Author. He gained recognition as a Japanese-American author, who published "No-No Boy" in 1957. Being first generation American, he is considered the first successful Japanese-American novelist. Before attending the University of Washington, he attended public schools in his neighborhood. On December 7, 1941, his world changed when the Japanese Army bombed the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Since his family was of Japanese ancestry, he and his family were interned in a camp in Minidoka, Idaho under President Franklin Roosevelt's executive order in February of 1942. After being released, he continued his education at Scottsluff Junior College in Nebraska. The young men in the camp, who were American citizens by birth, were given a questionnaire asking to swear loyalty to the United States and against Japan and other foreign powers. Those who said “yes” were enlisted in the United States Army to fight in World War II. Those who did not swear allegiance to the United States became known as the “No-No Boys.” During World War II, he volunteered to join the United States Air Force training in Military Intelligence Service. Stationed in Guam, he translated Japanese documents and propaganda along with participating in reconnaissance missions over Japan. In 1946 he was discharged at the rank of sergeant and returned to the University of Washington graduating with a English degree. He continued with his education a Columbia University in New York City and graduating with a Master's Degree in English in 1949. After obtaining a position at a library, he earned a second Bachelor's Degree in library science from the University of Washington. He, his wife, and two children relocated to Detroit, Michigan where he worked for the public library system. Wanting to write full-time, he left the library position to be a technical writer for Chrysler Missile Operation in Sterling, Michigan. Since his family felt excluded from this community, they returned to Seattle, and soon moved to Southern California. He wrote “No-No Boy” in 1955 but it was two years before it was published. The novel centers around the “No-No Boys,” who refused to fight for the United States during World War II, about his incarceration in the internment camp, and after the war, being rejected by his fellow citizens because of his race. Upon the book's release, it was not well-received by the general public, brought bitter memories to the Japanese population, and did not gain notoriety until after his death, which was nearly thirty years after the incarceration. Becoming a celebrated classic of American literature, his novel was rediscovered and republished in 1976 and again in 2019. Dying suddenly at not yet fifty years old, he had not finished his second novel, which was about “issei” or the first-generation Japanese immigrants. His widow attempted to have it published without any success. She offered the manuscript to the Japanese American Research Project at University of California, Los Angeles, but it was declined. At this point, she burned all his papers including this novel.