Grace Returns to Grossmon

Foothiller Gets Royal Treatment 70 Years Later

by Ken Stone

Grace (Kaminaka) Tsuida

     Grace Kaminaka Tsuida was among many Japanese-Americans sent to WWII internment camps.

 

     Grace Kaminaka (Poston 330-12-D) was a Foothiller to the soul—just like her four older siblings, all graduates of Grossmont High. But she spent only her freshman year and part of her sophomore term at the school straddling La Mesa and El Cajon.

     Despite having been born in El Cajon, she was expelled in April 1942 by federal order—one of 110,000 American citizens of Japanese descent sent to Western internment camps in the wake of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. 

     “I didn’t know why we had to go,” she said Friday. “People [at Grossmont] were good to us.”

     Grace finished [Poston 3] high school at a camp near Poston, AZ—where she would meet her future husband—commercial fisherman Mas Tsuida (Poston 322-1-B), a graduate of San Diego High School. 

      But Grace always regretted never getting her diploma.

      Her niece, Judy Miyamoto of University City, never forgot that.  So when Uncle Mas was invited to Washington, D.C., in November to be awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for his unit’s heroism in Europe during World War II, Miyamoto sprung into action.
      She sent email to Grossmont High School—addressing it to Theresa Kemper.  No longer the principal, Kemper handed it off to Principal Dan Barnes.
      “Sure enough, gosh,”Miyamoto said, Grossmont quickly assented to issuing an honorary diploma for Grace—67 years after the fact.
      But that wasn’t all. Thanks to the Grossmont High School Museum co-directed by Connie Baer, Grace also got her 1941 and 1942 yearbooks and a copy of the 1944 commencement program, provided by a classmate of that year.
      At a November dinner in honor of Mas Tsuida at their daughter Nadine’s home in Falls Church, VA, Grace finally got her diploma.
      “She was in shock—so surprised,” Miyamoto said. Later [Grace] said: ‘Even though [Mas] got his medal, the highlight of the trip was my high school diploma.’ ”
      The school had arranged to have a diploma replicated that included the signatures of then schools Superintendent John Warburton, Principal Walter Barrett and Board of Education president Rexford Hay.
      Last Friday morning, several family members brought Grace to Grossmont for the first time in nearly 70 years.
      Grace, 86, was greeted at the museum by schools Superintendent Ralf Swenson and sisters Connie and Lynn Baer, Hiller alumni and museum directors. Later, Grossmont High School historian and teacher Don Ginn stopped by to chat—telling Grace how some students boycotted class for several days in protest of the banishment of their Japanese friends.
      Grace, a San Diego resident, recalled that her teachers were “sentimental” when they learned she was being sent to Arizona.
      “As soon as you handed them [the paperwork], they knew what it meant,” she said.
      With Grossmont freshman journalist Tim Collins listening respectfully, Grace told of attending “general English,” science and gym classes at Grossmont.
      “It was fun in those days—carefree,” Grace said. “Sweetwater [High School] was our rival.” Her best friend was another Japanese-American girl.
      Grace lived in El Cajon—somewhere “way back east” in an agricultural area that since has given way to subdivisions. But her parents were farmers and commuted to Lemon Grove, so Grace took a bus from Lemon Grove to Grossmont.
      Grace was a homemaker who raised three children—Nadine, Glenn and a son, Mark, who died of kidney cancer ay age 47.  She held down the house while Mas was on his commercial fishing expeditions—until his retirement in the 1970s.

Mas Tsuida

 
      On Nov. 2, Tsuida was among hundreds honored for World War II service in Europe. (The first Congressional Gold Medal medal recipient, in 1776, was George Washington. Others include Neil Armstrong, the Tuskegee Airmen in 2006 and the Native American Code Talkers in 2008. Mas was part of the highly decorated 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team. )
      “You should have seen the wheelchairs,” Miyamoto said. “All kinds of wheelchairs. My daughter and I looked at each other and said: Aren’t we fortunate.”
      Grace was offered a seat several times during Friday’s visit to the Grossmont High School Museum. 
      She smiled and politely declined each time.  Instead, at 4 foot 10, she stood proudly as a graduate, possessor of a blue-covered document that read:

Be it known that Grace Kaminaka has completed satisfactorily the Course of Study prescribed for Graduation from this High School and is therefore awarded this Diploma Honorary.

Source: http://lemongrove.patch.com/articles/grace-returns-to-grossmont

Two Greenspring Residents

Two Greenspring residents, Japanese-American World War II veterans, receive congressional gold medals.

