Howell Sonoda was
born November 22, 1922, in Exeter, California to Japanese immigrants, Takeji
and Shizuye Sonoda. Following the
bombing of Pearl Harbor, his father, Takeji Sonoda was taken away by the FBI
and detained at the Department of Justice internment camp at Sharp Park,
California.
Howell, his mother, and siblings: Tamotsu Thomas, Mitsuko, Toshio,
George, Chiyoko, Teruo, Tokiko, Suyeo, Masaru, Harold and Takeshi, were
incarcerated at the Poston Arizona concentration camp (226-4-AB) on July
17, 1942. His father was paroled on August 1, 1942 and allowed to join his
family at Poston, Arizona. Howell volunteered for the newly forming All-Nisei
Combat Team on April 29, 1943 and was inducted at Fort Douglas, Utah on July
26, 1943. His brother George, a 1943 graduate of the camp 2 high school,
participated on the block 226 Zeros baseball team, and basketball team before
leaving Poston to attend college in Chicago on July 4, 1944. Howell found outside employment in Chicago
and left Poston on March 28, 1944.
Howell was
a farm owner for 60 years, and employed as a gardening supervisor for Palomar
College near San Diego for 16 years.
Howell
Sonoda, 86, died on November 23, 2006, at Carlsbad, California. He
is survived by his wife of 55 years, Hannah Sonoda of Vista; son Norman Sonoda;
daughters: Elaine (Wayne) Armstrong, Diane (Jim) McDaniel, and Marlene (David)
Randle.
Source: http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/obituaries/article_a96986d0-2d0c-5ce4-8e8c-eb7be3ff8d6f.html
