KAKITA, THE HONORABLE EDWARD YUICHI (1940-2005)

     Edward Yuichi Kakita (Poston 35-11-C) was born May 8, 1940 to Bene and Hisako (Miyoshi) Kakita.  On May 27, 1942, he along with his parents and older sister, Barbara Kakita, were evacuated from their home in Los Angeles, to the Arizona desert to live in their wartime living quarters at the Poston internment camp 35-11-C. While in camp, his brother, Stanley was born.  After living for over 3 years at Poston, the Kakita family finally departed from Poston on August 20, 1945 and returned to Los Angeles.

     Edward earned a law degree from Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco and bachelor's degrees in finance and business from University of Southern California. He married Lenore S Uyeyama in 1968.

     In 1973, Edward and four attorneys formed their own law firm, and in 1973, he helped to establish the Japanese American Bar Association and served as the group's first president.

     In 1980, Edward was appointed to the California Superior Court by former Governor Jerry Brown, and became the presiding judge of the court's Appellate Division. Edward kept in close contact with the Hastings Alumni Association and served as president from 1989-1990.

     Edward Kakita lived in La Canada Flintridge and served as a Los Angeles Superior Court judge from 1980-l 2000. After his retirement from the bench, Edward began private mediation and arbitration with Alternative Resolution Centers.  Former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Edward Y. Kakita and a founder of the Japanese American Bar Association, died at the age of 64 on March 23, 2005.

Source: http://articles.glendalenewspress.com/2005-03-26/news/export3245_1_kakita-judge-center-s-website

MIURA, ITENE YASUYO (TAKEI) 1939-2007

Irene Y. Miura

    Irene Yasuyo Takei (Poston 54-1-A) was born in Santa Cruz on July 18, 1939.  Irene and her American-born parents, Iowa, Shizuko Jean Takei, and her grandfather, Yasu Takei,were forcibly evacuated to the Salinas Assembly Center.  A few months later, they were incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 1 (block 54-1-A). After living in the camp for over three years, the Takei family finally left Poston, Arizona on September 30, 1945 and returned to Santa Cruz.    

    Irene completed her undergraduate studies in 1960 at the University of California-Berkeley, with a major in Child Development and a minor in Music. She received her teaching credential a year later but did not enter the classroom right away, choosing instead to start a family.

     Neal Miura and Irene Takei met while at Berkeley and were married for 47 years. Their family included two sons and a daughter. When Irene thought her children were old enough, she returned to school.  She attended the College of Notre Dame in Belmont, receiving a M. A. degree in Education in 1981. The following fall, she was accepted into Stanford University's doctorate program and received a Doctorate in Psychological Studies in Education/Child and Adolescent Development in 1984
      Irene shared her knowledge with college students and was quickly promoted from Lecturer to Assistant Professor of Child Development at San Jose State University. Irene Miura was named outstanding professor six years after she began teaching.

     From 1987-2000, Irene Miura served as the Chair of the Child Development Department at San Jose State University. She was appointed Executive Assistant to the University President, a post she retained until retirement n 2004.

     From 1997- 2001, Irene served as a member of the U.C. Board of Regents and the U.C. Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees. She served on the Board of Directors of the California Alumni Association and President from 1997- 1999.

     Irene was a flutist and pianist for the College of San Mateo orchestra, and a  member of the Episcopal Church of St. Matthew in San Mateo for 40 years. 

     Irene (Takei) Miura  died on July 29, 2007, after a seven-year fight with pancreatic cancer.
      She is survived by her husband, Neal; son David Miura (Janine Fujioka), and Greg (Janet) Miura; daughter, Jennifer (Ted) Yamagishi; and  grandchildren; Kristine, Michael and Kelly; Tyler and Jacob.

 

Sources: http://articles.sfgate.com/keyword/executive-assistant

San Jose Mercury News on August 4, 2007

TAKAGI, ROBERT YASUO (1928-2010)

Bob Y. Takagi

     Robert Yasuo Takagi (Poston 329-6-B) , was born on June 8, 1928 to Kogoro and Harue Takagi in San Diego, California.  He was the fourth of five children.   

      Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the family was forcibly evacuated to the Santa Anita Assembly Center.  After a few months, they were transported by train to the Arizona desert to their living quarters and arrived at the Poston internment camp block 329-6-B on August 27, 1942. His older brother, Norio Takagi found employment in Chicago, and left his family at Poston on August 4, 1943. Bob found employment in Chicago, and left Poston on June 27, 1944 and he was followed by the rest of his family leaving Poston on August 29, 1944 and resettling in Chicago.

     Bob later joined the U.S. Army.  While stationed in Italy, he was became friends with Ernest Hemingway. After being honorably discharged from military service, Bob  studied music and art.  He had the rare privilege of singing in a choir with the Chicago Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein, in an epic performance of Mahler’s “Symphony No. 2.”

     In 1955, Bob Takagi married dancer and choreographer, Valentina Oumansky. They  spent the early years of their marriage attending theatre and dance premieres.  He established the Valentina Oumansky Dramatic Dance Foundation, of which she is the artistic director and he was President emeritus.  He co-founded Dance Alliance with Bella Lewitzky.

     Takagi worked years with editing news and film.  He was a music editor in the motion picture industry for 40 years, with a list of credits that includes such films as The Reivers, Endless Love, Butterfly, The Challenge and The Lightship; popular TV series like the original Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke and The Twilight Zone; and scores of TV movies.

     He played in the annual Warner Bros. Golf Tournaments in Solvang, California. He wrote and self-published five volumes of Haiku. Robert (Bob) Yasuo Takagi, died on November 9, 2010 in Sherman Oaks, California. 

     He is survived by his wife, Valentina Oumansky-Takagi;  daughter Tarumi Alina Takagi-Inouye (Karl); sisters, Fudo Takagi, and Taeko Takagi; and brothers,  Norio (Maria) Takagi and Hideo (Kathy) Takagi.

Source: https://www.editorsguild.com/Magazine.cfm?ArticleID=944

SATO, DAVID MASASHI (1938-2008)

David M. Sato

     David Masashi Sato (Poston 229-11-B)  was born on August 9, 1938 on a farm near what is now Mather Airport near Rancho Cordova, California.  He was the youngest of nine children born to Japanese immigrant parents, John Shinji and Mary Tomomi Sato.

      Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, his family was forcibly evacuated to the Pinedale Assembly Center.  After a few months, they were transported by railroad to the Arizona desert and finally arrived to their desert living quarters on July 22, 1942 at the Poston internment camp block 229-11-B. His sister, Kiyo Sato, was fortunate to leave Poston early on October 7, 1942 to attend college in Hillsdale, Michigan. His brother, Sanji located employment in Hillsdale, Michigan and left Poston on August 18, 1943. The rest of his family left Poston together on April 11, 1944 and went to Keenesburg, Colorado to farm.

     After the end of World War II, the Sato family was able to return to their home, and David attended the Edward Kelly School on Bradshaw Road, graduated from Sacramento High School and California State University, Sacramento.

     David Sato devoted more than 43 years as an educator at Cordova Gardens Elementary School, Mitchell Jr. High School and Rancho Cordova Elementary School.  He was the founder of a 5th and 6th grade summer camp at Redwood Glen in the Coastal Redwoods. He also developed a reading program at Mitchell Middle School for remedial students; was a facilitator for an intervention program at Cordova High School; developed both physical geography and cultural geography courses for the Sacramento County Office of Education. He also taught an all boys 6th grade class, bringing in an automobile engine for the boys to dismantle as a project, and was a "Tough Love" facilitator at Cordova High.

     David Sato was presented the Gold Award by the Capitol Service Center Council of the California Teachers Association in 1983, and the George Beck Award for Community Service in 1986 by the Folsom Cordova PTA Council. David Sato died on August 13, 2008.

