DECEMBER 2008 ISSUE NO. 11/2008
PRESIDENT’S REPORT by Robert Arakaki
From October 19 to 23, thanks to the hard work of our friends in Southern California, we had our annual Mini- Reunion in Las Vegas. The photo on the right is of Nancy and me with Ken Gushiken and Goro Sumida in the lobby of the California Hotel. For more on the Mini-Reunion, please read Sam Fujikawa’s Mainland Chapter News. Our monthly board meeting (normally scheduled the second Friday of the month) was held on Sunday, November the 16 at 9:00am since the General Membership meeting was held on the same day. The General Meeting at Turner Hall began at 10:00am conducted by Mike Harada our President- elect. Read your PPP in the issues to come for more information about the future of the 100th Inf. Battalion from the new younger generation officers of the club. The Board meeting opened with a moment of silence for our deceased comrades. The October Minutes were approved as circulated. The Office Manager’s and Treasurer’s reports were all approved and accepted. Guest Reid Mizue from KYA Design Group gave an on screen presentation about the future mission for the 100th Inf. Bn. descendants and community. On November 5, 2008 ground breaking for the Pearl Harbor Memorial Museum and Visitor Center was attended by Tom Nishioka, Tom Tsubota, and Robert Arakaki. Thanks to our caring Office Manager Amanda Stevens for arranging VIP parking for the ceremony ensuring VIP treatment from the staff in charge of the event. On November 8 we participated in the Veterans Day parade sponsored by the East Hawaii Veterans led by Dan Kama in downtown Hilo. The Grand Marshal was State Adjutant General Robert G. F. Lee. Veterans of the 100th Infantry Bn. from Oahu were Goro Sumida, Rikio Tsuda and Robert Arakaki. Nancy Arakaki, Evelyn Tsuda, Mary Hamasaki, Jessie Nakayama, Elsie Oshita, Amanda Stevens, and Amanda’s nephew, Jeremy, attended the ceremony. We all had a grand time. While staying in Hilo we visited friends and went to Rainbow Falls, Akaka Falls, Volcano House just to mention a few interesting locations. Also while we were in Hilo we visited the Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home where we met Keith T. Ribbentrop, Liaison Officer, who gave us an extensive tour of the facility. It is at a beautiful location with private and semi-private rooms and various amenities. For more information regarding the veterans’ home contact: Yukio Okutsu Veterans Home / 1990 Waianuenue Ave. / Hilo, Hawaii 96720 Ph: (808) 961-1502 Fax: (808) 933-1835 Email: [email protected]
After the parade we visited old friend Seitoku Akamine. We were just informed that Seitoku passed away. Our condolences to the Akamine family.
Please make sure you read the articles by Amanda Stevens and Evelyn Tsuda on our Big Island adventures in this issue of the PPP.
ATTENTION 100TH OHANA & FRIENDS. WE NEED YOUR HELP DECORATING THE CLUBHOUSE Friday, December 5 from 3 pm to 6 pm and Saturday, December 6 from 9 am to 2 pm
We Are still taking a few more orders for Fresh “Living” Holiday Wreaths - $25 (Mini) Poinsettia Plants - $4
If you would like to order a wreath or poinsettia, please call the Clubhouse at 946-0272. Pre-orders only. Sorry, no walk-in purchases.
Pick-up will be on Friday, December 5 from 3 pm to 6 pm and Saturday, December 6 from 9 am to 2 pm (parking available at Ala Wai School on Saturday only)
A portion of the proceeds of the wreath and poinsettia sale will go to 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans’ programs.
NO PUKA PUKA PARADE FOR JANUARY 2009
There will be no January 2009 issue of the Puka Puka Parade so that we can give all our volunteers a holiday vacation for their year of hard work. Mahalo to everyone who supported the PPP in 2008 including our editors, staff writers, proofreaders, printing experts, collating professionals, Chapter reporters and everyone else who gives so generously of their time. Thank you also to the many donors for their monetary and in-kind support of the PPP. It is really a collaborative effort to put out a PPP issue every month and we could not do it if it weren’t for you.
The PPP first issue of the New Year will be February 2009. Please look for that in your mailbox the first week of February. Deadline to submit all articles will be January 15, 2009. Please send your e-mail to [email protected] or drop off at the Clubhouse.
If you have information you would like to share during the PPP break (or at any time for that matter), please e-mail it to [email protected] or drop it off at the Clubhouse and we may post it on our website at www.honoluluadvertiser.com/100thInfBn. We are constantly updating our website with articles about the 100th and other Nisei veterans’ organizations and we also post announcements of upcoming events or other items of interest that the Office receives from the community.
PPP COLLATING VOLUNTEERS by Bernard Akamine
Twenty eight volunteers participated in the collating of the Puka Puka Parade. It was a very lively day with visitors from the military and even U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo and his wife Tammy mingling with the volunteers. Participating were Bernard and Jeanette Akamine, Alfred Arakaki, Robert and Nancy Arakaki, Akira Akimoto, Mary Hamasaki, Ed Ikuma, Don and Kimi Matsuda, and their grandson Paul, Masanori Moriwake, Tom Nishioka, Elsie Oshita, Nancy Sakaki, Mamo Sato, Robert Sato, Kazuto Shimizu, Goro Sumida, Dot Tamashiro, Drusilla Tanaka, Riki and Evelyn Tsuda, Marie Yoneshige, Terri Wakuzawa with her disabled shoulder, Stacey Hayashi, Pam Funai, and China Yamashina. Pam brought a delicious cake. Missing were old reliables Kuni Fujimoto, Seie Oshiro, Susumu Kunishige, Philip Matsuyama, Joe Muramatsu, Saburo Nishime, Arthur Komiyama, Otomatsu Aoki, Takako Umamoto. Hope they are all okay. Milton Tanaka brought some ¼” plywood, so I was able to make more trays for the Puka Puka Parade collating. I got a call from Evelyn Tsuda saying that she is bringing a piece of plywood she found at home, so I’ll be busy again. No January 2009 issue, so no collating in December. Enjoy the holidays!
The Puka Puka Parade is the monthly newsletter of the World War II 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (aka Club 100). It is published at 520 Kamoku Street, Honolulu, HI 96826.
- 2 - MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS A MERRY ONE FOR NEEDY FAMILIES BY SUPPORTING THE HAWAII FOODBANK
In this time of economic instability, it is easy to forget about those who are less fortunate than us. While we may be worrying about the impact the financial bailouts will have on our taxes or concern ourselves with the dropping interest rates on our investments, there are families in Hawaii who do not know where their next meal will come from. We therefore are humbly asking that you bring any nonperishable items you can spare to your Chapter’s Christmas party to donate to the Hawaii Foodbank. Just drop your donations at the table near the office and they will be delivered to the Foodbank at the end of the year. The top five items they need are (1) canned meats or tuna; (2) canned meals; (3) canned soups; (4) canned vegetables; (5) canned fruits. Mahalo!
In Memoriam
NAME COMPANY DATE OF DEATH
Frank Ichiji Fujiwara B October 25, 2008 Edwin Kazuo Miyake B October 26, 2008 Tetsuo Takushi B October 28, 2008 Paul K. Maruo A November 3, 2008 Seitoku Akamine B and F (Hilo) November 11, 2008 Frank Morito Nishimura HQ November 11, 200 Our deepest sympathy to their families
OOPS!!! CORRECTIONS TO THE NOVEMBER 2008 PUKA PUKA PARADE
Our apologies to Carl Tonaki for misspelling his name in last month’s issue of the PPP under the heading of “Decorating the Graves of Our Comrades.” Sgt. Tonaki was instrumental in recruiting twelve airmen to help and we wish to thank him again for his efforts.
Our apologies to Kazuto Shimizu for inadvertently having omitted a paragraph from his Charlie Company report for November. [Quoting Kazuto's words:]
"C Chapter Hekka Lunch. I'm writing this as I munch on my hekka lunch. Arlene was afraid of poor attendance and we prayed a little. Looking around, I would say we had nothing to worry about. Thank you, Gary and Arlene, for preparing the lunch and everything. Arlene tells me that when she went to Aloha Tofu, she got a "no charge" bill for the goods that she bought. Arlene was stunned and did not get the name of the person doing this. Our heart goes to the many in the community that support our club and we will remember Aloha Tofu. Thank you."
LETTERS FROM OUR READERS
The following note was received from Mrs. Sadako Tottori-Kaneko, daughter of Bishop Mitsumyo Tottori of the Haleiwa Shingon Temple at the outbreak of WWII. She donated two albums that he had maintained of the nisei soldiers during WWII and the Korean conflict.
“Thank you so much for sending me your monthly Puka Puka Parade newsletter. I enjoy reading about all your members and activities, especially the sons and daughters carrying forth the legacies of their fathers.
“I hope my father’s albums (Bishop Tottori) have added to the history of the 100th Infantry Battalion men.”
The albums are now in the reception area of the Clubhouse for viewing by members and visitors and will eventually be added to the archives when the Learning Resource Center becomes operational.
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- 3 - The following note was received from Mrs. Ruth Kunishige, wife of Susumu (A Chapter):
“Enclosed is a card left on our car at Ala Moana Shopping Center on Nov. 11, Veterans’ Day.
The card with a patriotic design read: “Thank you so much for your service & commitment to our great country! You’re terrific, as well as all of your fellow servicemen and their families.”