By Maya Horowitz/The Connection

George Nakamura

November 30, 2011

     George Nakamura and Yukio Kawamoto, two second-generation Japanese-Americans, or Nisei, served the United States bravely on the battlefield during a time of suspicion towards Asian Americans at home. Their contribution to the war effort was recognized by Congress this November when Nakamura and Kawamoto received Congressional Gold Medals.
      Nakamura and Kawamoto, who both served in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) during WWII, and were in the same language class, Section 6, at Camp Savage in Minnesota, now live in the same retirement community, Greenspring in Springfield, Virginia.  

        Nakamura was born on Nov 26, 1919 in Reedley, Calif. Kawamoto was born days earlier on Nov. 13, 1919 in Berkeley, Calif. Nakamura was number five of eight siblings. Kawamoto had two sisters who were both sent to live in Japan before he was born. He was raised as an only child.
      Both men were enrolled in college when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Nakamura was studying music with minors in education and art at San Francisco State University. Kawamoto was studying political science at University of California Berkeley.
      NAKAMURA AND KAWAMOTO were both drafted into the military. Nakamura was initially rejected because he only weighed 109 pounds. He later enlisted in the army, to prove his patriotism and passed the physical exam by one pound. Kawamoto was three months from graduating when he was drafted. Berkeley gave him his degree anyway

      Nakamura’s basic training took place at Fort Knox and Kawamoto’s basic training was at Camp Robinson. Both men said they initially had trouble with the latrines, which were marked "White" and "Colored." They weren’t sure which category they fit into. Eventually they were told, "white."
      Nakamura also encountered racial troubles in the bunks at night. The men slept head to toe. The person next to him wrote home to his mother that he had to sleep next to a Japanese man. His mother wrote back, "Don’t turn your back on him. He might stab you in the back."
      Nakamura was left behind as others from his basic training group moved on to different assignments. Eventually, Maj. Dickey came and recruited him for a Japanese language school at Camp Savage. 

Camp Savage Section 6

George Nakamura at Camp Savage, MN

      Kawamoto was also recruited to this school, although not as willingly. He was asked if he would like to go and he replied, "no thanks," but one week later he was on the train to the school anyway.
      It was at Camp Savage, Minn., that Nakamura and Kawamoto met. They were both in the Section 6 language class. Nakamura said they were not friends but acquaintances. They noted how cold Minnesota was, remembering that if they put a Coke bottle outside on the windowsill, it would freeze in less than an hour.
      They shipped out around the same time, but with different assignments. Both went to Fort Snelling and Angel Island before continuing on.
      Nakamura shipped out to Auckland, New Zealand and then Brisbane, Australia. He was with the scanning team of the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATS), scanning captured documents. He requested to go to the front lines and was sent to Goodenough, New Guinea. Using his Japanese language skills, he looked over documents and interrogated prisoners. He said the prisoners all said the same two things at first: "I cannot go back to Japan" and "When are you going to kill me?" He also said he was instructed to ask what had become of Amelia Earheart.
      Nakamura went on to Lingayen Bay to work for the Office of War Information, which was a propaganda outfit that tried to entice Japanese soldiers to surrender. About 22 Japanese soldiers surrendered as a result of Nakamura’s efforts and for this, he was awarded a bronze star.
      Kawamoto, from Angel Island, was sent to New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, and Bougainville. He assisted the Navy with Japanese translation. He said his skills were particularly useful in the battle for Bougainville. A month before the battle, a disgruntled Japanese soldier deserted his forces and came over to the American side. He warned Kawamoto of the attack. Because of this intelligence, the 37th Infantry Division, which Kawamoto was a part of, was able to bring in reinforcements.
       Kawamoto then went to Lingayen Bay and marched down to Manila. He said the Battle of Manila was "pretty big. I felt like I was in a war." 







      Nakamura and Kawamoto have many of the same awards from the war: Philippine Liberation Ribbon, Occupation of Japan, Victory Medal, Asiatic Theatre Campaign with two bronze stars, American Theatre and a Bronze Star Medal. Nakamura also has an Officer’s Ribbon, for more than 20 years of service, and a good conduct ribbon.
      Nakamura said World War II was different from other wars because it wasn’t political; it was a fight for survival. "I think we would’ve been exterminated if the Japanese won," said Nakamura. "They would’ve considered us traitors." 



