Friendships Borne of Battle
By GWEN MURANAKA
RAFU ENGLISH EDITOR IN CHIEF
Saturday, Feb. 24, 2007

Japanese Americans from all wars meet for historic reunion in Little Tokyo.

Susan Uyemura of JA Living Legacy makes a pencil rubbing of a name on the Japanese
American War Memorial on Sunday for Sadako Shimabukuro of Honolulu as Yukino Shima
looks on. The tribute to fallen Japanese American soldiers was the final event of the All
Veterans Reunion.


From left, Medal of Honor recipients Shizuya Hayashi, George T. Sakato and Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura at the Americans of Japanese Heritage All Veterans Reunion on Saturday at the
New Otani Hotel in Little Tokyo.

Soldiers from World War II to the present gathered for the first, and some said the final time, last weekend in Little Tokyo for the Americans of Japanese Heritage All Veterans Reunion to celebrate the bonds they share as members of the armed forces.

Robert Wada, a Korean War veteran, at a memorial ser­vice on Sunday morning articulated the themes of courage, sacrifice and friendship that defined the three-day event.

“When one serves in the military, his devotion is to his fellow soldiers, sailors, airman or marines. You learn dur­ing training how to engage in combat for the protection of your entire unit. That sense of responsibility is reflected in the actions of these Japanese Americans,” Wada stated.

The reunion was made especially memorable with the presence of Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, Shizuya Hayashi and George Sakato, recipients of the Medal of Honor.

At the memorial ceremony, the three men, wearing their Medals of Honor, led a tribute at the Japanese American War Memorial Court, placing flowers underneath the names of the fallen. Japanese Korean War Veterans (JAKWV), organizers of the reunion, displayed a model of a memorial to Nikkei killed in Iraq, Grenada and on the battleship Maine that will be completed shortly.

“It’s good to respect all they’ve done,” remarked Hayashi, a member of the 100th
Infantry Battalion Co. “It was something that we had to do. We could not bring shame to our families back home.”

Hayashi, a resident of Pearl City, Hawaii, received the Medal of Honor for his actions taking out a machine gun nest during a battle near Cerasuolo, Italy, on Nov. 29, 1943.
Miyamura was the only Japanese American from the Korean War to receive the Medal of Honor. He was Joe Annello and Gene Ramos, who was imprisoned with Miyamura in a prisoner of war camp. The Nisei, a resident of Gallup, N.M., didn’t know he received the award until he was freed after two years in captivity.

“When we came across ‘Freedom Bridge’ on the repatriation, Hershey and I were together in the ambulance throw­ing our old Chinese clothes out and we were there in just shorts,” Ramos said. “We opened the door and there’s all these generals and colonels coming towards us. I say what the hell’s going on? They went around me and came to Hersh.”

In April 1951, Miyamura carried An­nello, who was severely wounded, on his back even as their Chinese captors told him to abandon him. Eventually, Mi­yamura and others left Annello on the side of the road, thinking they would never see each other alive again. Annello lay on the road for two days until he was picked up and transported to a nearby village.

“I lost track of him when we were forced to leave him,” Miyamura re­called. “He didn’t know whether I was alive and I didn’t know he was alive until he saw my name in Newsweek.”

Nearly 400 attended the three-day reunion held at venues throughout Little Tokyo. L.A. Superior Court Judge Vince Okamoto, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, served as emcee at a lun­cheon on Saturday. Keynote speaker retired Army Major Gen. Rodney Ko­bayashi told the story of Army Spc. Paul “Toku” Nakamura of Santa Fe Springs, who died on June 19, 2003 in Iraq.

“Toku was killed helping fellow sol­diers,” Kobayashi said of the soldier who was part of an ambulance crew. “said if he was to die in Iraq, he would be proud to die helping his fellow soldiers.”

Kobayashi, a two-star general and commander of the 91st Division, was responsible for training, including the 29th Infantry Brigade from Hawaii.

“I’m indebted to you and to all Japa­nese Americans for the fundamental opportunity to serve in the military. I’m proud to be a Japanese American and I’m proud to be a soldier,” Kobayashi said.

Bob Hayamizu, representing the Nisei Veterans Coordinating Council, noted that the WWII veterans were all now in their 80s.

“All we can do now is to bask in the sunlight of accomplishment and friend­ship we have developed over the years,” Hayamizu said.

“It’s nice to be part of history,” said David Miyoshi, a Vietnam veteran. “This is the first time that Japanese Americans from all wars, all branches of service are coming together.

“One thing is for certain, your pres­ence here serves as a stirring inspiration to young Japanese Americans to show what an honor it is to serve in the United States military.”