Susumu has Pearl Harbor Survivor license plate with “Go for Broke, 100th Battalion – 442 Infantry” license plate holder. We were very touched that a total stranger took the time off from shopping to write a note of appreciation/thank you note, not only to Susumu but all the servicemen including families.”
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Dr. Coolidge Wakai wrote the following letter:
“In your PPP of September 2008, Issue No. 8/2008, page 10, the article from the press release from the Japanese American Veterans association informed the WWII infantrymen who served in ground combat may apply for the bronze star medal. This letter is to inform you of my experience. I e-mailed Mr. Terry Shima (originally from Hawaii) who promptly replied with sample application forms which were then mailed to Ms. Kathleen E. Miller.
In about 2 weeks I received a reply from the Department of the Army which stated that due to the number of requests on hand that it may take six to nine months before a notification of the outcome will be sent.
The above is FYI. So if others wish to apply it is very easy.”
SHARE THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAYS WITH OUR SOLDIERS
Thank you to everyone for their generous donations to the Operation Candy Drop program during November. This joint collaboration between the Navy Hale Keiki School, ‘Iolani School (students and parent-organization) and the 100th Infantry Battalion WWII Association resulted in over 100 boxes of candy being distributed to servicepersons abroad and in Hawaii. Candy boxes were given to men and women in all branches of the military.
The 100th also sent 21 gift boxes of candy and books to the citizen-soldiers of the 100th /442nd who are presently deployed in Kuwait. Many of these soldiers came to the Clubhouse for the omamori presentation prior to departing to Fort Hood, Texas for training (photo below).
If you would like to send them your own care package to the soldiers, please address it to the following: 1SG Beau A. H. Tatsumura Delta Company 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Regiment APO AE 09327 If you need with assistance sending your package, please call Amanda at the clubhouse (946-0272).
1SG Tatsumura is a friend of 100th volunteer Stacey Hayashi. He has agreed to distribute the donations to the members of the 100th who are stationed with him. He said that the soldiers would love
- 4 - anything “local” including noodles, microwave rice, ocha green tea, arare, dried ika or tako, furikake, etc. If you do send a care package, please remember that you will need to fill out a customs form for each box.
If you do not want to mail the items yourself, please consider making a donation to Operation Gift Lift, a project by the Hawaii National Guard to send care packages to Hawaii troops stationed abroad. Donations of the following items are being accepted:
Hawaiian CDs (new or used) DVDS (new or used) Candies or other local treats Powder mixes for water (like Crystal Lite packages) PLEASE NO HEAVY ITEMS LIKE RICE OR SPAM
Please deliver donations in untied small plastic bags by Friday, December 5 to the Hawaii National Guard - State Headquarters at 2949 Diamond Head Road, Building 306, Room 205 and 206. They are near Kapiolani Community College. The office is open on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
You can also bring your drop off you donations at the Clubhouse until Thursday, December 4 and we will deliver it to the National Guard office for you.
Mahalo also to everyone for the in-kind donations to the US Veterans organization. We are pleased to report that several carloads of fans and other household items were delivered to their offices in Barbers Point and we continue to receive donations as we speak. The volunteers and veterans there were very appreciative of your generosity.
100th INFANTRY BATTALION VETERANS HONORED by Amanda Stevens
The 100th Infantry Battalion was honored at the 2nd annual Hawaii Island Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 8, 2008. The theme was “All Gave Some and Some Gave All.” Three veterans from Oahu (Robert Arakaki, Goro Sumida and Rikio Tsuda) joined seven of their compatriots from Hilo: [Eugene Eguchi (A), Yasuo Iwasaki (C), Hideo Kami (D), Kazuma Taguchi (B), Sakai Wakakuwa (D), Toshio Gibo (C) and Joe Sugawara (C)]. They rode in convertibles right behind the Grand Marshal, Major General Robert G. F. Lee, State Adjutant General, and were followed by other Big Island veterans’ organizations, marching bands, floats and dignitaries. The weather was beautiful - we were ready for the famous Hilo rain but instead had to use our umbrellas to shade us from the sun.
After the parade, the Hilo Chapter veterans treated the group to a delicious lunch at Café 100. This was a very special afternoon. . Mrs. Evelyn Miyashiro and her daughter Gail made us all feel so welcome. As you probably know, Richard and Evelyn Miyashiro named their restaurant in honor of the famed 100th Infantry Battalion, in which Mr. Miyashiro served during World War II. Although Mr. Miyashiro is no longer with us, his sweet face pictured on the wall in the private backroom (where we enjoyed the meal and fellowship) made me feel like he was somehow there with us and happy that his comrades were there sharing stories and a great meal. U. S. Attorney Ed Kubo and Dan Kama, who was in charge of the parade, joined us. It was a wonderful conclusion to an exciting day.
This entire trip made me feel extremely nostalgic. You see, I’m a Big Island gal, I graduated from St. Joseph’s High School in 1985. Down the street from my school are K’s Drive In and Kadota Liquor owned by 100th Infantry Battalion veteran, Thomas T. Kadota. I have fond memories of walking down to K’s Drive In with my friends. One of my favorite Hilo memories is going to Kadota Liquor for lemon peel. As I write this, my mouth still waters I can almost smell and taste the li hing mango. I remember Mr. Kadota, sitting behind the counter with his humble smile and patient demeanor. I feel “shame” that I saw this man almost once a week and I did not thank him and give him the recognition he deserved as an American hero. Same thing with Mr. Miyashiro, I ask myself, “How come I didn’t know?” The answer…. education, education, education!! That is the key, ensuring that what the men of the 100th did will never be forgotten. All of the men of the 100th deserve to know that their legacy will live on. I feel as though, somehow, I’ve come full circle on this trip back to my hometown. I am very thankful for my upbringing and thankful for being a part of the 100th Ohana.
ROBERT ARAKAKI’S ‘TRY AND FIX IT/HELPFUL TIPS” CORNER
When making meat loaf, put all ingredients into a Ziploc bag, push out the air, seal the top, then knead and blend the ingredients. Form into a loaf shape, remove from bag and put into a baking pan.
To store ground beef so it will thaw faster, put it in a Ziploc freezer bag and flatten it like a pancake. It stores more easily and thaws in half the time.
When boiling rice, add a teaspoon of lemon juice to the water and you’ll get fluffier, whiter rice. - 5 - BIG ISLAND ADVENTURE (CONTINUED) by Evelyn Tsuda Robert Arakaki, Goro Sumida and Riki Tsuda flew to Hilo on November 6 to participate in the Hawaii Island Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 8. Tagging along were Nancy Arakaki, Mary Hamasaki, Elsie Oshita, Jessie Nakayama, Evelyn Tsuda, Stacey Hayashi, Amanda Stevens and Jeremy Stevens. It was a short stay but we covered a lot of ground besides cheering the veterans at the parade Amanda, a kamaaina Hilo resident, drove us to her old stomping grounds in the Rainbow Falls area. Due to the drought conditions on the Big Island, Rainbow Falls and Peepee Falls were disappointingly small and the water at Boiling Pots was not “boiling”. We stopped at the one-year old Veterans Home named after Yukio Okutsu, Medal of Honor recipient and we were given a tour of the facility. The first thing that struck us was how it looked more like a hotel than a hospital. On our drive up the Hamakua Coast, we drove through Honomu, Stanley Akita’s and my old hometown. It was disappointing to see our old homes gone and how dilapidated the stores and churches looked. We took a spin to Akaka Falls State Park, where we ate our bento lunch while the younger and energetic ones (Amanda, Jeremy and Stacey Hayashi) went on a half mile hike to see Akaka Falls and Kahuna Falls. From our vantage point the falls certainly did not look as high as claimed in tourist brochures because the lush vegetation obstructed the view of the bottom of the falls. Further on along the coast, we stopped at the Laupahoehoe lookout to visit the memorial marking the place where many students perished in the tsunami of April 1, 1946. Our tour ended at Tex Drive-In in Honokaa which is known for its malasadas. On Sunday, we visited the new UH Astronomy Center in Hilo called Imiloa. The hands-on exhibits were very interesting and the video was quite exciting and at times made us feel as though we were traveling in space. For Elsie’s sake (this was her first trip to the Big Island), I prayed that the weather would be beautiful with no vog so we could visit the Volcano National Park, and we lucked out. We had a good look at Halemaumau Crater from the Volcano House and later near the Jaggar Museum. The huge cloud of smoke emanating from the crater was thick and constant. While Amanda was leading the way, everything went swimmingly well. However, on Sunday, Amanda spent the afternoon with her family and the rest of us were on our own. With the blind (navigator Evelyn) leading the blind (pilot Bob) and all the backseat driving, we lost our way several times but managed to find our way to our destinations. I thought it was quite hilarious at times – ask Bob if he thought so too. During our stay in Hilo, some of us visited Motoyoshi Tanaka (D Co.), who we learned was looking forward to participating in the parade but unfortunately was not well. Take care Motoyoshi and we hope to see you at our next Anniversary banquet! We also visited Seitoku Akamine (F and B) who was being well taken care of at home by his wife Shizu and his two daughters. We have just learned that he passed away a few days later on Veterans Day. We send our very deepest condolences to Shizu and her family.