Source: http://www.indedicationof.com/DavidSato/AboutMe.aspx

SAKAI, ROBERT KENJIRO (1919-2004)

Robert K. Sakai

     Robert Kenjiro Sakai (Poston 42-9-A) , was born on April 3, 1919, in Riverside, California, born to Hiroshi and Kiku Sasai. He received a bachelor's degree in history at the University of California-Berkeley in 1941, but his graduate education was interrupted by World War II.   

     Robert was evacuated from Indio, California with his parents, and older siblings, Tom and Julia Sakai to the Poston, Arizona internment camp block 42-9-A on May 19, 1942.  He married Sady Kitaoka (Poston 27-6-D), an evacuee from Brea, at Poston in October, 1942. Robert volunteered for the Military Intelligence Service and went to Camp Savage in Minnesota on June 26, 1943 and Sady Sakai went to Minneapolis.

     Several month later, his sister, Julia Sakai left Poston on August 25, 1943 and went to Minneapolis. His older brother, James received an invitation in Chicago, and  left Poston on May 2, 1944. His parents remained at Poston until September 16, 1945 when they returned to Indio.

     After the end of World War II, Robert Sakai earned his master's and doctorate degrees from Harvard University. He taught at the University of Nebraska for 15 years and  served as chairman of their history department. In 1964, he was a visiting history professor to the University of Hawai'i and two years later joined the University of Hawaii History Department. He was a scholar of Japanese history, and  served as Dean of the University of Hawaii summer session and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

     After retirement, Robert Sakai remained a Professor Emeritus with the History Department. He joined the Japan-America Society in 1980, served two terms as President. During his tenure, the society developed a sister relationship with the Japan-America Society of Hiroshima. He was a board member of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation,, and served on the Japanese Consulate's screening committee for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.

      Robert K. Sakai, a historian, University of Hawai'i dean and former president of the Japan-America Society of Hawai'i, died at the age of 85 on August 15, 2004 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

He is survived by his wife, Sady; son, Robert; daughter, Ann; sister, Irene Futa.

Source: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Aug/24/ln/ln48a.html

KOBAYASHI, KAZUO “KAZ” (1913-2011)

Kaz Kobayashi

     Kazuo “Kaz” Kobayashi ( Poston 229-3-A), was born on January 4, 1913  in Sacramento, California to  Japanese immigrant farmers, Sahei  and Koyo (Doi) Kobayashi, and they had three daughters, Misao, Shizue Sue, and Sadako Helen.

     Following the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Kaz, his parents, and sisters Sue and Helen were forcibly evacuated from Mills in Sacramento County, to the Pinedale Assembly Center.  After a few months,  the family was transported by train to the Arizona desert to living quarters at the Poston internment camp block 229-3-A on July 22, 1942. Sahei Kobayashi died at the age of 66 years, at the Poston General Hospital on May 28, 1944.  On March 6, 1944, Kazuo departed from Poston to work at Seabrook Farms in Bridgeton, New Jersey.   His mother and two sisters later left Poston on August 30, 1945 and joined him in New Jersey.

Kaz at Seabrook Farms

     Kaz married married Toshiko Ohono in March 1946.  Kaz worked at Seabrook Farms as a quality control specialist in the Quality Control Lab.  In the 1950s, he experimented with and tested different ways of preserving crops, such as peas, until they were ready to be sold.  He retired at age 70. Kaz was a member of the Seabrook Buddhist Temple, and the Seabrook Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. 

      Kazuo “Kaz” Kobayashi, 98, of Seabrook, New Jersey died on October 31, 2011.  He was predeceded in death by his father, Sahei (1944); mother, Koyo (1982); sisters, Sue Shizue Kobayashi (2005), Helen Minakata (2006) and Misao Kobayashi.

     He is survived by his wife, Toshiko; and son, Clifford (Dianne) of Vineland.

Source: http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20111102/OBITUARIES/311020019

http://mss3.libraries.rutgers.edu/dlr/showfed.php?pid=rutgers-lib:3190

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, 2^nd Battalion., 27^th 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