/Family_Stories/JAE/Ichiuji.htm

SUMIDA, DR. PERRY TAKEO (1909-1980)

Dr. Perry T. Sumida
     Dr. Perry Takeo Sumida was born in Honolulu on January 25, 1909, the son of Shinsuke and Kame (Otomori) Sumida.  He attended Kaiulani School until the fourth grade.  In 1919, at the age of 10, he went to Japan with his parents where he continued his schooling.  In 1924, they returned to Hawaii and enrolled at Hawaiian Mission Academy.  In 1929 due to the school's financial problems and low enrollment grades 11 & 12 were discontinued and the students were force to attend other schools.  Perry chose to attend McKinley High School but kept very close contact with J. Alfred Simonson, principal at Hawaiian Mission Academy and Dr. James Kuninobu.
     Perry was highly intelligent and a very good student.  He was interested in accounting and was set on becoming an accountant.  His parents enhanced the idea by their willingness to send him to Honolulu Business College.  But at the same the principal at HMA was encouraging Perry to go to the mainland and to study medicine.  Perry’s parents were against sending Perry to the mainland because many of the island boys going to the mainland to attend school were not attending at all. Baptized in 1929, Dr. Sumida was always an active and dedicated member of his church.  He was a “charter member” of the Waimanalo Seventh-day Adventist Church.   In 1930 Perry graduated from McKinley High School.
     Seeing the potential in Perry, Principal Simonson and Dr. Kuninobu were able to persuade Perry’s parents to change their minds.  So off he went to take his pre-medical studies at Pacific Union College in Angwin, California.  He completed his studies and entered the College of Medical Evangelist in Loma Linda California (now Loma Linda University Medical School).  He graduated in 1939.
    Perry did his internship at the White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, California.  After completing his internship 1941 he attended graduate school in Ophthamology at the School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.  After graduation he returned to the White Memorial to complete another year of residency.
     In 1939 he married Misako Sakai in Los Angeles on August 17, 1939.  They became the parents of three sons, Richard, Ronald, and Raymond; and a daughter Susan.
     In 1942, Dr. Sumida was sent to Colorado River Relocation Center at Poston, Arizona.  Mrs. Sumida did not accompany her husband to Poston since she was about to have their first baby, who born at White Memorial.  The hospital kept both Misako and baby Richard at the hospital for a month before they were ready to make the trip to Poston.  When they arrived she found that the barracks was divided into four sections 25’ x 25’ and each section housed a family.  Arizona summers are extremely hot causing difficulties for the baby and mother.   Dr. Sumida obtained permission to purchase a water cooler at Sears' which brought some relief.  With the coming of winter, insulation against the cold became a problem.  One oil stove was permitted in each section, but the cracks in the floor and walls were so many that the heat escaped.  Dr. Sumida was also given permission to purchase a piece of linoleum for the floor and he used corrugated paper boxes that he cut into brick sized sections and put them on the wall.  They made the best of the worst condition.  They then named their first son Richard and gave him the middle Tatsuo, which mean evacuation in Japanese.
     During this 15-month period of time that they spent at Poston, Arizona, Dr. Sumida along with 5 other Nisei doctors were able to organize and open Poston General Hospital, located on the Indian Reservation.  Four of these doctors including Dr. Sumida came from Hawaii.  Dr. Sumida was in charge of the Eye Department and Pediatrics.  More than 20,000 residents of the Relocation Center, plus Indians from the Reservation, were care for by these six doctors.
     In 1944, Dr. Sumida returned to Honolulu where he was House Physician at Kuakini Hospital for one year.   He opened his practice in Honolulu where he specialized in ophthalmology.  During his 33 years of active practice, Dr. Sumida was a member of the Honolulu County Medical Society, the Hawaii Medical Association, the American Medical Association, the Hawaii Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat  Society (president in 1964), Board of Directors of Kuakini Hospital, Secretary-Treasurer of the Loma Linda Alumni Association (1953), President of the Hawaiian Mission Academy Alumni Association (1965-68) an was appointed by the Governor John Burns to the Medical Advisory Board for the State of Hawaii.
     In 1950, Dr. Sumida was appointed to Hawaiian Mission Academy Board of Trustees.  It was during his tenure that the two-story home economics building, the administration building and library were completed in 1954.  Then in 1957 the cafeteria, Miranda Hall was built.  In 1966 the new second floor construction was completed to house the language lab, conference room, teacher offices, classrooms and restrooms.
     In 1966, Dr. Sumida was elected president of the HMA Alumni Association.  The Alumni Association took a leading roll in the plans that were made and the construction of the a new gym-auditorium complex, music studios and band/choir practice room, locker rooms, offices, restrooms, industrial arts classroom, and a maintenance facility.
     In 1969. during a routine physical, a kidney condition was discovered.  It became at time that he be place on renal dialysis.  Inspite of this, he carried on an active practice and remained active in the HMA Alumni Association.  He continued to do ophthalmology surgery.  In 1975 he became a founder and charter member of KORR, Kuakini Organization of Renal Rehabilitation, which was organized to provide mutual assistance among kidney dialysis patients.
     On August 19, 1979, Dr. and Mrs. Sumida celebrated their 40 anniversary.  This was the same month he retired from active practice.  On January 7, 1980, Dr. Sumida died in Honolulu within a few days of his 71st birthday. 
     He is survived by his wife, sons Ronald and Raymond, daughter Susan Gottesman.  His son Richard, died in 1976 while serving as chief flight nurse on the Loma Linda University Medical Center’s Air-Evac helicopter which was trying to make an emergency rescue landing at Cajon Pass in San Bernardino County.