PUNCHBOWL VOLUNTEERS by Bernard Akamine
On the 25th of October there were five new volunteers at Punchbowl for an orientation session to become docents. All five received a nice tour of the cemetery by the security guard on his golf cart. Some of the new volunteers said they had never been to certain parts of the cemetery, so it was worth the trip in the rain. I gained a new partner, namely retired Judge Masato Doi from the 442nd Anti-Tank Company. It was a rainy day, so there weren’t many visitors and we had quality time remembering the past. Thanks to Judge Doi, Yasunobu Shoho (also of the 442nd), and to 100th descendants Bert Hamakado, Claude Kutaka, Cynthia (Anzai) Fukuda and Bianca (Toyama) Tamura for their commitment to the 2008-2009 volunteer schedule.
Volunteers who worked just before and just after the General Election reported that there were many inquiries about the location of Barack Obama’s grandfather, Stanley Dunham’s gravesite (niche No. 440). By now, his grandmother “Toot” is also inurned in the first columbarium court.
The opinions expressed in the Puka Puka Parade are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the position of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans. We welcome readers to send signed written comments via mail to PPP Editorial Committee, 520 Kamoku Street, Honolulu, HI 96826 or via e-mail to [email protected].
- 6 - CAT ISLAND’S HISTORY LURES PBS by Kat Bergeron, Sun Herald (South Mississippi's Newspaper) www.sunherald.com (Saturday, October 25, 2008)
A cryptic letter discovered by a Kansas City World War II collector has lured a crew of PBS's popular "History Detectives" to the Mississippi Coast in search of answers about secretive war-dog training on Cat Island. The letter, written by a World War II soldier, made reference to a plan to train dogs to attack Japanese. Raymond Nosaka, Hawaii, is a Nisei, or second generation Japanese. He has come to the Coast to describe for the PBS program the failed experiment to teach dogs to hate Japanese soldiers. The spry 92- year-old openly talks about the challenging five months when, as a loyal American soldier, he was ordered to taunt dogs and allow them to assault him. Nosaka remembers clinging to trees in the swamps, facing the possibility of falling into the mouths of vicious dogs and alligators. "This was so top secret that for 10 years we were not allowed to talk about it," said Nosaka, a retired IRS agent. Nosaka and 26 others from Company B of the 100th Infantry Battalion Separate ("separate" indicates Japanese descent) were hand-picked in 1942, flown to Mississippi under cover and whisked to mosquito-infested Ship Island to live. The Coast Guard daily ferried them to a dog-training camp on Cat Island, where they progressed from making the dogs track them to attack them. "The trainers didn't say, 'Go get them', they say 'kill,'" said Nosaka, who was on territorial guard duty at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed; he then was in the first Army draft. Nosaka will be an eyewitness for "History Detectives," co-produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting and expected to air in June. Other experts will be included, but Friday morning Nosaka was in the camera's spotlight when Tukufu Zuberi, the show's host, interviewed him at VFW Post 4526 in Gulfport. Today, Zuberi heads to the island, now part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore chain. "What sets this one apart is Cat Island, and hanging out with dogs," said Zuberi. "A swampy island is definitely a different dimension." The mystery for this segment's detectives swirls around the name "Pestre" found in the soldier's letter. He may be the "Swiss man" who convinced President Roosevelt dogs could be trained to hate Japanese soldiers. You must wait until the show airs to find out. The Nisei were picked because they were loyal U.S. soldiers but Japanese in appearance and - so the theory went - in smell. After the experiment failed and was closed down in five months, an intelligence investigation followed. The 400 island dogs continued to be trained as sentries, scouts, suicide dogs and to locate wounded soldiers. Americans had donated 18,000 pets to be trained in the country's four war canine centers. Amazingly, the vicious attacks did not change Nosaka's lifelong love of dogs. The Nisei arrived in Mississippi on November 6, 1942. Two years later on that same date, Nosaka was fighting the Germans in Italy when he and several others were injured by a bomb blast. When they took shelter in a cave, what showed up to comfort them? A mystery dog. The hound shared its affection and much-needed body warmth but disappeared just before rescuers arrived. BACKGROUND INFORMATION Rumors circulated across the Mississippi Coast that Japanese submarines lay offshore in December 1942. For a war-wary population that volunteered for lookouts and suffered through blackouts, the news was scary. A shrimper reported that two Japanese in a boat hailed him to buy shrimp for a Christmas meal. He didn't believe their story that they were U.S. soldiers living on Ship Island. The incident led to investigations by the Secret Service and other American intelligence agencies, but the locals never heard the end of the story. It was hush-hush. The men in the boat were Nisei, or Japanese-Americans. Twenty-seven of them from the 100th Infantry Battalion had volunteered for top-secret duty in Mississippi.
- 7 - They were soldiers before the outbreak of World War II, but with America's unfounded fear of anyone with Japanese background, these men were stripped of their right to bear arms. They were relegated to post exchanges and other service installations and denied combat training. Despite this they remained loyal, ready to serve. In September 1942 the hand-picked Nisei flew to the New Orleans airport, which was vacated and circled by military police, and in secrecy headed to Ship Island. The Nisei project began when a former Swiss hunting guide convinced President Franklin Roosevelt that he could teach dogs to hate and attack Japanese on sight. Such dogs would be invaluable in the Pacific campaign. Mississippi's barrier islands were picked because they were semi-tropical. The Nisei were picked because they looked somewhat Japanese. "In retrospect, one has to wonder how a president ever came to buy the theory that blood and sweat smelled differently, one race from the other," the Nisei commanding officer, Jim Lovell of Hawaii, later wrote. "On the other hand, under the exigencies of the times, the president was susceptible to any well- intentioned idea that would exact yet another pint from the perpetrators of The Day of Infamy." The Nisei lived on sandy, buggy Ship Island but worked with the war dogs on Cat Island, where the Quartermaster Corps was set up. In their mission to teach the dogs to have the scent and appearance of the Japanese enemy, the Nisei submitted themselves to sweaty tracking regimens and vicious dog attacks. Four hundred dogs and their trainers lived on Cat Island during the war. In addition to the Nisei project, dogs were also trained as sentries, scouts and to locate wounded soldiers. Mississippi was one of several U.S. training sites for donated war dogs. When the public call went out for canines, Americans had donated more than 18,000 pets. About 10,400 of them completed training. One of the Cat Island trainers was John Russell, a Pennsylvanian who was part of the 41st Scout Dog Platoon. He has returned several times in recent years to re-experience the Coast. "I recognize very little," he said. "I guess growth and your Hurricane Camille changed everything." "I mostly remember the mosquitoes on the island. I never saw so many in my life. And it was about 120 in the shade. Cat Island was nothing but palmettos and sand, but they chose it because it was like a South Pacific island." Russell, after more than 50 years, remembers several of the Nisei. "Henry Sakari - I think that's right but we knew him only as Henry," Russell said. "He was a character, a typical American kid. I still have photographs of him." "These men were supposed to act as bait. People didn't understand that the scent of a Japanese- American is the same as an American or a European. You'd have to get men from Japan if you wanted the true body odor caused from diet and environment. But the men were good sports." Snarling teeth and the hatred of vicious dogs was no game. The men learned to climb trees fast, and some were bitten. Perks helped balance the scale, as they worked with dogs only 3-1/2 hours a day. "We had better than bankers' hours," Yasuo Takata, one of the Nisei, later wrote. "The gang was getting fat, what with all the eating they did and the beer they drank." The men were given a three-month supply of beer, but the water tasted so bad on Ship Island they drank beer instead and used up their supply in one month. "In the beginning training scout dogs was fun," Takata said. "All we had to do was to hide ourselves in the jungle with a jar of horse meat. Each dog trainer then sent his dog out to find us. When the dog spotted us, the trainer would fire a shot, and we would drop dead with a piece of meat held in front of our necks. The dog would eat the meat and lick our face." "I don't know whether the dogs smelled the meat or our J** blood. When the dogs became too friendly, we used our whips, slingshots and rocks to chase them away." Soon they were wearing helmets and padded clothing in the steps necessary to instill hatred. All was for naught, and after four months the grand experiment ended. "You could say we were the guinea pigs," said Raymond Nosaka of Hawaii.
- 8 - "Living on Ship Island wasn't bad, although we couldn't use soap when we took showers because of the sulphur in the water. We did have lots of good, fresh fish and oysters, and once we got a weekend pass to go to New Orleans to the Sugar Bowl. We experienced a lot of firsts." In March 1943 the Nisei dog volunteers were sent to Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg to train for combat with others from the 100th. Their unquestionable bravery in Italy paved the way for acceptance of the 442nd Infantry, which was formed by volunteers from Nisei relocations camps on Hawaii and the mainland. In 1944 the heavily decorated men of the 100th joined the 442nd, which chalked up 18,000 Purple Hearts and a much-admired reputation for fierce bravery. The 100th, however, has maintained its own identity, and is the subject of books and articles. To learn more about Ray Nosaka's experiences with the Cat Island dog program (including photos and video), please go to www.khnl.com/global/story.asp?s=5357880. Ray Nosaka's experiences are also included in the book "Eyes of the Emperor" by Graham Salisbury. To learn more about the television program "History Detectives, please go to www.pbs.org.
