Puka-Puka Parade
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100TH INFANTRY BATTALION VETERANS CLUB Puka-Puka Parade MAY 2014 !! ! ! ! ! ! NO. 04/2014 President’s Message and an evening kick-off fundraiser for the Nisei Veterans by Lloyd Kitaoka Legacy Center (NVLC). The month of May means Mother’s Day and I would like The NVLC is a separate 501(c)(3) entity incorporated in to wish all mothers a Happy Mother’s Day! Since I lost 2012; it is supported by six Nisei American veterans- th my mom this past December, it will be a sad time because related organizations, including the 100 Infantry nd this will be the first Mother’s Day without her. It got me Battalion Veterans, the 442 RCT Veterans, the Military th th thinking about the unsung heroes of our 100th, the wives Intelligence Service, the 1399 Engineers, the 100 nd and widows. Our vets receive all the glory and honor and Infantry Legacy Organization, and the 442 RCT rightly so, but I’d like to use this column to honor their Foundation who have representation on the NVLC Board. “better halves.” Some of them are not mothers but I’d like Its mission is “to preserve, perpetuate and share the to recognize them too. They work in the background but legacy of the AJAs who served in World War II, and to truly are the backbone of our organization. The sacrifices recognize the socio-economic changes brought about in they go through to support their husbands and children are Hawaii because of their extraordinary wartime service.” simply amazing. They do this all with very little credit. The NVLC is supported and endorsed by our organization, The saying goes…”Behind every great man, there is a however, there have been some confusion and great(er) woman” and I truly believe that. How do I know misperceptions brought to my attention and to set the th all of this? The answer is my mom. She did everything record straight, the 100 Infantry Battalion Veterans from balancing the family finances, cooking, sewing, organization is NOT in any way moving in a new washing clothes, cleaning house, chaperoning, and on top direction; we will continue to maintain our separate of that keeping 4 sons in line. Mom wasn’t perfect -- she identity. If anyone has concerns on this or any other couldn’t sing or hit a baseball -- but she truly devoted her subject, please feel free to contact me. life to our family. (She did however have one perfect son, Aloha… her 2nd, and one out of 4 is a pretty good percentage.) Mom lived for 99 years and finally said she needed to rest. Our family will miss her on this Mother’s Day and although life goes on, we’ll always honor her in our hearts. Rest in peace Mom, and Happy Mother’s Day to you and to all the women in our organization! During the last week of March we were involved with the opening of the exhibit “Go For Broke: Japanese American Solders Fighting on Two Fronts” sponsored by the Nisei Veterans Legacy Center (NVLC). The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans also hosted the venue for two gatherings, including a private “Meet and Greet Luncheon Lloyd with Mr. and Mrs. Ted Tsukiyama at the NVLC event with Eric Saul” for all Nisei veterans, families and friends, Puka-Puka Parade, Monthly News PUKA-PUKA PARADE NO. 04/2014 rented a house in Sparta where his mother, grandmother In Memoriam and aunt went to live. Bert was sent to Andover School in Tadayoshi Hirai (HQ) Massachusetts, but he remembers spending Christmas Passed away on February 16, 2014 1942 in Sparta. After the battalion was sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi in January 1943, Mrs. Turner moved Seiki Koga (HQ) to Camp Dixon, New Jersey as she knew the battalion Passed away on March 16, 2014 would be departing from that area. Mike Masaru Nagaishi (C) Bert graduated from Andover in June 1944 and Passed away on March 16, 2014 immediately volunteered for the Air Force Cadet Program. But after being recommended for an appointment to West Our deepest sympathy to their families. Point by Samuel Wilder King, the Delegate to Congress The First 100th Son from the Territory of Hawaii and by his successor, Joseph Farrington, Bert went to the Army military academy. by Susan Muroshige Following his graduation in 1949, Bert married Vonnie the On a recent trip to Honolulu, I had a most enjoyable lunch following year. During his 28 years in the Army, he served with Bert and Vonnie Turner. They lead an active life at in the Korean and Vietnam wars. Among the places they the Arcadia Retirement Residence in Honolulu and also were stationed at were Schofield Barracks, Fort Sill in travel to the mainland every year to visit two of their sons, Oklahoma, Fort