Source: http://www.hmaalumnihc2008.com/id56.html

SHINODA, HITOSHI "HITO" (1925-2003)


Hito Shinoda
     Hitoshi Shinoda (Poston 305-2-AB) was born on May 6, 1925 to Japanese immigrants, Kuzo (7/2/1889) and Sayo Shinoda (10/14/1903) in Tulare County.   
     Hito and his parents, and siblings, Kenji, Mickey, Seiichi, Maki, Kiyo, Taye, Sumie, and Muto Shinoda were evacuated from Cutler on August 5, 1942 and transported by train to the Arizona desert for their war time living quarters at the Poston internment camp (block 305-2-AB).  Temperatures at Poston were over 1923 degrees that week.
     Kuzo  Shinoda was a member of the Poston Red Cross, the only successful organization in camp.  He was also the camp III Director of the Buddhist Church, and elected to the Community Enterprise. In August, 1945, Kuzo took a short term leave and traveled to Glendale, Arizona.
     Kenji found outside employment in Glasgow, Montana and left Poston on February 17, 1944.  He later returned to Poston and found employment in Chicago, and departed from Poston on May 7, 1945.  Kenji was called to report to Phoenix for selective service duty on May 25, 1945.
     Hito graduated at the Poston 3 High School in 1944, and went on seasonal leave for outside employment from the camp on June 20, 1944 to Glasgow, Montana.  Hito reported for military duty at Fort Douglas, Utah on December 11, 1944. He attended the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling, Minnesota and graduated in July 1945.
    Mickey played on the block 305 basketball team, selected for the 1944 Unit 3 "B" All Star team as a guard, and a pitcher for the block 305 "A" baseball team. Mickey went on seasonal leave from Poston and found outside employment in Glasgow, Montana on June 20, 1944. Mickey returned and found fall season employment Glasgow, and departed from Poston on November 7, 1944.  He was a member of the high class of 1945, but was not living at Poston at the time of graduation.
     Seiichi played on the block 305 Jr. Yaboes basketball and baseball team (catcher), and for the block 305 basketball team.  He was selected for the 1944 Unit 3 'B' All Star Team (forward), elected Treasurer of the high school's College Bound Club, elected President in 1944 of the Associate Student Body, a member of the class of 1945, and named the Faculty editor of the high school "Campus Echo" yearbook. Seiichi located employment in Woodstock, Illinois and left Poston on January 3, 1945.
     Maki Shinoda was a Junior Girl Scout member and attended elementary school at Poston, along with her siblings, Kiyoshi, Taye, and Sumie. The family was joined by a new member with the birth of Akira at the Poston General Hospital.
      On August 22, 1945, Kuzo, Sayo, Maki, Kiyo, Taye, Sumie, Muto and Akira were the last of the Shinoda family to leave Poston, as they returned to Cutler.

