Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1931-12-30

Lugar de Nacimiento

Honolulu HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1949-7-1, Honolulu HI

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War,peacetime

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat,sup

Unidades a las que sirvió

25th Signal Co., 25th Inf. Div. (Korea 1950-51); Primary Sta. Relay Unit, Helemano, Oahu, HI (1952)

Especialidad militar

High-speed radio operator (Morse code and teletype relay)

Asignado

USA - Fort Ord, CA (1949), Ft. Monmouth, NJ (1949-50); Korea (1950-51); Hawaii (1952)

Retirado

Schofield Barracks, Oahu HI

Responsabilidad en la unidad

25th Signal Co.: Radio communication between division level and forward units, and between army division units when needed.

Responsabilidad individual

Team chief and radio operator for mobile radio team (Morse code and voice) assigned to 25th Recon. Co. , all RCT's and the Turkish Brigade (the last attached to our div.).

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

All battles of I-Corps unit (West sector of Korean Peninsula) from Sept '50 to Nov. '51.

Reconocimientos, medallas, menciones (individuales o de la unidad)

Six battle stars for Sept '50 to Nov. '51 battles; medals are the visual ones for participating in war (awarded several months retroactive combat pay); Meritorious Unit Citation for 25th Signal Co. for maintaining communications during Chinese offensive. (Meritorious Unit Citation is the support unit's equivalent to the line unit's Distinguished Unit Citation)

Condiciones de Vida

When with forward units - always maintained 24 hour radio contact with rest of division, sometimes with only two operators (including myself). C-rations (cans) only, slept in vehicle on move or pup tent (when) stationary and no baths, of course. When back at 25th Sig. Co. (only 10% of total time in Korea) slept in squad tent, had hot meals using own mess kit, had luxury of cold shower and sometimes movie entertainment. Had one 5-day R&R in Tokyo and visited brother-in-law's folks in Yokohama.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

War experience totally changed my attitude about the future, otherwise I would have had a wasted life. Showed me how precious it was to have survived just by happenstance, when others in the same circumstances died, or were maimed. I was the only AJA from Hawaii in my unit along with another from Seattle. Experienced no discrimination whatsoever because of my race. This was not true of the whole black 24th RCT (was with them twice) of our division.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

Relatives and friends (especially girl friends) back in Hawaii. Korea (war or no war) was a stark contrast to Hawaii.

¿En lo personal, qué obtuvo de su experiencia militar?

(See Vivid Memory section) - Also very important was the Korean G.I. bill, a consequence of the war, which enabled me to go to college (couldn't have done it otherwise). A B.S. in engineering motivated me to go on to an MA and a PhD, and two very satisfactory careers in engineering and biology.

Información adicional

Think I've said enough. (Like most Nisei's, writing about one's self isn't easy. That is the legacy of my Japanese ancestry) This is written in response to the (unspoken) wishes of my wife and two sons, one of whom is a member of the Museum's supporters - Hubert Kume Kobayashi. July 7, 1996