Infantryman in the Legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team
During World War II, Staff Sargent Hiram Okubo served in Italy and France in I Company in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. His two brothers and a cousin also served in the 442nd.
Being college educated, Hiram was offered a teaching job in Japan but having dual Japanese-American citizenship decided not to go because he did not wish to be subject to a draft by the Japanese army.
American born, when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was midway through his year-long U.S. Army training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Being in the midwest, unlike the rest of his family, he was not interned at a relocation camp during the war. So after completing his training, he left the Army briefly to work in the war plants at Detroit. When the all Japanese-American unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed, he rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd, and received his training with them at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
Childhood and Education
Hiram, being the first born son, grew up speaking Japanese with his parents and translating for them.
Hirami accompanied her parents to Japan as an young boy on a several month long trip to visit relatives from December 1915 until 26 May 1916; it was his one and only trip to Japan.
He was raised at Anacortes until 1921, when his parents started a restaurant and later a butcher shop in Seattle. Many years later his younger sister Tomiko wrote that "the restaurant was successful but the hours were long and seven days a week were too much for him. He bought a butcher shop thinking he could enjoy a day off but being new at the business, it failed."
They returned to Anacortes in 1924 where his dad worked in a fishery. They moved to Bellingham after his Aunt Yukino Kunimatsu suddenly died in 1927. They assumed management of the Holly Tea Shop and assumed care for his four youngest Kunimatsu cousins, Saburo, Shiro, Isamu, and Takeko.
Hiram attended grade school at Anacortes. Hiram was enumerated with his family at Anacortes in Anacortes School Censuses at 1915-1918, 1921, and 1925-1927. There they lived at the Robinson Fishery company housing, and on 2311 12th Street.
He attended Franklin High School at Seattle in his freshman year in 1924-1925, Anacortes High School (sophomore and junior years in 1926 and 1927), and graduated from Whatcom High School in Bellingham in 1928 [Anacortes Museum & Maritime Heritage Center, 2021; Hime Okubo, 1992].
In 1931 or 1932 he graduated with a bachelors degree in fisheries from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was president of the Japanese Student Men's Club and managed the club house. He successfully freed the club from their debts.
After college, Hiram returned to live with his family and was enumerated with them at 1406 H Street, Bellingham, Washington in the 1940 U.S. Census , where his family had resided since 1927.
The Bellingham Herald article on 15 May 1942 on the closing of the Sunrise Cafe states that Hiram, not his parents, was its proprietor. His ownership was a work-around of existing discriminatory, anti-Japanese laws that prohibited Japanese aliens from owning property. Hiram, being American-born, could own property so he was made the proprietor.
Military Service
Hiram entered the U.S. Army as a Private on 11 April 1941 at Tacoma, Washington. At the time he was 5'5" tall and weighed 125 pounds.
In May and June 1942 he served as a Corporal, Technician 5th Grade, in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Fort Snelling, Minnesota [The Bellingham Herald, 15 May 1942; WRA Records for his father].
Hiram, in the U.S. Army. attended his father's funeral at Tule Lake Relocation Camp in March 1943.
After a short stint at Detroit, Hiram rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was attached to I Company, 3rd Battalion. Hiram served in Italy and France, and met up with his brothers there more than once.
At the urging of his brother, Sumi, Hiram publsihed a letter to The Bellingham Herald on 8 August 1944 to update his former friends about the military service of his family:
"Since your paper devoted a great deal of space to the Japanese of Bellingham at the time of their evacuation from the city, I thought that you may be interested to know what some of the former Japanese American boys of Bellingham are doing.
"For the most part, these boys are out proving that those Americans who questioned the loyalty of Japanese Americans were wrong.
"The first Japanese American from Bellingham to give his life for the United States is Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu. Isamu was killed in action on July 12 in Italy. Isamu may be remembered by his Bellingham friends as a football player for Bellingham high school.
"Isamu's older brother, Cpl. Saburo Kunimatsu, is serving with a military intelligence unit. My brother, Cpl. James Okubo, is a medical aid man. My other brother, Sumi, is now in training as an infantryman in Florida.
"In view of the fact that Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu gave his life to prove himself a loyal American, would you please devote just a little space for him in his old home town paper?" Sincerely yours, T/5 Hiram Okubo, Camp Shelby, Miss.
After hostilities had ended, but while still in service in Europe, Hiram was seriously wounded and partially handicapped (in May, 1945).