     Hitoshi was a veteran of World War II and served in the Pacific in the Military Intelligence Service.  A retired postmaster, Hitoshi served for more than 25 years as the postmaster for Cutler-Orosi and Yettem post offices. He was a lifelong resident of the Cutler-Orosi area and died on March 26, 2003, at the age of 77.  He was preceded in death of his father, Kuzo (1963), mother, Sayo (1963); sister, Maki Kikuchi (1997); and brother: Mickey (2001);

     He is survived by his wife, Marie; and daughter, Leslie of Visalia; son, Jeff (Stacy) of Fresno; brothers Kenji, of Palos Verdes, Seiichi, and Kiyo of Apple Valley, Muto, of Atascadero and Akira,  of Canoga Park;  sisters Fuji Hanada of Alhambra, Yoshi Kaku of Sacramento, and Taye Abe of Orosi.

Sources: http://rogere442.net/obit/misobit01.html
http://www.discovernikkei.org/pt/resources/military/16967/










KODANI, FUMIYE "FUMI" ETHEL (SAKODA) 1918-2008

      Fumiye Ethel Sakoda (Poston 219-7-C) was born on June 30, 1918 in Salinas, California to Japanese immigrants, Sannosuke and Suye Sakoda.  Fumi grew up in the Salinas area, attended local schools and graduated from in 1936 from Salinas High School.   
     After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Fumi, her parents, and sisters, Yuriko Lily and Kineho Kay, and brother Isamu Sam Sakoda were forcibly evacuated to the Salinas Assembly Center, and later transported by train to the Arizona desert and arrived on June 29, 1942 at the Poston internment camp (219-7-C)  there she met Seizo Kodani, of the pioneering Japanese family of Point Lobos.  They were married in Poston on February 6, 1943. Her brother, Isamu Sam Sakoda found employment in Bridgeton, New Jersey and left Poston on August 8, 1944.  Her sister Yuriko Lily Sakoda located work in Washington DC and left Poston on August 23, 1945.  Her parents and sister, Kimbo Kay left Poston to return to Salinas on September 19, 1945.
     After WWII, Seizo brought Fumi back to California after spending a few years out of camp in Cleveland, Ohio. Seizo returned to Point Lobos and they established their home. Fumi raised 3 daughters while working fulltime for more than 30 years. 
     Fumi was the devoted cook and companion to famed photographer, Ansel Adams and his wife, Virginia.   Fumi had many interests including gardening, cooking, knitting, painting with her sister, Edna Ishikawa, and hiking and backpacking in the Sierras with nephews and nieces.  She was an enthusiastic member of the local race-walking club established by Giulio di Petra.  Fumi Kodani died at  home in Carmel Highlands on February 11, 2008, at the age of 89 years.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Seizo (1988).
     She is survived by daughters, Eugenie Childress and Marilyn Kodani, of Carmel Highlands, and Lucinda Stenek of Honolulu. 


