The Nisei Veterans Committee of Seattle is trying to locate the families of five Nisei soldiers from the West Coast who perished in a plane crash on Okinawa at the end of World War II and recently were awarded the Purple Heart medal.
The Army has awarded the medal to all 31 soldiers who were killed in the crash of a C-46 transport plane which crashed while attempting to land at Naha Field, Okinawa, on August 13, 1945. An air raid alert left the field blacked out and covered by a defensive smoke screen. Researchers in Hawaii and Minnesota learned that 12 of the passengers – members of the 11th Airborne Division — were classified “killed in action” and at least some of them were awarded the Purple Heart. The other 19 victims, including ten Nisei linguists of the Military Intelligence Service, were classified “died, non-battle” and received no recognition.
This disparity was brought to the attention of the Army, which determined an oversight occurred. To correct it, the Army is awarding all the crash victims the Purple Heart, the medal that is given to Americans who are wounded or killed in action against the enemy. The families of five Hawaii Nisei received their medals at Pearl Harbor on May 10.
[For details, see: http://www.misveteranshawaii.com/news-announcements/#army_awards_purple_heart_medals_in_1945_crash]
We are now trying to find the families of the remaining Nisei, three of whom were from Washington. We have the following information on the Nisei and their families, based on wartime records.
T/4 Shunichi (or Shinichi) Bill Imoto
Born Feb 1915 in Harding, WA. Buried at Evergreen Washelli, Seattle.
Inducted Sept 1941. Discharged Feb 1942. Recalled 1943.
MISLS class began July 1943.
Father: Tosuke
Married: Michiko (Nichisaka) at Hunt, ID in mid-1942
Brothers: Yoshitada Imoto and Hisakichi Tamaki, Seattle
Sister: Tokiko Kine, Japan
T/4 Joe Yuzuru Kadoyama
Born June 1923 in Kent, WA.
Buried at Evergreen Cemetery Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA
Inducted May 1944, Ft. Douglas, UT
MISLS class began August 1944.
Father: Hyakumatsu Jimmy
Mother: Shina (from Census and WRA roster)
Married: Natsuko Sarah (Takatsuki) March 1942 in Kent, WA
Brother: George Nobuo
Sisters: Mary Haruko, Margaret Mitsue, and Violet Sumire
T/4 Satoshi Ben Kurokawa
Born Oct 1922 in Guadalupe, CA.
Buried at Golden Gate Cemetery, San Bruno, CA
Inducted April 1944, Phoenix, AZ
MISLS class began Aug 1944
Parents: Hyoe and Kameko from Hiroshima, Japan
Sisters: Margarita Rose Shizuko Wakimoto, Katherine Fusa Matsuoka, Nana Nancy, and Akiko
Sgt. Masaki H Nakamura
Born July 1908 in Gold Bar, WA
Buried at Evergreen Washelli, Seattle
Inducted March 1941. Discharged late 1941. Recalled 1943.
MISLS class began July 1943.
Wife: Fumiko (Takamura) of Tacoma, WA in Jan 1942.
Daughter: Sandra H., Spokane
Brothers: Kaneji and Sueki, San Jose
Sisters: Yoneko Kanemoto and Mitsu Ichishita, San Jose;
Tomeko Nishimura, Chicago
T/4 George Takashi Yamaguchi
Born April 1918 in Portland, OR
Buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Inducted May 1944, Ft. Douglas, UT
MISLS class began Dec 1944.
Father: Shigezo
Mother: Masaye
Brother: Lloyd (who also served in the MIS)
Sister: Mary Masami Takemoto, Chicago
Education: George graduated from UW in 1942
If you have any leads or helpful information on how to find the families of these servicemen, please contact Chris Sketchley at cjsketchley@comcast.net.