Leavenworth in Kansas and several seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren. locations in Germany. His last posting before retiring was at Camp Smith in Honolulu. Bert then went into property management and later investment advising. After he retired from the Army, Bert was recruited by Young Oak Kim to serve on the 100th Board. He served as treasurer and was a member of the Long Range Planning and Scholarship Committees. Bert has been a terrific source of information for me. I learned while gathering information for the 100th website how much Colonel Farrant Turner cared for the Japanese American soldiers under his command. When he returned Bert and Vonnie Turner to Hawaii from the combat zone in Italy, he traveled Bert is now 88 years old. In June 1942, he was 15 years throughout the islands to visit the families of his men. old when he and his mother traveled from Honolulu to Letters that were written to him show the high regard and Oakland, California on the USS Maui with his father, love the men had for him and how they turned to him for Colonel Farrant Turner, and the AJA men who formed help. One of my father’s friends, Tad Kanda of D the original contingent of the Hawaiian Provisional Company, told me that he called Col. Turner, who was a Battalion. The battalion’s name was changed to the 100th Vice President at Lewers and Cooke, when he couldn’t get Infantry Battalion (Separate) after landing in Oakland. any building supplies to fix his parents’ home after the Some of the Japanese American soldiers in the battalion war. The next day a truck filled with supplies showed up left behind young children, but I think Bert could be at the house. Bert remembers that Mr. Kanda visited his considered the first 100th son. family after Col. Turner died and served on the committee that commissioned the portrait of him that hangs in Turner When the ship arrived in Oakland, Bert’s mother was ill Hall. and had to stay in a hospital in the Presidio while he stayed at the Cliff Hotel in San Francisco by himself. After As the years go by, I hope the support and love Colonel she recovered, they took a train to Oregon, Illinois where Farrant Turner and his son Bert gave to the men and his grandmother had a farm. After learning that the families of the 100th Infantry Battalion will always be battalion was at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, his parents remembered. 2" Puka-Puka Parade, Monthly News PUKA-PUKA PARADE NO. 04/2014 The 100th Education Center that focuses on American history and is broadcast on a Salt Lake City non-profit TV station. Their goal is to Website: An Update provide quality educational programming. by Susan Muroshige ! Also a request was just received from a company who The Club’s office has been receiving inquiries and is producing a film for the new National Museum of requests over the last year that have demonstrated the the United States Army. The museum will be located at website’s potential in providing easily accessible Fort Belvoir, Virginia and is scheduled to open in information about the 100th Infantry Battalion. It is very 2018. The film will feature several Medal of Honor exciting as these requests have been increasing this year. recipients, and the company asked to use the photo of Following are some examples: Shizuya Hayashi, who was one of seven 100th soldiers whose Distinguished Service Crosses were upgraded ! The organizer for the Congressional Medal of Honor to the Medal of Honor in 2000. tour requested examples to demonstrate several specific values: courage, compassion, perseverance, Among the most rewarding messages and requests are humility, respect and citizenship. ones from relatives who have discovered the website and found information they never knew or photos they had ! A researcher from the Gustav Line Association in never seen of their father, grandfather or uncle. A Cassino, Italy discovered the website and wrote that it grandson living in Los Angeles wrote that he had was a wonderful source of information for their work. recently become aware of the “wealth of information” We have sent Damiano several books for the small on the website and had discovered there were photos and museum they are creating and have continued to keep a few anecdotes about his grandfather. in touch. Last month, David Fukuda (son of Mits Fukuda), who is active in the Nisei Veterans Memorial If you don’t use a computer, please ask one of your Center in Kahului, inquired if there was a photo on the children, grandchildren or younger relatives to type in website of the monastery on Mt. Cassino before it was www.100thbattalion.org. You will see the depth of bombed.