Sources: http://www.pineconearchive.com/080222PCA.pdf
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/GEN-OBIT/2008-03/1204481213

YAMAGUCHI, SAMUEL COOLIDGE (1923-2009)

Samuel C. Yamaguchi
     Samuel Coolidge Yamaguchi (Poston 307-7-D) was born on August 11, 1923 in San Diego, to Japanese immigrants who immigrated in 1910, Yataro Yamaguchi, a truck farmer, and  Matsu (Sato) Yamaguchi. In the 1930's the family lived at 4775 Lamont Street in Pacific Beach. Growing up in Pacific Beach, Yamaguchi had no Japanese friends.  Sam  was supposed to graduate from La Jolla High School in 1942 but had to leave before graduation for the internment camp.
     After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the family voluntarily evacuated and relocated to the Cutler-Orosi area in Central California. On August 3, 1942, the Yamaguchi family along with other people of Japanese ancestry living in the Cutler-Orosi area were forcibly evacuated by train to the Arizona desert and placed in living quarters at the Poston internment camp.  Yataro, Matsu, Yone Lois, Mark Manuel, Samuel Coolidge, Edith and Jane Yamaguchi resided at Poston block 307-7-D.   While at Poston, Matsu became a Red Cross member, the only successful organization at the camp. Yone found employment as a Beauty Shop operator, and she also volunteered as a Girl Scout leader. Edith and Jane attended high school at  camp 3.  Yone was the first in the family to find outside employment in Chicago and departed on March 10, 1943.
      Samuel found a sense of belonging at Poston III, and once stated that he was better off with his own people because there was no prejudice with your own people.  Later, he signed up to  volunteer for the all Nisei Army unit on April 29, 1943 because he wanted to prove that the Japanese were good Americans.  Sam found work outside of Poston and left on June 14, 1943 to work at Smithfield, Utah. Samuel was living at Scotts Bluff, Nebraska when he was notified to report for military service at Salt Lake City on September 3, 1943. 
     Mark Manuel left Poston on 10/12/1943 and went to Chicago to join his sister. Edith followed on 2/1/1944 and left Poston to join family members in Chicago. Meanwhile, following basic training at  Camp Shelby, Mississippi,  Sam was sent to Europe with the 442nd RCT, where he was wounded in combat in Italy in July 1944.  He was later awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, and Good Conduct Medal after discharge from the Army. Yataro, Matsu and Jane were the last of the family members to leave Poston, and they departed for San Diego on September 19, 1945.
     Samuel's father, Yataro Yamaguchi died at the age of 81 years on December 1946. Samuel's mother, Matsu studied and became naturalized U.S. citizen on August 31, 1954.
     Samuel was a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers,  and resident of San Diego, California, and died on March 8, 2009.  He was preceded in death by his father, Yataro (1946), and brother Manuel Mark (1989).


Sources:
http://www.tributes.com/show/Samuel-Coolidge-Yamaguchi-86286593
http://www.examiner.com/sightseeing-in-san-diego/compelling-exhibit-on-japanese-americans-the-military-at-veterans-memorial-museum
http://www.sdhumane.org/site/DocServer/AFareSum09_FINAL.pdf?docID=2761
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080419/news_1m19exhibit.html