A Staff Sargent, Hiram earned a Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Badge, and a Combat Infantry Badge [Orville C. Shirey, Americans, The story of the 442nd Combat Team, The Battery Press, pages 138, reprinted 1998].
His brother, James K., a medic in the 442nd, was awarded the Silver Star for his courage in retrieving and treating wounded soldiers. His other brother, Sumi, was seriously wounded during a daring nighttime attack on the German line in the Apennine Mountains in Italy in April 1945. His cousin, Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu, was killed in action in Italy in July 1944.
Life in Detroit
After the war, Hiram joined his mother and siblings at Detroit to recuperate from his injuries.
He remained the rest of his life in the Detroit area, where he worked many years at the recreational boat shop of a family friend, Richard _____.
Hiram retired and resided with his mother, and sister, Tomi, in Detroit, Wayne Co., Mich. for many years.
Although his war wounds precluded long trips, he remained an avid, lifelong fisherman, and an excellent boatsman. Hiram seemed shy and retiring. He was humble about his academic and martial accomplishments and didn't talk about them much, but always enjoyed talking about fishing and boating. He always regretted that he had not able to do more with his college education.
Biography by Tom Brocher, updated 21 February 2021
During World War II, Staff Sargent Hiram Okubo served in Italy and France in I Company in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. His two brothers and a cousin also served in the 442nd.
Being college educated, Hiram was offered a teaching job in Japan but having dual Japanese-American citizenship decided not to go because he did not wish to be subject to a draft by the Japanese army.
American born, when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was midway through his year-long U.S. Army training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Being in the midwest, unlike the rest of his family, he was not interned at a relocation camp during the war. So after completing his training, he left the Army briefly to work in the war plants at Detroit. When the all Japanese-American unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed, he rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd, and received his training with them at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
Childhood and Education
Hiram, being the first born son, grew up speaking Japanese with his parents and translating for them.
Hirami accompanied her parents to Japan as an young boy on a several month long trip to visit relatives from December 1915 until 26 May 1916; it was his one and only trip to Japan.
He was raised at Anacortes until 1921, when his parents started a restaurant and later a butcher shop in Seattle. Many years later his younger sister Tomiko wrote that "the restaurant was successful but the hours were long and seven days a week were too much for him. He bought a butcher shop thinking he could enjoy a day off but being new at the business, it failed."
They returned to Anacortes in 1924 where his dad worked in a fishery. They moved to Bellingham after his Aunt Yukino Kunimatsu suddenly died in 1927. They assumed management of the Holly Tea Shop and assumed care for his four youngest Kunimatsu cousins, Saburo, Shiro, Isamu, and Takeko.
Hiram attended grade school at Anacortes. Hiram was enumerated with his family at Anacortes in Anacortes School Censuses at 1915-1918, 1921, and 1925-1927. There they lived at the Robinson Fishery company housing, and on 2311 12th Street.
He attended Franklin High School at Seattle in his freshman year in 1924-1925, Anacortes High School (sophomore and junior years in 1926 and 1927), and graduated from Whatcom High School in Bellingham in 1928 [Anacortes Museum & Maritime Heritage Center, 2021; Hime Okubo, 1992].
In 1931 or 1932 he graduated with a bachelors degree in fisheries from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was president of the Japanese Student Men's Club and managed the club house. He successfully freed the club from their debts.
After college, Hiram returned to live with his family and was enumerated with them at 1406 H Street, Bellingham, Washington in the 1940 U.S. Census , where his family had resided since 1927.
The Bellingham Herald article on 15 May 1942 on the closing of the Sunrise Cafe states that Hiram, not his parents, was its proprietor. His ownership was a work-around of existing discriminatory, anti-Japanese laws that prohibited Japanese aliens from owning property. Hiram, being American-born, could own property so he was made the proprietor.
Military Service
Hiram entered the U.S. Army as a Private on 11 April 1941 at Tacoma, Washington. At the time he was 5'5" tall and weighed 125 pounds.
In May and June 1942 he served as a Corporal, Technician 5th Grade, in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Fort Snelling, Minnesota [The Bellingham Herald, 15 May 1942; WRA Records for his father].
Hiram, in the U.S. Army. attended his father's funeral at Tule Lake Relocation Camp in March 1943.
After a short stint at Detroit, Hiram rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was attached to I Company, 3rd Battalion. Hiram served in Italy and France, and met up with his brothers there more than once.
At the urging of his brother, Sumi, Hiram publsihed a letter to The Bellingham Herald on 8 August 1944 to update his former friends about the military service of his family:
"Since your paper devoted a great deal of space to the Japanese of Bellingham at the time of their evacuation from the city, I thought that you may be interested to know what some of the former Japanese American boys of Bellingham are doing.