VIDEOTAPE OF CAT ISLAND VISIT NOW AVAILABLE
Tokuji Ono has made available a VHS tape which contains unedited footage of a trip to Cat Island in the Gulf of Mexico. Several veterans and their families made this trip some years ago. There are interviews of Ray Nosaka and Tokuji Ono and scenery of the area near where the dog-bait training took place. Please see Amanda in the Clubhouse office if you are interested in viewing the tape.
PUTTING A (NISEI) FACE ON BRAVERY by Jeanne Cooper, San Francisco Chronicle www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/hawaii/detail?&entry_id=32051
The current US military presence in the islands, the traditional Polynesian respect for warriors and the memory of Pearl Harbor ensure that Veterans Day in observed with dignity in Hawaii. But it's the sacrifices of a particular group of soldiers that give the commemorations a unique resonance. Many people have heard something of the Army's most decorated unit in World War II, the 442nd Regiment of Japanese Americans. Many were Nisei - the U.S.-born second generation of immigrant parents - who volunteered for military service despite the forced relocation of their families on the Mainland into internment camps. What many don't know is that it was the valiant efforts of the 100th Infantry Battalion, a Hawaii-grown contingent of National and Territorial Guardsmen who insisted on the right to serve their country, that led to the creation of the broader-based 442nd - and even then, thousands more joined from the Territory of Hawaii than anywhere else. Like African-American soldiers, they were fighting on two fronts -against the enemy abroad, and against prejudice at home. You can find the fascinating details of their story elsewhere online, including www.katonk.com, which takes its name from the epithet island-born Nisei used for their Mainland cousins (who in tern called Hawaii's Nisei "buddhaheads"); www.homeoftheheroes.com, which gives compelling examples of how the 100th became nicknamed the "Purple Heart Battalion"; and the Web site of the Go For Broke National Education Center, which built a monument in Los Angeles to the Nisei veterans and continues to share their stories under the 442nd's memorable motto. The island of Kauai, which hosted its annual Veterans Day parade on Saturday and will hold a graveside ceremony tomorrow (November 11) at the veterans' cemetery in Hanapepe, also pays special tribute year-round to its Nisei veterans. Shortly after World War II, the Japanese American congregation at St. John's Church in Eleele gave a stained glass window depicting St. George's slaying of the dragon as a memorial for the men of the 442nd who fell in battle - and chose as a model a parishioner of Japanese descent. (All photos from the Episcopal Church of West Kauai). Below this Nisei St. George is an inscription from the Bible (Malachi 2:10): "Have we not all one Father? Have we not One God who created us?" - 9 - The Reverend Mary Lindquist, the rector of the Episcopal Church, wrote me that she "loves the window," and finds the "sentiment and story behind the image very moving." Noting that the parishioner who served as its model passed away a few years ago, she added, "Every year there is a memorial service for those who lost their lives in the 100th Battalion, and those who are still living attend and are honored for their service. Now there are only a few men here on Kauai." If you're visiting the Garden Island on a Tuesday or Wednesday (or you call for an appointment on another day), you can stop by the Kauai Veterans Center for a peek in its small but poignant museum, which documents islanders' military service dating back to the Spanish-American War. It's been several years since I've visited, but the dozens of names of Nisei (and others born on this small island) killed far from home is still haunting. KVC Executive Director Lawrence Schlang and others are trying to expand the nonprofit museum's hours, although "progress has been slow," he says. The veteran’s center will host a fund-raiser on December 12 with astronaut Bruce McCandless - the first person to walk untethered in space, and the man who put the Hubble Telescope into orbit - as guest speaker. For details on the museum and the fund-raiser, call the Veterans Center at (808)246-1135. And to all the veterans who served, mahalo, arigato and thank you.
TUCCI BRINGS SGT. ROCK BACK IN “THE LOST BATTALION” by Jeffrey Renaud, Staff Writer www.comicbookresources.com
With his regular ongoing title cancelled 20 years ago, Sgt. Rock returns to DC Comics in 2008 in the six-issue mini-series, "The Lost Battalion," written and illustrated by Billy Tucci ("Shi"). In a somewhat ironic twist, CBR News spoke with the Eisner-award nominated creator on the sixth anniversary of 9/11 about the iconic military figure - a connection not lost on Tucci. "Above all else this is a human story," said Tucci of his factually-based Rock story. "It's based on actual events and I've worked very hard crafting around the truth. I want to pay homage to the men and women who have fought for the United States and paid the ultimate sacrifice." Tucci disagrees with the notion that a World War II story featuring Sgt. Rock may not resonate with today's comic book reader when media outlets like CNN tell real-life war stories every day. "As for CNN telling real life stories of soldiers, I haven't seen it," said Tucci. "I know Robin Meade has a small video salute to those serving, but to me CNN doesn't cover our troops unless they are killed. Then it seems that they skew it into a political angle and not one that celebrates the person's beliefs and life. That said, the real heroes of the events have been largely ignored and their story must be told. "Since it's so early, I cannot give away too many details about my story but I will in due time," Tucci continued. "When I first wrote the story it brought tears to my eyes. It's that powerful." John Milius, who co-wrote the screenplay for "Apocalypse Now" with Francis Ford Coppola and wrote and directed "Red Dawn," provides some dialogue and creative guidance for "Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion" while Mark Sparacio ("Heroes for Hire," "Green Lantern") will be painting the covers from Tucci's pencils. Tucci revealed the six-issue mini-series won't be numbered in the traditional way and may provide more bang for the buck than most books it competes with during its run, as well. "The events [in the six issues] take place over seven days. Each issue won't be numbered but rather titled by day," explained Tucci. "For example, #1 will have Day 1 printed on the book's cover. I'm dying to tell the story, but again, must be vague at the moment. It looks like the issues will also be 30 pages each, but that hasn't been solidified as yet. It would be great to have 30 pages, though." (The photo provided by Billy Tucci [on the next page] is the cover of book #4 in the series and pictures Day Four of the battle). Originally created by writer Joe Kanigher and artist Joe Kubert, Frank Rock first appeared in "G.I. Combat" #68 in January, 1959. The story was written by Bob Haney. "It was the only comic I read as a kid," said Tucci. "Joe Kubert, Robert Kanigher and Frank Redondo [who provided inks] are my heroes!" - 10 - In 1977, the name of "G.I. Combat" was changed to "Sgt. Rock" and the title enjoyed 11 more years of publication until #422 in July, 1988. Tucci says the fact Frank Rock is an ordinary man is reason why he has remained a popular character for comic book readers for nearly 50 years. "He has no powers and does not flaunt his capabilities with garish costumes," said Tucci. "He doesn't want to be where he is, but he does his job. He's an ordinary United States Infantryman, and that alone makes him incredibly extraordinary." According to Tucci, the story takes place in October, 1944. "It is after D-Day and Easy Company has been transferred to the 36th Division," said Tucci, who revealed many of Sgt. Rock's long-serving supporting characters will return for "The Lost Battalion" including Bulldozer, Wildman, Ice Cream Soldier, Little Sure Shot, Tag Along and "a bunch of others." Tucci said originally he and Milius approached DC in June of this year about turning a script Milius wrote in the 1980s for a proposed film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger into a comic book series. "It's an amazing script," said Tucci. "But since Joel Silver owns the script we couldn't do it. Dan Didio asked me if I had another pitch and John loved it. I then sent it to DC and in a matter of hours of me meeting Dan Didio for the first time it was approved. Mike Marts was assigned the editor. I then wrote an issue by issue/page by page treatment of the series. Again, John loved it, had a few notes, I agreed, changed them and sent it off to DC. They seemed real happy with it. My wife, my harshest critic, but staunchest supporter, thinks it’s the best thing I’ve ever written.” That’s saying a lot considering his creation “Shi” has been nominated for multiple Eisner awards. While “Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion” is taking up most of his time, Tucci is also working on some covers and is currently writing the second draft of the screenplay for a “Shi” film. He also has a color edition of “Zombie-sama!” going to press next week, which he hopes readers will pick up while they wait for Day 1 of “Sgt. Rock: The Lost Battalion”. Contact William “Billy” Tucci, Ambassadeur, De La Region De Bruyeres, Vosges , France, via Crusade Fine Arts, Ltd., 429 Middle Road, Baport, NY 11705; Website: www.crusadefinearts.com; E- mail: [email protected]; Phone: (631)472-2866; Fax: (631)472-2798
- 11 - MAINLAND CHAPTER NEWS by Sam Fujikawa