http://www.ljhsalumni.org/media/%20NL%20Fall%2009-10.pdf

TABATA, SATOKO "CEDAR" (KODANI) 1921-2007

Satoko "Cedar" Tabata
     Satoko "Cedar" Kodani ( Poston 219-3-D)  was born May 15, 1921 in the family home at Point Lobos in Monterey County, California to a marine biologist from Japan, Gennosuke Kodani and his wife, Fukui. Gennosuke led the establishment of the local abalone fishing and processing industry, and introduced modern diving equipment to the area.  By 1898, Gennosuke Kodani and landowner Alexander Allan began the Point Lobos Canning Company, which harvested, dried and shipped abalone to Japan and China. The Kodani home, a guest house and a bunkhouse for Japanese laborers formed a center for activity across Whalers Cove from the cannery until 1933, when the State of California purchased the land to create Point Lobos State Reserve. Satoko attended Bay School, and graduated in 1937 from Monterey High School.
     After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Satoko, her widowed mother, sisters, Kumiko, Takeko, Yoshiko, and brothers, Eugene, and Seizo Kodani were forcibly evacuated from Carmel to the Salinas Assembly Center.  Later, they were transported by train to their new living quarters in the Arizona desert and arrived on June 29, 1942 at the Poston internment camp block 219-3-D. Her sister, Fusako had been evacuated from Salinas to the Salinas Assembly Center and arrived later on July 5, 1942 at Poston. Her brother, Eugene was accepted to attend Huron College in South Dakota, and left Poston on October 25, 1942.  Her sister, Fusako married Charles Koji Onoye in February 1943, and they left Poston on May 12, 1943 after Charles located employment in Denver.  Her brother, Seizo married Fumiye Sakoda (219-7-C) on February 6, 1943 in Poston. Her two sisters, Kumiko and Yoshiko found employment in Washington DC and departed from Poston on March 24, 1943. Takeko found employment at Gross Pointe, Michigan and left on May 25, 1943. Seizo found employment in Cleveland and left on June 29, 1943.  Satoko, her mother, and Seizo's wife, Fumiye were the last of the family to leave Poston on August 4, 1943 and went to join Seizo in Cleveland, Ohio.   
     In 1944, while in Cleveland, Satoko married Jimmie Tabata, a graduate of Monterey Union High School in  1933.  They spent one year working in Chicago before returning to Monterey in 1946 to reopen Sunrise Grocery, the family business, which the Sunrise Brothers started in 1919. During its 82 years serving the Japanese and Monterey Peninsula community, Sunrise relocated five times before closing its Pearl Street location in 2001.
     Cedar was an active member of El Estero Presbyterian Church where her father and mother were among its original members. Satoko, "Cedar" known to family and friends, died at the age of 86 on June 20, 2007. 
     She was preceded in death by brother Seizo (1988); mother Fuku (1952); husband Jimmie (2004).  
     She is survived by sons, James, Jr. (Barbara) and Thomas (Stephanie).

Sources: Published in The Monterey Herald on June 26, 2007
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?n=satoko-tabata-cedar&pid=89696399&fhid=6695
http://www.californiajapantowns.org/monterey.html
http://www.ci.pg.ca.us/HCS_Public_Draft_Part_2_6-29-11.pdf

TSUJI, SUMIYE "SUMI" ALICE (TASHIRO) 1922-2010

Sumi Tsuji
     Sumiye Alice Tashiro (307-9-D), born October 4, 1922 in Oxnard, California to Japanese immigrants, Yeizo and Toye Tashiro.  She was raised in Lompoc and was a high school All-star basketball player.

     After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, her father, Yeizo Tashiro was picked up by the FBI and detained at the Department of Justice prison in Sharp Park, California, with other Buddhist Church leaders and Japanese Community leaders for unknown reasons.  Sumiye was evacuated in the hot summer month of August of 1942 with her mother and sisters, Fumiye Mary and Tomiye from where they were living in Orosi.  They were transported by train with her brother, Yeiki and his wife, Hisako to their living quarters in the Arizona desert at the Poston internment camp block 307-9-D. Her father was granted parole and allowed to join his family at Poston on August 15, 1942. Sumi was the director of the Young Buddhist Association (YBA) Choir, and won 3rd place in the YBA Oratorial Contest, "Aspect of Human Life."  Her sister,  Tomiye  married Masao Victor Okamura in April 1943 and they moved to live at Poston 305-13-H.   
Yeiki Tashiro 1943
      Her brother, Yeiki Tashiro (307-9-D) was the first in the family to leave Poston on August 4, 1943, after locating a job in St. Louis.  His wife joined him in St. Louis on February 1944.  Sumi found outside employment in  Salt Lake City and on August 16, 1943, she departed from Poston.  Her parents left Poston on July 22, 1945 and resettled in Reedley, California.  Fumiye Mary was the last of the Tashiro family members to leave Poston, and she found employment in St. Louis and departed from Arizona on August 7, 1945.