"For the most part, these boys are out proving that those Americans who questioned the loyalty of Japanese Americans were wrong.
"The first Japanese American from Bellingham to give his life for the United States is Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu. Isamu was killed in action on July 12 in Italy. Isamu may be remembered by his Bellingham friends as a football player for Bellingham high school.
"Isamu's older brother, Cpl. Saburo Kunimatsu, is serving with a military intelligence unit. My brother, Cpl. James Okubo, is a medical aid man. My other brother, Sumi, is now in training as an infantryman in Florida.
"In view of the fact that Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu gave his life to prove himself a loyal American, would you please devote just a little space for him in his old home town paper?" Sincerely yours, T/5 Hiram Okubo, Camp Shelby, Miss.
After hostilities had ended, but while still in service in Europe, Hiram was seriously wounded and partially handicapped (in May, 1945).
A Staff Sargent, Hiram earned a Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Badge, and a Combat Infantry Badge [Orville C. Shirey, Americans, The story of the 442nd Combat Team, The Battery Press, pages 138, reprinted 1998].
His brother, James K., a medic in the 442nd, was awarded the Silver Star for his courage in retrieving and treating wounded soldiers. His other brother, Sumi, was seriously wounded during a daring nighttime attack on the German line in the Apennine Mountains in Italy in April 1945. His cousin, Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu, was killed in action in Italy in July 1944.
Life in Detroit
After the war, Hiram joined his mother and siblings at Detroit to recuperate from his injuries.
He remained the rest of his life in the Detroit area, where he worked many years at the recreational boat shop of a family friend, Richard _____.
Hiram retired and resided with his mother, and sister, Tomi, in Detroit, Wayne Co., Mich. for many years.
Although his war wounds precluded long trips, he remained an avid, lifelong fisherman, and an excellent boatsman. Hiram seemed shy and retiring. He was humble about his academic and martial accomplishments and didn't talk about them much, but always enjoyed talking about fishing and boating. He always regretted that he had not able to do more with his college education.
Biography by Tom Brocher, updated 21 February 2021
Infantryman in the Legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team
During World War II, Staff Sargent Hiram Okubo served in Italy and France in I Company in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. His two brothers and a cousin also served in the 442nd.
Being college educated, Hiram was offered a teaching job in Japan but having dual Japanese-American citizenship decided not to go because he did not wish to be subject to a draft by the Japanese army.
American born, when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was midway through his year-long U.S. Army training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Being in the midwest, unlike the rest of his family, he was not interned at a relocation camp during the war. So after completing his training, he left the Army briefly to work in the war plants at Detroit. When the all Japanese-American unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed, he rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd, and received his training with them at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
Childhood and Education
Hiram, being the first born son, grew up speaking Japanese with his parents and translating for them.
Hirami accompanied her parents to Japan as an young boy on a several month long trip to visit relatives from December 1915 until 26 May 1916; it was his one and only trip to Japan.
He was raised at Anacortes until 1921, when his parents started a restaurant and later a butcher shop in Seattle. Many years later his younger sister Tomiko wrote that "the restaurant was successful but the hours were long and seven days a week were too much for him. He bought a butcher shop thinking he could enjoy a day off but being new at the business, it failed."
They returned to Anacortes in 1924 where his dad worked in a fishery. They moved to Bellingham after his Aunt Yukino Kunimatsu suddenly died in 1927. They assumed management of the Holly Tea Shop and assumed care for his four youngest Kunimatsu cousins, Saburo, Shiro, Isamu, and Takeko.
Hiram attended grade school at Anacortes. Hiram was enumerated with his family at Anacortes in Anacortes School Censuses at 1915-1918, 1921, and 1925-1927. There they lived at the Robinson Fishery company housing, and on 2311 12th Street.
He attended Franklin High School at Seattle in his freshman year in 1924-1925, Anacortes High School (sophomore and junior years in 1926 and 1927), and graduated from Whatcom High School in Bellingham in 1928 [Anacortes Museum & Maritime Heritage Center, 2021; Hime Okubo, 1992].
In 1931 or 1932 he graduated with a bachelors degree in fisheries from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was president of the Japanese Student Men's Club and managed the club house. He successfully freed the club from their debts.
After college, Hiram returned to live with his family and was enumerated with them at 1406 H Street, Bellingham, Washington in the 1940 U.S. Census , where his family had resided since 1927.