It certainly has been a busy time leading up to our Annual Mini-reunion in Las Vegas. After much planning and preparation by our local members, we boarded our bus early Sunday morning, October 19. We arrived safely at the California Casino/Hotel and found our reservations ready and waiting for us. The Hospitality Rooms were set up and readied for the arrival of other 100th members traveling on their own or with Ann Kabasawa who arranges most of the Hawaii group's travel schedules. Sign-up sheets for the Monday and Tuesday morning slot tournaments, shopping tours for Monday, and the Mt. Charleston Tour for Wednesday were posted on the Hospitality Doors. Lively visiting and snacking, friends meeting friends again made the Hospitality Room a very popular place. Eager Beaver Monday morning slot tournament participants got off to an exciting race and winners were Meri Shields (from Montana) 1st Place, Haru Nishimura (from Seattle) 2nd Place, Matsue Furushima (from Honolulu) 3rd Place and Roy Epstein (from Honolulu) won the Booby Prize. On Tuesday, 30 enthusiastic players tried their luck and Helen Nakashima (from Maui) won 1st Place, Shieko Aiso (from LA) won 2nd Place, Elsie Hayashi (from LA) won 3rd Place and Dorothy Kikuchi (Honolulu) was the Booby Prize winner. Back to Monday, after the slot tournament, James Wilson, our faithful bus driver, took a bus load of shoppers to the outlet malls and Ethel M to spend their hard earned money. Activity was wound up early Tuesday afternoon so that many last minute preparations could be made for the banquet. We are grateful that Ray, Aki and Ann are so helpful in arranging the programming of our banquets. Kaui Masuda, our all around talented entertainer, provided his welcome music as singer Toe Yoshino MC’d an evening of music, singing and dancing. Our very informal banquet program survived many changes that were presented to the 178 attendees who enjoyed the "Butterfish" or "Roast Beef" dinner and were entertained by the Hui Hanele Singers, Takako Umamoto, Harriet Nakamura, Evelyn Tsuda, Marie Yoneshige, Kimi Matsuda, Stacey Hayashi, and led by Ray and Aki Nosaka (photo at the top right is from the banquet). This year, we were treated to Shieko Aiso's beautiful rendition of a Japanese Song, Ken Gushiken, Kazuto Shimizu, Goro Sumida, Stacey Hayashi, and Toe's karaoke numbers which added to Robert Arakaki's wonderful harmonica solos (photo on the bottom right is of Toe and Shieko at the banquet). Also to be treasured was the participation of the sons and daughters dancing the Tanko Bushi Ondo hoping the audiences would join them but alas, there are too many of us who can no longer traipse around dancing. But give the ones who got up to join them many KUDOs! Specially prepared door prizes were won by Ken Muranaga, Akira Akimoto, Michael Doi, Ron Yamada, Kazuto Shimizu, Toke Yoshihashi, Jessie Nakayama, Gary Nakayama, Takako Umamoto, Matsue Furushima, Helen Nakashima, Ann Kabasawa, Yoshi Kiyabu, Myrtle Noguchi, Sharon Shimazaki, and Florence Mitsunaga. Beautiful intricately woven ti leaf leis received by everyone were made by Takako Umamoto. All too soon, it was time to stand and hold hands to sing Auld Lang Syne and feel blessed to hope that we all take care and keep well "until we meet again". The Wednesday tour to Mt. Charleston was planned by Kaui Masuda who was in charge, assisted by Chuckie Seki. (Photo on the next page is of Chuckie with Rysen, Taja and Dante Hirata-Epstein at the
- 12 - banquet). From all reports, it was a beautiful trip enjoyed by 39 people with Kaui explaining various points of interest as the bus wound through the roads leading to the top of the mountain. We want to thank the Hawaii group who helped us on Tuesday in the Hospitality Room and for all the yummy snacks that were added to the food for everyone to enjoy. We also want to thank Seichi Hoashi, Robert and Nancy Arakaki, Michael Doi, Matsue Furushima, Bert and Rose Hamakado, Stanley Izumigawa, Don and Sets Miyada, Helen Nakashima, Bill and Margaret Omoto, Kazuto and Lynn Shimizu, Toshimi and Lillian Sodetani, Riki and Evelyn Tsuda, Steffi Nagami, and Martin Fujimoto (President of Aloha Shoyu Commpany) for their generous donations. It seems each year our numbers grow smaller as we lose some of our faithful members who have become disabled or unable to travel but in turn, the rest of us have become very close and supportive and truly help with getting the reunion in motion so as many as possible can enjoy the camaraderie and memorable good times together. In closing, I would like to share the following poem written for our reunion by 10 year old Dante Hirata-Epstein (Great-Grandnephew of 100th veterans Jesse Hirata and the late Donald Hamada): VALOROUS PURPLE HEART BATTALION
On June 12, 1942, the 100th Battalion was activated, I am glad of these times. Because 1,400 young Japanese American Nisei fought for our country's freedom Because they stopped the axis powers during WWII I am proud of being a relative of two of its members, Uncle Jesse and Uncle Don I learned from the 100th Battalion to always Go for Broke and give it 110% I am glad of these times Glad of the altruism of the soldier who threw himself on a live grenade to save the lives of his friends Glad of the awards that tell stories of the soldiers who earned recognition for heroic deeds Glad of the 100th Battalion rescuing the Lost Battalion, cut off from the 36th division and freeing the towns of Bruyeres and Bedonteine Glad of the stories told by the soldiers, letting us know all the acts of courage that happened in Europe Glad of the 100th 442nd Battalion, the only remaining Battalion from WWII, fighting for our freedom to this day in Iraq Yes, glad of these times, the times of celebrations of unabashed victory like these in Las Vegas! Now go for broke, and win the mega bucks
RECIPE FOR ANN KABASAWA’S ONOLICIOUS CHILI
The “hot” (literally and figuratively) item at the recent Christmas in October Bazaar was the delicious chili made by Ann Kabasawa and her volunteers at the Bake Sale. So many people asked Ann for the recipe so here it is below. According to Ann, there are no measurements or specifics as you have to just “cook to taste”.
Meat: Portuguese sausage (chopped), Italian sausage (take off skin and use as the ground meat) Fresh vegetables: onions, bell pepper, mushrooms Canned goods: Italian style stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, corn, olives, kidney beans Seasoning: chili powder, garlic salt, pepper
- 13 - BAKER CHAPTER NEWS by Bernard Akamine
Reminder: our Christmas Party is December 7, at 10:30 a.m. at our Clubhouse. Parking at Ala Wai School. Mail your registration form (in November issue of PPP) to Evelyn Tsuda, 590 Kipuka Place, Kailua, HI 96734. Deadline is December 1.
There will be no chapter meeting in December. Our next chapter meeting will be on Saturday, January 17, 2009, with lunch at 11 a.m. It is always a mystery what our lunch will be and we are always pleasantly surprised! Please call Ann Kabasawa at 734-0841 or Drusilla Tanaka at 235-1343 by January 14 to place your lunch order.
Our condolences to the family of the late Frank Fujiwara who passed away recently at age 91. Aloha, Paisan, rest in peace. The members of Baker Chapter express deepest sympathy to the family of Seitoku Akamine who passed away on Veterans Day in Hilo. May he also rest in peace.
I hope there is still room in heaven for the rest of us, must be getting kinda crowded.
The November meeting really should have been canceled since there was no Board of Directors meeting. But, after the 20-minute meeting, we spent the rest of the time playing BINGO. Another great surprise and lots of nice prizes, thanks to Ann and Drusilla. Bert Hamakado and Gary Nakayama called the numbers and checked and double-checked to make sure that winners were really winners. It was very good to have the “young ones” setting things up and putting things away. The “Standing BINGO” was something different, so good thing the meeting wasn’t canceled. Michi Takashige won the “infantry blue” Christmas tree in the door prize drawing. It was made by yours truly, so I hope she and Bob will enjoy it this holiday season. Mahalo nui loa to Mieko Muroshige who sent a generous donation to our refreshment fund in memory of her late husband, Kenneth. Mieko, please join us at our monthly meetings!
The Agony of Aging: First the buzzing and hissing in my ears is getting worse with age. The VA determined that it is service connected, so I was referred to an audiologist who fitted me with a pair of hearing aids. It amplified the hissing and buzzing and the surrounding sounds and was unbearable. So, I don’t use them. Then my eyes—cataract surgery on both eyes. Next came the prostate, BPH enlarged prostate made urine discharge unpredictable. Then the reproductive organ went kaput. Recently the privilege to drive a car was denied. Luckily, I can still use my hands and legs, so I can enjoy my wood-working hobby. The other enjoyment remaining is eating and sleeping, reading with a magnifying glass and watching TV. At my semi-annual doctor’s visit, he tells me to avoid certain foods, but I ignore his advice and eat things that I like. My only hope is that I don’t become bed-ridden and a burden, totally dependent on a caregiver. After reading this, my daughter who types the articles for me says I should have bought a Wurlitzer organ (which I used to sell at Easy Music years ago). Sigh, no sympathy. One good thing about living this long is that we saw someone born in Hawaii and who is an African American elected President of the United States of America.
CHARLIE CHAPTER NEWS by Kazuto Shimizu
I am pinch hitting as PPP reporter again! The first news is a rather late report on the “C” chapter Hekka and Bingo Party held on October 11, 2008. This gathering was unique in that all 100th members and family were invited.
All went well with good attendance and plenty of food and bingo prizes. There were some anxious moments for Arlene Sato (who was trying her best to put everything together) when the response to the party was rather late. Just like Club 100 members—very slow in their sign-up sheet. Many thanks to Arlene, Gary Mizushima, Warren Yamamoto and others who helped. Thanks to Aloha Tofu, Joe Kim Co. among many others for their generous donations of cash, food, desserts, and bingo prizes.
C Chapter Xmas Party: The registration form for our party on December 13 went out with the November PPP. Please respond ASAP if you haven’t done so yet.
Mini Reunion: Talk to Norman Oda if you don’t believe in good luck. Can’t help but feel that our members are aging and we thank the L.A. group for continuing this happy get-together. My hats off to Earl for taking care of Hisako and Oscar.
General Membership Meeting: I am heartened by the response. The agenda finished in half an hour but the question and answer segment went on for an hour. Very good!