      Kawamoto said what made WWII different was the use of the atomic bomb.
      ABOUT THE USE of atomic force to end the war, Nakamura said, "In retrospect it was terrible, but at that time, I had no feelings."
      "I wasn’t happy about it," said Kawamoto, "But there are a lot of things in war you’re not happy about." Kawamoto also noted that Hiroshima was where his parents were from.
      Kawamoto left the military in August 1945, retiring as a technician, third grade. He said his commander general said, "You’ve put 20 months into the Pacific. You’ve done your duty. Go back home and take care of Mama and Papa." He returned immediately to his parents, who had been interred in Topaz, Utah. Kawamoto called it a farce that these camps had towers with guns and sentries so the residents wouldn’t escape.
      Nakamura’s family had also been put into camps. His mother and all of his siblings were in Poston, Arizon block 308. and his father, who was declared a "dangerous enemy alien," because of his involvement in the North America Military Virtues Society, was interred in[Santa Fe]  New Mexico. Nakamura smiled recalling that the family had had to lease their 60-acre orchard and vineyard when they had been put into camps. And ironically, the leasee had been German. (After the war, the Nakamura family got their land back.)

      ”I guess at the time,” he said , ”I thought it was just simply inevitable. What the hell was I going to say? I was young, war was going on, what was I to think? I can’t approve it. That was what the government decided to do. I had no other alternative but to maintain my patriotism.”
      Unlike Kawamoto, Nakamura stayed in the military after the war was over. He visited occupied Japan in September 1945 and encountered discrimination by the British occupation forces. Kawamoto worked for the occupation forces and the federal service until 1979 when he retired from the military as a lieutenant colonel. He worked as a contractor until 2000 when he retired completely.
      Kawamoto took a position at the State Department as an interpreter in 1946. He worked there until the 1970s when he retired.
      Nakamura met his wife, Sylvia, in St. Paul, Minn. They had four daughters, Diana, Joyce, Patricia and Linda.
      Kawamoto met his wife, Sayoko, in Japan. They had four children, Craig, Sharon, Don and Brian.
      Nakamura and Kawamoto met in 1943 but didn’t see each other again until the early 1970s. By chance, they ran into each other in Tokyo. Neither thought much of the meeting.
      Nakamura continued to work in military intelligence as a civilian after his discharge from the Army, rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the reserves, and finally ended his service in 2000, at the young age of 81.

     In February 2007, Kawamoto retired to Greenspring in Springfield with his wife. Three years later, when Nakamura was thinking about where he and his wife should retire, he heard through a friend at the Japanese American Veterans Association that Kawamoto was at Greenspring. He said Kawamoto being there didn’t influence his decision, but it worked out nicely. The two now live within walking distance of each other.

     Congress awarded Nakamura and Kawamoto the Congressional Gold Medal for their service during World War II this November.
      Kawamoto said, "If Congress gives it, it must be pretty good." 
      Nakamura said, "It’s an honor to have Congress acknowledge the fact that Japanese-Americans served in the U.S. army honorably and heroically."

Source: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/articleprint.asp?article=356215&paper=61&cat=104

San Diego Celebration Weekend: March 10-11, 2012

 The Tag Project and Veteran’s Congressional Gold Medal

Wendy Maruyama

San Diego, December 1, 2011

      Local San Diego artist Wendy Maruyama’s nationally touring exhibition, The Tag Project/E.O. 9066, will open at the San Diego State University Art Gallery from February 10, 2012 thru May 5, 2012.   Admission to the gallery is free and open to the public.

       Japanese Americans and their extended families, as well as the hundreds of volunteers who assisted Maruyama to complete her artistic vision, are invited to experience Maruyama’s artwork, enjoy a 3-course gourmet lunch, and chat with the artist, local students and community members. 

       A special, inaugural luncheon is planned for Saturday, March 10, 2012, at the Alumni Center at San Diego State University.   PRE-registration is strongly encouraged.

Poston camp III prisoner name tags

 

 ABOUT THE TAG PROJECT

For The Tag Project, hundreds of volunteers from across the U.S. were enlisted to replicate the 120,000 identification tags worn by individuals of Japanese descent—American citizens and legal aliens alike—who were imprisoned in 10 concentration camps located in remote areas of the United States. 

   Each tag contains a handwritten prisoner name and their government-issued identification number.  The tags were aged and organized using the 10 concentration camp census. Each group is about 11 feet tall and weighs more than 80 pounds.

    Part of the moving force behind Maruyama’s project were her encounters with Americans unaware of the U.S. government’s forced removal of nearly 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast states and their imprisonment during World War II. 

     Maruyama’s strategy for creating the project was to share a national experience and to inspire younger generations to connect to this important part of the American history. 

FUNDING: The Tag Project received funding from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego, the San Diego chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League, and the San Diego State University Art Council.

 E.O. 9066 is the companion piece to The Tag Project.  It is Maruyama's interpretation of the concentration camp experience.  Maruyama collects Japanese ephemera and transforms them using hardwoods. The exhibition uses prisoner artifacts on loan from the archives of the Japanese American Historical Society of San Diego. 