The Bellingham Herald article on 15 May 1942 on the closing of the Sunrise Cafe states that Hiram, not his parents, was its proprietor. His ownership was a work-around of existing discriminatory, anti-Japanese laws that prohibited Japanese aliens from owning property. Hiram, being American-born, could own property so he was made the proprietor.
Military Service
Hiram entered the U.S. Army as a Private on 11 April 1941 at Tacoma, Washington. At the time he was 5'5" tall and weighed 125 pounds.
In May and June 1942 he served as a Corporal, Technician 5th Grade, in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Fort Snelling, Minnesota [The Bellingham Herald, 15 May 1942; WRA Records for his father].
Hiram, in the U.S. Army. attended his father's funeral at Tule Lake Relocation Camp in March 1943.
After a short stint at Detroit, Hiram rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was attached to I Company, 3rd Battalion. Hiram served in Italy and France, and met up with his brothers there more than once.
At the urging of his brother, Sumi, Hiram publsihed a letter to The Bellingham Herald on 8 August 1944 to update his former friends about the military service of his family:
"Since your paper devoted a great deal of space to the Japanese of Bellingham at the time of their evacuation from the city, I thought that you may be interested to know what some of the former Japanese American boys of Bellingham are doing.
"For the most part, these boys are out proving that those Americans who questioned the loyalty of Japanese Americans were wrong.
"The first Japanese American from Bellingham to give his life for the United States is Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu. Isamu was killed in action on July 12 in Italy. Isamu may be remembered by his Bellingham friends as a football player for Bellingham high school.
"Isamu's older brother, Cpl. Saburo Kunimatsu, is serving with a military intelligence unit. My brother, Cpl. James Okubo, is a medical aid man. My other brother, Sumi, is now in training as an infantryman in Florida.
"In view of the fact that Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu gave his life to prove himself a loyal American, would you please devote just a little space for him in his old home town paper?" Sincerely yours, T/5 Hiram Okubo, Camp Shelby, Miss.
After hostilities had ended, but while still in service in Europe, Hiram was seriously wounded and partially handicapped (in May, 1945).
A Staff Sargent, Hiram earned a Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Badge, and a Combat Infantry Badge [Orville C. Shirey, Americans, The story of the 442nd Combat Team, The Battery Press, pages 138, reprinted 1998].
His brother, James K., a medic in the 442nd, was awarded the Silver Star for his courage in retrieving and treating wounded soldiers. His other brother, Sumi, was seriously wounded during a daring nighttime attack on the German line in the Apennine Mountains in Italy in April 1945. His cousin, Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu, was killed in action in Italy in July 1944.
Life in Detroit
After the war, Hiram joined his mother and siblings at Detroit to recuperate from his injuries.
He remained the rest of his life in the Detroit area, where he worked many years at the recreational boat shop of a family friend, Richard _____.
Hiram retired and resided with his mother, and sister, Tomi, in Detroit, Wayne Co., Mich. for many years.
Although his war wounds precluded long trips, he remained an avid, lifelong fisherman, and an excellent boatsman. Hiram seemed shy and retiring. He was humble about his academic and martial accomplishments and didn't talk about them much, but always enjoyed talking about fishing and boating. He always regretted that he had not able to do more with his college education.
Biography by Tom Brocher, updated 21 February 2021
During World War II, Staff Sargent Hiram Okubo served in Italy and France in I Company in the highly decorated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. His two brothers and a cousin also served in the 442nd.
Being college educated, Hiram was offered a teaching job in Japan but having dual Japanese-American citizenship decided not to go because he did not wish to be subject to a draft by the Japanese army.
American born, when the Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he was midway through his year-long U.S. Army training at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. Being in the midwest, unlike the rest of his family, he was not interned at a relocation camp during the war. So after completing his training, he left the Army briefly to work in the war plants at Detroit. When the all Japanese-American unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was formed, he rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd, and received his training with them at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.
Childhood and Education
Hiram, being the first born son, grew up speaking Japanese with his parents and translating for them.
Hirami accompanied her parents to Japan as an young boy on a several month long trip to visit relatives from December 1915 until 26 May 1916; it was his one and only trip to Japan.
He was raised at Anacortes until 1921, when his parents started a restaurant and later a butcher shop in Seattle. Many years later his younger sister Tomiko wrote that "the restaurant was successful but the hours were long and seven days a week were too much for him. He bought a butcher shop thinking he could enjoy a day off but being new at the business, it failed."