- 14 - MAUI CHAPTER NEWS by Stan Izumigawa
It was good to renew ties with acquaintances from Oahu and California at the annual October mini-reunion in Vegas and also to meet others whom I had not known before. Many thanks to Sam Fujikawa and his group who were great hosts as usual and again sent everyone home with a carton of persimmons.
A reminder to Maui members....our Christmas gathering will be 11:00 am at Tokyo Tei on Saturday, December 13.
On Friday November 7 Art Kurahara (D), Stan Izumigawa (A) and Hiroshi Arisumi (232nd Eng.) who is also chairman of the Nisei Veterans Memorial Center Board, visited a combined group of eighth grade students in teacher Jennifer Felipe Suzuki's language arts classes at Maui Waena School in Kahului to talk about our 100th-442nd experiences in WWII. Teacher Suzuki, with the involvement of Librarian Marilyn Barbosa, had done a super job of preparing the students. We veterans were impressed with their work. Our reception included a large welcome sign with 442nd pictures, many leis and more photo taking. The students' hospitality, generosity, awareness and their technological competence and genuine interest and attentiveness was heartening. They also treated us to a catered lunch and presented each of us a DVD (A Tradition of Honor) and a cap from the GFB Foundation, an 8x10 or so group photo taken minutes earlier, a school "dogtag" labeled OUR HERO, and some other just taken photos. WOW!
Some people criticize and put down public schools but this visit reminded us that there are some fine things occurring in public schools that people don't hear about. Visiting with such students is a very pleasant and rewarding experience and more veterans should try it sometime instead of always saying, "No." (I had earlier asked several others who declined.)
Saturday November 8 was the occasion of the annual NVMC fund raising lunch. There may have been others whom I missed but Ed and Marie Nishihara and Lillian Maeda were the only 100th folks that I saw. The event will be covered in the NVMC newsletter Okage Sama De so I won't dwell on it.
On Monday November 10 Stan Izumigawa was one of three speakers at a Veterans Day assembly at St. Anthony High School (enrollment about 265) in Wailuku. Before the program started I walked among the seated students, stopped three times, and asked students nearby if they had ever heard of the 100th-442nd Infantry. It shouldn't surprise any of us that the response I got was a kind of puzzled look, a shake of the head and a soft "Noo.". Nevertheless, after briefly explaining what the 100th-442nd was, I thought what I said about some of my personal experiences (instead of reciting historical stuff about the 100th-442nd) was well received. I was touched when a whole line of students came by for a handshake at the end.
RURAL CHAPTER CHATTER by Ted Hamasu
Rural Chapter held its meeting on 20 Sep. 08 from 10:00am at the LCC with five members present. They were Masaharu Saito, Kenneth Kaneshige, Mitsuo Nagaki, Kay Okimoto, and Ted Hamasu.
One of the agenda items was the election of officers for the coming year. The members decided that the present officers will remain in office for another year. The officers are: President Ted Hamasu VP Kenneth Kaneshige Secretary Masaharu Saito Treasurer Kay Okimoto Auditor Mitsuo Nagaki
We will have our New Year’s Party and Installation Banquet in January 2009, place and time to be announced. Also, you will be notified about our next meeting.
The General Membership meeting was held on16 Nov. 2008 at the clubhouse at 10:00am. One of the agenda items was the introduction of the 2009 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Executive Board:
President Mike Harada 1st VP Alvin Oshiro 2nd VP Ann Ishida-Ho Secretary Lois Nakagawa Treasurer David Nakagawa (Bert Turner, Assistant)
- 15 - HEADQUARTERS CHAPTER NEWS by Janice Sakoda Have you saved December 20 to come to our Christmas party? I hope so! Refer to the October and November issues. Registration is at 4:00pm and the dinner is at 5:00pm.
All 100th WWII veterans, spouses or widows will come free of charge! Children 5 and under – free, children 6 to 11 - $ 5 and children 12 and over - $10 Gifts from Santa should be less than $10, please. Deadline to RSVP: December 10 (we need to confirm the count with the caterers a week before the party.) RSVP by calling Dorothy Tamashiro at 734-5122. Remember: Any and all donations for dessert and bingo prizes are welcome!!!
Our condolences go out to the family of Frank Nishimura who passed away November 11, 2008. When I called Ed Ikuma to let him know about Frank’s passing, he said that you couldn’t find a nicer man than Frank. He was always smiling, always willing to help, well respected, and had once been a regular attendee at the Headquarters meetings. Frank was an original member with the Ammunition and Pioneer Section of Headquarters under Sgt. Shimogaki.
I understand those that attended the Las Vegas Mini Reunion in October had a great time. Dorothy Tamashiro mentioned several times that she had a lot of fun. Joining Dot in the fun at the mini reunion from HQ chapter were Doris Aimoto, Aki and Pat Akimoto, Elsie Oshita, Mac Moriwake, and Lois and John Nakagawa (daughter and son-in-law of Doris Aimoto).
Then in November, Elsie Oshita joined other 100th veterans, their spouses or widows on a 4 day trip to the Big Island to participate in the Veterans Day Parade in Hilo. This was Elsie’s first trip and she thoroughly enjoyed it. She told me she had wanted to go to the Big Island and when this opportunity opened up, she didn’t hesitate to sign up. The group went sightseeing up the Hamakua Coast to Laupahoehoe, then down south to the Volcano National Park. There is a new vent (as of March, 2008) in Halema’uma’u Crater so Elsie and the rest were able to see an ash-laden plume rising from the new crater.
PEEK INTO THE PAST #1
Even though the architecture in Europe was beautiful, this picture reminds us that the boys of the 100th were not there to enjoy the scenery but had a serious job to do. With Veterans Day having just passed, this photo reveals the reality of War and the personal sacrifices and emotional turmoil that every brave man and woman committed to military service faces on a daily basis.
So, do you know who the handsome and pensive soldier is? A hint – he’ll reveal his identity (and tell you more about this photo) in his own report in the February 2009 issue of the Puka Puka Parade.
SHOP FOR A GOOD CAUSE
th If you still have holiday shopping to do, you can help the 100 by purchasing an earth-friendly gift at www.pomonafundraising.com, a webstore co-founded by the daughter of ‘Iolani Lower School Assistant Dean, Joann Stepien. For every item you buy, 10% of your purchase will be donated to our Club. Just select the 100th Infantry Battalion as your beneficiary organization before you check out!
This webstore features earth-friendly gifts for everyone in the family, including your favorite pets. There is a wide selection of items under $25 including several children’s books with Japanese-American themes such as Ken Mochizuki’s Baseball Saved Us and Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story as well as Ghosts for Breakfast, a humorous tale from the 1920s of a boy and his father who investigate a report of ghosts in a nearby farmer’s field. Shipping is a flat rate of $14.95 to Hawaii or $9.99 to the Mainland with no limit on the number of items purchased.
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WRAP-UP - ONE PUKA PUKA CHRISTMAS IN OCTOBER BAZAAR
The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans and the Bazaar Committee would like to extend their deepest appreciation to everyone who supported the One Puka Puka Christmas in October Bazaar held on October 4 and 5.
It all started when one of the veterans stated: “Are we having an Art Show or Book & Bake Sale again this year?” After taking a few suggestions on what kind of community event the 100th should hold this year, the Board approved holding a bazaar in October. The hard-working Bazaar Committee spent many hours planning this event and bringing it to life.
The 100th Infantry Battalion veteran vendors were: woodworker Bernard Akamine, Japanese calligrapher Robert Sato and painter Seisaburo Taba. We were honored to have about twenty other vendors participate in our craft fair/bazaar. Mimi Nakano, daughter of the late Shizuya Hayashi (100th Infantry Battalion veteran and Medal of Honor recipient) donated an incredible amount of items for the silent auction and the rummage sale. Also, thank you Terri (& Christine) Wakuzawa for helping to set up the tables in Turner Hall and other duties before the event.
The Silent Auction was manned by Lois Nakagawa and Jayne Hirata-Epstein. Thanks to them, it ran smoothly and efficiently both days. The Bazaar's Silent Auction had something from A to Z for everyone on your holiday shopping list. There were so many treasures to be found from antique beaded jewelry to Zojirushi rice cookers. Featured donors at the Silent Auction included members of the 100th ohana: Cheryl Hoffman (quilt-work), Glenda Takata Koyama (ceramics), James Lovell, Jr. and Robert Knupp (hand-carved items), Ann Tsubota (ceramics and tea ceremony cups), Shay Niimi Wahl (hand-painted Christmas ornaments and prints) and many other donors. Not to be forgotten was our very own Jayne Hirata-Epstein. Her talent was only surpassed by her generosity. Everyone went crazy for her original handmade sock puppets. Many of her puppets were made in honor of Medal of Honor recipients and each of those puppets included a story about the veteran along with his citation. She also made Halloween sock puppets, created shrinky-dink logo items and did much more. Students created works of art on a "Year of the Rat" image drawn especially for the Bazaar by well-known San Francisco Bay Area muralist Estria Miyashiro, grandson of 100th Infantry Battalion veteran Roland Miyashiro
Thanks to everyone who donated food items. Arlene Sato, Ann Kabasawa and their volunteers did a fabulous job manning the baked goods, chili, saimin and soda areas. People kept saying that the chili was a WINNER: (see Ann’s chili recipe in this issue of the PPP). Also, thanks Ann, for donating the beautiful colorful signs for the promotion of the event. This event was a success partly because of Dayton Asato’s KC Drive-Inn Waffle Dogs. Stacey Hayashi (another generous donor/volunteer) and her group of super volunteers prepared the delicious waffle dogs and many, many servings of shaved ice. Thanks goes out to Jeremy Stevens for sporting the “Mr. KC Drive- Inn Waffle Dog” costume up and down Kamoku Street.