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    On Sunday, March 11, 2012, a community luncheon will honor San Diego's World War II Nisei veterans who recently were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal  in Washington DC. They were members of the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the Military intelligence Service who fought while their families were imprisoned in the concentration camps. Many bravely volunteered directly from the concentration camps.

     The luncheon will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Mission Valley, San Diego from 11:00- to 2:00 pm.  PRE-registration is strongly encouraged.

For additional information contact: 

Wendy Maruyama  wendymaruyama@me.com

Linda Canada Lcanada509@aol.com

Poston Block Map Project

 NOTE: Our Poston Camp III Block Map Project will be on display at the event in San Diego !

Tulare County Operation Diploma Ceremony

December 7, 2005

      The purpose of the Tulare County Operation Diploma Ceremony program was to award diplomas to veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, as well as citizens interned during World War II in relocation camps, who may have missed their graduation because of their service or internment.  

      Special Events Coordinator, Nancy (Hanada) Bellin (Poston 326-4-A) , introduced the honorees individually and then they were presented with a diploma by Board President Leonard Hansen and County Superintendent Jim Vidak.  Ms. Bellin said that all the applicants spoke of a desire to obtain a high school diploma, which many of us take for granted.  She also thanked Jim Vidak for making this day possible.  

    

       Nancy Bellin introduced a life-long friend, Dr. Sam Katano (Poston 326-2-A ) , who spoke on behalf of the local Japanese-American community.  He extended congratulations to those being honored at today's ceremony and expressed his appreciation to the County superintendent for establishing the "Operation Diploma" program in Tulare County.  He said that many Japanese-Americans who lived in WW II internment camps never receive their diplomas.

     For Mollie (Abe) Osato (Poston 305-11-B) , this ceremony came nearly 60 years after she attended Orosi High School and left her junior year because she and her family were interned in Arizona.  There was hardly a "dry eye" in the Education Center when Mrs. Osato accepted her high school diplomas with her faithful husband, Masashi Osato (Poston  305-6-CD) , by her side.  Ms. Bellin said that Mollie and her husband, Masashi, own a ranch in Orosi and that she is very active in her local community. 

      Linda Shiba, a technician  in External Business Services, accepted a diploma on behalf of her sister-in-law, Lydia Hatsuki (Nagata) Shiba (Poston 305-11-C) . 

      Diplomas for Mitsunobu George Kiritani (Poston 309-1-A), Mae S. Yamada and Isaac Kelly Kageyama (Poston 305-1-A) were accepted posthumously by Rose (Shiba) Abe (Poston block 309), a good friend of Nancy Bellin.   

     Mrs. Abe remained at the podium to accept diplomas on behalf of Velma Natsuko Kurihara (Poston 305-12-D),  Sumiye Naito, and Yuriko Katsuki who were unable to attend the ceremony.

 Source: Tulare County Board of Education Minutes December 7, 2005, Visalia, CA.

 Accessed at: http://www.tcoe.k12.ca.us/Commitment/Minutes2005_12.pdf

Congressional Gold Medal Regional Celebrations

The Congressional Gold Medal celebration  was held in Washington DC on November 2, 2011 for the 100th, 442nd and MIS military units.  They were nationally recognized for their valiant service and sacrifices by our nation's leaders during World War II. 

The Nisei soldiers Congressional Gold Medal replica in bronze is available for order through the US Mint. Click on the link below for more information.

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/medals/?action=medal&ID=30

There are 8 regional celebrations to commemorate the event for those who were unable to travel to Washington DC.

Contact information is listed below. 

Seattle,  Washington - January 14, 2012

Dale Kaku - dandskaku@comcast.net

Livingston-Merced, California - February 14, 2012

Robert Taniguchi - taniguchi.r@mccd.edu

Houston, Texas - February 18, 2012

Gary Nakamura - garynakamura@yahoo.com

Salt Lake City, Utah - February 18, 2012

Jeanette Spencer - jeanettespencer@me.com

Fresno,  California  - February 19, 2012

Dale Ikeda - daleikeda@att.net

San Jose, California - February 23, 2012

http://www.jamsj.org/

Portland, Oregon - February 26, 2012

Mari Watanabe - mari@oregonnikkei.org

or  Setsy Larouche - larouche@msn.com

 

San Diego, California - March 11, 2012

Linda McLemore lhmclemore@yahoo.com

or Robert Ito rpito@cox.net

Chicago, Illinois - April 22, 2012

Howard Hieshima - hhieshima@sbcglobal.net

 Los Angeles, California  - To be determined.

 For updates, visit:  http://www.nationalveteransnetwork.com/