They returned to Anacortes in 1924 where his dad worked in a fishery. They moved to Bellingham after his Aunt Yukino Kunimatsu suddenly died in 1927. They assumed management of the Holly Tea Shop and assumed care for his four youngest Kunimatsu cousins, Saburo, Shiro, Isamu, and Takeko.
Hiram attended grade school at Anacortes. Hiram was enumerated with his family at Anacortes in Anacortes School Censuses at 1915-1918, 1921, and 1925-1927. There they lived at the Robinson Fishery company housing, and on 2311 12th Street.
He attended Franklin High School at Seattle in his freshman year in 1924-1925, Anacortes High School (sophomore and junior years in 1926 and 1927), and graduated from Whatcom High School in Bellingham in 1928 [Anacortes Museum & Maritime Heritage Center, 2021; Hime Okubo, 1992].
In 1931 or 1932 he graduated with a bachelors degree in fisheries from the University of Washington, Seattle, where he was president of the Japanese Student Men's Club and managed the club house. He successfully freed the club from their debts.
After college, Hiram returned to live with his family and was enumerated with them at 1406 H Street, Bellingham, Washington in the 1940 U.S. Census , where his family had resided since 1927.
The Bellingham Herald article on 15 May 1942 on the closing of the Sunrise Cafe states that Hiram, not his parents, was its proprietor. His ownership was a work-around of existing discriminatory, anti-Japanese laws that prohibited Japanese aliens from owning property. Hiram, being American-born, could own property so he was made the proprietor.
Military Service
Hiram entered the U.S. Army as a Private on 11 April 1941 at Tacoma, Washington. At the time he was 5'5" tall and weighed 125 pounds.
In May and June 1942 he served as a Corporal, Technician 5th Grade, in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, Fort Snelling, Minnesota [The Bellingham Herald, 15 May 1942; WRA Records for his father].
Hiram, in the U.S. Army. attended his father's funeral at Tule Lake Relocation Camp in March 1943.
After a short stint at Detroit, Hiram rejoined the Army to serve in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was attached to I Company, 3rd Battalion. Hiram served in Italy and France, and met up with his brothers there more than once.
At the urging of his brother, Sumi, Hiram publsihed a letter to The Bellingham Herald on 8 August 1944 to update his former friends about the military service of his family:
"Since your paper devoted a great deal of space to the Japanese of Bellingham at the time of their evacuation from the city, I thought that you may be interested to know what some of the former Japanese American boys of Bellingham are doing.
"For the most part, these boys are out proving that those Americans who questioned the loyalty of Japanese Americans were wrong.
"The first Japanese American from Bellingham to give his life for the United States is Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu. Isamu was killed in action on July 12 in Italy. Isamu may be remembered by his Bellingham friends as a football player for Bellingham high school.
"Isamu's older brother, Cpl. Saburo Kunimatsu, is serving with a military intelligence unit. My brother, Cpl. James Okubo, is a medical aid man. My other brother, Sumi, is now in training as an infantryman in Florida.
"In view of the fact that Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu gave his life to prove himself a loyal American, would you please devote just a little space for him in his old home town paper?" Sincerely yours, T/5 Hiram Okubo, Camp Shelby, Miss.
After hostilities had ended, but while still in service in Europe, Hiram was seriously wounded and partially handicapped (in May, 1945).
A Staff Sargent, Hiram earned a Purple Heart, Distinguished Unit Badge, and a Combat Infantry Badge [Orville C. Shirey, Americans, The story of the 442nd Combat Team, The Battery Press, pages 138, reprinted 1998].
His brother, James K., a medic in the 442nd, was awarded the Silver Star for his courage in retrieving and treating wounded soldiers. His other brother, Sumi, was seriously wounded during a daring nighttime attack on the German line in the Apennine Mountains in Italy in April 1945. His cousin, Pvt. Isamu Kunimatsu, was killed in action in Italy in July 1944.
Life in Detroit
After the war, Hiram joined his mother and siblings at Detroit to recuperate from his injuries.
He remained the rest of his life in the Detroit area, where he worked many years at the recreational boat shop of a family friend, Richard _____.
Hiram retired and resided with his mother, and sister, Tomi, in Detroit, Wayne Co., Mich. for many years.
Although his war wounds precluded long trips, he remained an avid, lifelong fisherman, and an excellent boatsman. Hiram seemed shy and retiring. He was humble about his academic and martial accomplishments and didn't talk about them much, but always enjoyed talking about fishing and boating. He always regretted that he had not able to do more with his college education.
Biography by Tom Brocher, updated 21 February 2021
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