Evelyn Tsuda and her helpers were in charge of the busy rummage sale which included clothing, books, household goods, electronics, bedding, decorative items and more. Wendell Kwan was very generous, donating more than a thousand dollars worth of new resort men’s and women’s clothing. Cheryl Hoffman did a great job of overseeing the bazaar and keeping the office secure. Barbara and Shayna Hanai provided signs for the event, collected and counted the cash and much more. We extend our thanks to Adele Ching and the Kupuna ID card program and volunteers also Jeanine Tweedie and the volunteers from the HPU School of Nursing.
Other notable donors and supporters were: Gloria Tamashiro and her craft club friends, Skip Tomiyama, The Elks Lodge 616 (also April & Alan Yukitomo), Shirley Sing-Masuyama, Karen Funakara, Okahara Noodles, Ron Wright - General Mgr. Cutter Mazda, Bernard & Jeanette Akamine and family, Seisaburo Taba and family, Robert and Kazue Sato, Barbara Low, Brandon Low, Diane Low, Kitty Hamasu, Robert & Nancy Arakaki and family, Wayne Fujita, Lenny Andrew & Allicyn Tasaka (JCCH), Times Supermarket, Joyce Mitsunaga, Avin Oshiro, Kevin Miyama, Lynn Criss, Michael Harada, Jimmy Nakatani, Steve Takushi, Bert Hamakado, Takako Umamoto, May Furuya and the Tuesday Craft class, Mamoru Sato, Kikuji Tojio, Aki Nosaka, Jessie Nakayama, Goro Sumida, Peggy Teng, Nancy Wong, Tom Hoffman, John Nakagawa, Phylis Kealakai, Nealson Sato, Mae Lynn Takara, Beverly San Jose, Kazuto Shimizu, Milton Tanaka, Reid Mizue, Susan Rainville, Sheila Tonaki, Sheldon Tatei, Dot Tamashiro, Sonyei Matsuura, Joel Hijirida, Susan Morishige, Marie Yoneshige, Vaughn Tokunaga, Joyce Nishioka, Mychale Inagaki, Egan Nakano, Stephen Nakano, , Wayne Iha, Nancy Mowat, Verje Rolland, Jesse Cruz, Warren Yamamoto, Larry Ono, Kendall Matsuyoshi, Titus Chong, Haruo, Kathy Oshiro, Clyde Sugimoto, James Miyasato, Lois Ann Yamanaka & Melvin Spencer, Jewelry by George, Clarence Lee & Elsa Carl Lee, Lori Inoue, Mel Inouye, Fred Nagao, Kay Okimoto, Yun Hong, Anne Villaruz, Ruby Bugarin, Pi’ilawi Kalakai, Karen Kwok, Donna Echalas, Sophie Hatakenaka, Ryan Yamashiro, John Colburn, Sheleen Daguman, Chad Ho, Officer Chung, Christine & Grant Karamatsu, Andy Anderson, Jimmy Yee, Rona Kekauoha, Tix Umamoto, Scot Uehara, and Clayton Tsue. If I’ve inadvertently omitted anyone from the list above, I apologize.
To you and your loved ones, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Aloha, Amanda Stevens.
- 17 - VETERANS IN FOCUS: BROTHER VERSUS BROTHER by John Torigoe, lead story on www.CNN.com video presentation of this article can be seen at www.cnn.com/video/#/video/living/2008/11/04/vif.veterans.brothers.fighting.cnn
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- World War II didn't just divide the world. It also divided four brothers. Not long after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Harry and Ken Akune were sent to live in an internment camp in Amache, Colorado. (Ken is in left in of photo and Harry is on the right). When the U.S. Army's Military Intelligence Service came to their camp to recruit Japanese-speaking volunteers as interpreters, they joined so they could prove their loyalty to their country. Across the world in Japan, their father Ichiro was raising the rest of the large family - which had returned to his home country after the death of his wife - in a fishing village, Kagoshima, on the island of Kyushu. The youngest brothers, Saburo and Shiro, were just teenagers when they were drafted into the Imperial Japanese Navy. The brothers, four of the Akunes' nine children, had all been born or raised in the United States; Ichiro Akune owned a grocery business before moving back to Japan. Harry and Ken had been sent back to America to work and earn money for the family. Harry and Ken graduated from language school in 1942 and were dispatched to the Pacific Theater. Ken served in Burma at the Office of War Information. His job was trying to create propaganda to persuade the Japanese to surrender rather than sacrifice their lives on the battlefield. Harry served in New Guinea and the Philippines. His ethnicity didn't endear him to some of his colleagues. "I had an intelligence officer who disliked me," Harry recalled. Before a parachute jump onto the island of Corregidor with the 503rd Paratroopers late in the war, the officer stripped Harry of all of his gear, including his weapon. "I got onto the airplane with only my parachute. A soldier took pity on me and helped find a rifle and one clip," he said. He survived, but many of his fellow soldiers did not. Twenty percent of them lost their lives just on the jump because of the jagged terrain and enemy fire. His work was heroic. Harry's interrogation of prisoners and translation of captured documents revealed a Japanese occupation force of over 5,000, which vastly outnumbered the American forces. "My information helped reduce casualties," he said. Most of the Japanese soldiers chose death over what they perceived as dishonor. Harry says only 22 were captured, with the rest dying in combat or suicide attacks - and they often weren't satisfied with dying alone. At one point, when Harry's back was turned, a prisoner jumped him and tried to kill him. Harry recalls the incident vividly. "My guard beat him with his gun. It seemed like this prisoner was clinging to me for dear life," he said. "That feeling I have never lost. Even though he was the enemy, to see him die the way he did, affected me." The Japan-based Akune brothers saw death from the other perspective, as part of the war effort. Saburo became a spotter for kamikazes, known for their suicide dive-bomb missions on Allied ships. Shiro, just 15, served at Sasebo, a naval base, helping to orient new recruits. He remembers American Grumman torpedo planes flying into the harbor. "Bap, bap, bap...ships going down...we just watching! We cannot do anything!" he remembered. After the war, the Akune brothers discovered they served against each other, leading to ill feelings on both sides. Harry and Ken, now in Japan, as members of the Allied Prisoner of War Recovery Team, joined Saburo and Shiro at a family reunion in Kagoshima. "When we first met, the topic of the war came up. Both sides were saying their side was right," Ken said. "Saburo and Shiro got really hot and stood up, they wanted to fight us."
- 18 - "The propaganda situation in Japan was very extreme," Shiro said. "The elders told you what you should do is revere the emperor like a god, and if you didn't abide by it, you were physically harmed." It took the intercession of their father to stop the familial battle. "Shut up," the elder Akune said. "The war is over." All four brothers ended up in the United States, with Shiro - ironically - serving as an American GI in Korea. Saburo died several years ago, but Shiro, Harry and Ken continue to live in Southern California. Ken still volunteers full time with the "Go For Broke" National Education Center, which preserves the memory of Japanese-American soldiers who served in the United States in World War II. Harry says his military service helped him identify as an American. "The benefit of going to war for the United States helped me manage myself not as a Japanese-American, but more like an American. I feel very happy I was able to do that," he said. But he holds nothing against the two brothers who fought for the other side. "They were in Japan, educated there. It's only right to be loyal to the Japanese force," he said. "I feel like they were like any other Japanese and we were like any other American. Two sides had their ideas, and there was a clash," he said. "Everything worked out. All four of us were able to survive without having to be casualties of the war." For more articles and videos on veterans across the nation and the world featured in the Veterans in Focus Special, please visit www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/news/veterans.in.focus.
PEEK INTO THE PAST #2
JAP-AMERICANS ON FIRING LINE by Relman Morin (The Associated Press) with the American Fifth Army in Italy, October 10 (Delayed)
The following article ran in the October 14, 1943 edition of the New Orleans States newspaper.
