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| Hito Shinoda |
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.
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/