     Following the war, Sumi married and lived on the Monterey Peninsula, where she gave birth to David, and owned the Vanity Box Beauty Salon on Del Monte Blvd.
     In 1963, Sumi moved to Hanford, where she was employed as a bookkeeper at K.C. Bowl. As a bus driver, she transported handicapped children.  Sumi became an accomplished bowler and was first woman to break the 700 3-game series mark in Hanford. She was a member of the Buddhist Temple in Hanford. In 2006, she moved to Manteca. Sumi Tsuji died in Monterey on December 26, 2010. She was preceded in death by her husband, Yento Tsuji, and her sisters, Mary Okamura and Tomi Okamura, preceded her in death.
     She is survived by her son, David Uchida and his wife, Dr. Rita Koshinski-Uchida of Monterey; and brother, Yeiki Tashiro of Manteca.

Sources:  The Monterey Herald,  January 4, 2011
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?n=sumiye-tsuji-sumi&pid=147599395&fhid=6695

OTANI, AKI SANAYE "SUNNY" (KITAHATA) 1919-2009

Aki "Sunny" Otani
     Aki Sanaye Kitahata (Poston 318-11-C) was born on April 4, 1919 in Dinuba, California to Japanese immigrant parents.  Her father, Kintaro Kitahata was a farm laborer who immigrated in 1900 to the U.S..  Her mother, Kachiko (Obara) Kitahata, immigrated in 1912, and became a naturalized citizen on 11/11/1954, while living in Cleveland.

    Aki S. Kitahata was raised in Reedley and attended schools.  Her sister, Tayeko graduated from Reedley High School in 1939. Aki, and her parents, and siblings, Tayeko, Suyiye, Tomiye, Shinichi Ben and Aiko, were evacuated from Reedley.  They arrived at Parker, Arizona railroad station on August 6, 1942 and were transported in the desert to their living quarters at the Poston, Arizona internment camp (318-11-C).   Meanwhile, Henry Chikao Kitahata was evacuated to the Gila, Arizona internment camp. Sumiye Kitahata left Poston on November 16, 1943 after finding employment at Shaker Heights, Ohio.  On August 10, 1943, Tomiye Kitahata left Poston after finding employment in St Paul, Minnesota. Tayeko Kitahata was married in December 1943 to Ray K. Umade.  Tayeko found employment in Baltimore, and left oston on February 5, 1944.  Her marriage later ended in divorce in 1974.

     Aki's brother, Ben Kitahata graduated with the Parker Valley High School class of 1945, and went to work in Cleveland on June 1945.  The last of the Kitahata family to leave Poston were their parents and youngest sister, Aiko.  They left on September 11, 1945 and joined Ben who was already settled in Cleveland. Meanwhile,  Aki Kitahata found employment in Chicago, and in 1947, she married Harry Otani, formerly of Visalia.    

     In 1954, Aki & Harry Otani moved to the Monterey Peninsula in California, where they raised their two sons, Michael and Larry.  Aki was employed in domestic work  for Mr. & Mrs. S.F.B. Morse, Mr. Milton Coburn, the Duchess of Manchester, Colonel & Mrs. A. Griffin, and Mrs. A.C. Castle, her last employer for whom she was employed for over 40 years. Aki Otani, lovingly known as "Sunny" to her friends and family, died at the age of 89 years, on January 25, 2009 in Monterey.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Tetsuo "Harry" Otani; sister, Tayeko "Tykie" Umade (1999) and older brother, Henry C. Kitahata (2002); and father, Kintaro (1961) and mother.
      She is survived by her sons, Michael Otani of Pacific Grove, CA and Larry Otani of El Segundo, CA; her sisters, Tomiye Tanaka of Seaside, CA, Aiko Matsuno of Torrance and Sumi Ujimori of Upland, CA; her brother, Ben Kitahata of El Monte, CA.


Sources:  The Monterey Herald,  January 29, 2009
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/montereyherald/obituary.aspx?n=aki-otani-sunny&pid=123467250&fhid=6695
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