This army rang with praises today for the “guinea pigs from Pearl Harbor” – a unit of American infantry composed almost entirely of men of Japanese descent. It was the first such unit to go overseas and now has returned from its first active combat along the Volturno front. Officers who witnessed the action were unrestrained in their admiration. They declared they never saw any troops handle themselves better in their first trial under fire. The unit was in the line four days during the heaviest fighting through the mountains north of Benevento. It accomplished every assigned mission and took every objective, including one small but heavily defended village. The men fought their way through a powerful concentration of German artillery fire and had what they called “duck soup,” clearing mazes of machine gun nests which the Germans always leave behind when they are forced to abandon a position. Every one of the enlisted men is from the Hawaiian Islands. They average five-feet-four but their officers declare they can outmarch and outwork most ordinary troops. Only a few of their junior officers and their commanding officers are not of Japanese descent. Guinea Pig Unit Their motto is “Remember Pearl Harbor”, and they refer to themselves as guinea pigs – test unit. They probably are a criterion for the loyalty of all Americans of Japanese blood. So they went into their initial combat with some special feelings. They had something special to fight for. Captain Taro Suzuki of Honolulu, one of their commanders, said, “It was entirely our own fight as things worked out. “We passed blown bridges where artillery support couldn’t follow and went down a curving road that cut us off from view of our own infantry. We ran into the fire of three machine gun nests first and took care of them. “That kind of fighting is duck soup for these boys. They’re just naturally good at approaching a position – quietly and without showing themselves.” Suzuki has been in the American army 16 years, 13 as a reservist and three as a regular. - 19 - Brave and Cool Another of the guinea pigs’ officers who led them into action described them as not only brave and cool under fire but even cheerful. One mortar group that had been unable to advance owing to demolitions was kept under prolonged fire from German artillery without being able to reply. “All they could do was sit there with shells blasting all around them. I went back to make a quick check of their situation and found them sitting around in an orchard eating apples and telling jokes. The whole bunch was laughing as though this was a picnic.” One private pleaded to lead a group assigned to knock out a machine gun nest. A sergeant usually leads but this soldier begged so hard they let him go ahead in the assault. He is dead now. “A shell burst right beside him and gave him a terrible wound in the head,” a young lieutenant said, “but before he died he somehow managed to retain consciousness long enough to give us complete information about the location of the nest – and we got it for him.” Everybody is kidding Private First Class Shizuo Takeshige of Honolulu about being a “tenderfoot.” It seems the islanders, who even play football without shoes, are proud of the toughness of their feet. Private Takeshige absorbed a lot of shrapnel from a German mortar shell. They dug it out of his back, arms and legs. Then he insisted on returning to action. However, one foot kept hurting him. He couldn’t believe he was footsore. He removed his shoes and found another chunk of shrapnel imbedded in the tough skin of the ball of his foot. One of the medical attendants of the unit, Private George Sakimi of Hakalau, and two soldiers were wounded by the same shell burst. Sakimi got to his feet first, stumbled to the other two, dressed their wounds and then was dressing his own when he fainted. He refused to go to the rear until the commander made it an order. A few hours later he was back with the troops. The “guinea pigs” passed their tests with the highest marks the army can give, their officers said.
VETERANS & FORMER INTERNEES CAN RECEIVE HONORARY DIPLOMA Press release from the Hawaii State Department of Education
The Hawaii State Department of Education Kupono Diploma program grants honorary high school diplomas to World War II, Korean and Vietnam War veterans, and individuals whose schooling was interrupted due to internment in relocation camps during World War II. Current or former Hawaii residents who meet the eligibility requirements are encouraged to apply. Diplomas may also be awarded posthumously to the family of a veteran or former internee. There is no cost to participate. To be eligible, veterans (1) must have been enrolled in a Hawaii State public high school prior to enlistment; (2) must include military status eligibility with program application (proof of honorable discharge, DD Form 214, Enlistment Record and Report of Separation Form or Discharge Certificate); (3) must have served during World War II, Korean War or Vietnam War; (4) must have received an honorable discharge or have been discharged under honorable conditions as verified by a certified copy of their discharge or other proof of service. To be eligible, former internees (1) must have been enrolled in a Hawaii State public high school prior to internment; (2) must provide evidence of being interned in a relocation camp. Under this program, qualified veterans or former internees who successfully completed a General Education Diploma (GED) program will also be granted an honorary high school diploma. An honorary high school diploma can also be awarded posthumously and presented to a family member. Application forms are available online at http://doe.k12.hi.us/kuponodiploma. Applications may be sent by e-mail to
- 20 - OFFICE “MAHALO” REPORT – DECEMBER 2008 ISSUE by Amanda Stevens and Evelyn Tsuda
We acknowledge receipt of the following donations, with much thanks:
100th Infantry Battalion Veterans: Irene H. Nakamura IM of Sueo Sakamoto $150.00 Roy & Shirley Ishikawa IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Raimi Reisen IM of Sueo Sakamoto 10.00 Shigeyuki Yoshitake IM of Sueo Sakamoto 20.00 Ken & Guadalupe Kashiwahara IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Clayton & Jean Kimoto and John & Ann Ishikawa Families IM of Sueo Sakamoto 100.00 Ross & Joyce Tanoue IM of Sueo Sakamoto 100.00 Joan & David Johnson IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Ronald & Ann Kaneko IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Christine Kawamura IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Mr. & Mrs. Peter Dudgeon IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Miles & Lynette Furutani IM of Sueo Sakamoto 100.00 Akira and May Otani IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Sandy Zook, Line Dancers “Thank You” 60.00 Grants from 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Legacy Org.(IBLO) 500.00 and 200.00 Island Muse dba The Plaid Purse 50.00 Margaret Tomita IM of Isamu Tomita (A) 100.00 Shigeru Sakamoto and M/M Lawrence Sakamoto IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 M/M Richard Cowley IM of Sueo Sakamoto 50.00 Clarynne Ishikawa IM of Sueo Sakamoto 10.00 Shigeru & Kazuko Ushijima IM of Tom Nosse & George Y. Taketa 100.00 Sadako Tottori-Kaneko 50.00
Puka Puka Parade: Michael & Gene Doi $100.00 Grant from 100th IBLO 200.00 and 50.00 Bessie Fukumoto IM of Robert Fukumoto 100.00
Learning Resource Center: Grant from 100th IBLO $150.00 100/442 Line Dancers “Thank you” 100.00 Baker Chapter IM of Frank Fujiwara 25.00
100th Inf. Bn. Scholarship Fund: Grant from 100th IBLO $50.00
REPORT FROM THE 100th INF. BN. LEGACY ORGANIZATION (IBLO) (Formerly known as the Sons & Daughters of the 100th Inf. Bn. Veterans)
Receipt is acknowledged of the following donations:
For the 100th Inf. Bn. Veterans: Sueo Sakamoto Rev. Living Trust $1,400.00
For the Learning Resource Center: Shinichi & Nancy Endo IM of Eichi Endo $100.00 Patrick & Beryl Jim 30.00 Career Development Center of HI 200.00 Natsue Honda IM of Tatsuo Honda (HQ) 200.00
For the Puka Puka Parade: Florence K. J. Nishida IM of Yoshiharu Nishida $100.00 Arthur & Frances Komiyama IM of “Doc” Richard Hosaka` 50.00
100th Inf. Bn. Scholarship Fund: Kazuto & Lynn Shimizu IM of Tom Nosse, Kenneth Muroshige, $100.00 Richard Hosaka, Sueo Sakamoto
To make a tax deductible donation, make your check payable to: 100th Infantry Battalion Legacy Org. - 21 - and in the memo section designate the specific program, fund, or chapter.
100th Infantry Battalion Veterans NON-PROFIT ORG. 520 Kamoku Street U.S. Postage Honolulu, HI 96826-5120 PAID Honolulu, HI Permit No. 158
DECEMBER 2008 ISSUE
LABEL HERE
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR DECEMBER 2008 (all events at the Clubhouse unless otherwise indicated)
ABLE CHRISTMAS PARTY……...Sunday, December 14 BAKER CHRISTMAS PARTY……Sunday, December 7 CHARLIE CHRISTMAS PARTY…Saturday, December 13 DOG CHRISTMAS PARTY……….Sunday, December 21 HQ/MED CHRISTMAS PARTY…..Saturday, December 20 BOARD MEETING……………….. Friday, December 12……………………………...... 10:00am DEVELOPMENT…………………...Wednesday, December 3, 17…………………………………6:00pm LINE DANCING & UKULELE TO BE ANNOUNCED CRAFTS…………………………… Tuesdays, December 2, 9, 16, 23, 30………………………..9:00 am WREATH PICK-UP & CLUBHOUSE DECORATING Fri., December 5 (3pm-6pm) & Sat. Dec. 6 (9am-2pm)
CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR JANUARY 2009 ABLE………………………………. Saturday, January 24…………………………………………8:00am BAKER…………………………….. Saturday, January 17………………………………...……....11:00am CHARLIE………………………….. Saturday, January 24…………….…………………………..10:00am DOG………………………………... Saturday, January 17………………………………….……..10:00am HQ/MED….……………………….. Saturday, January 10………………………………….……..10:00am RURAL …………………………… Installation / Lunch Meeting……………...…TO BE ANNOUNCED MAINLAND, HAWAII, MAUI CHAPTER………….No report BOARD MEETING……………….. Friday, January 9…………………………………………….10:00am DESCENDANTS…………………...Sunday, January 18…...……………………….Time to be announced LINE DANCING……………………Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28...………………………...9:00am UKULELE…………………………..Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28…(TENTATIVE)………..9:30am CRAFTS…………………………… Tuesdays, January 6, 13, 20, 27………..………………….….9:00am
ATTENTION – Article deadline for every issue of the PPP is on the 15th day of each month. (Please submit articles on time or they may not be included in the issue.) IMPORTANT NOTE: There will be no collating in December, 2008 as there will be no January, 2009 Puka Puka Parade issue. Collating for the February 2009 issue will be on Friday, January 30 at 8:30 am. CHARLIE - 22 - Chapter is responsible for providing manpower and refreshments, but everyone is welcome to kokua. Please send Chapter news, articles, comments or anything to do with the PPP to [email protected]. For club business, questions or correspondence, address to: [email protected].
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