Echoes of Silence Profiles

Echoes of Silence was a project initiated by the Southern California-based Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance which was formed in 1997. Its mission was to create profiles of all the Japanese American soldiers and their Caucasian officers who were killed in World War II so their sacrifices would not be forgotten.

As a charter member and its educational project manager, 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran Junwo Jim Yamashita led a team of volunteers who collected data and photographs for the profiles. Volunteer Roger Eaton was instrumental in locating the obituaries of these soldiers. Their work of more than twenty years resulted in 847 profiles. Mr. Yamashita passed away in December 2017 at the age of 93.

The Alliance partnered with the Japanese American Living Legacy (JALL) in 2007 to ensure the perpetuation of this valuable project. While most of the work had been completed, JALL volunteers helped with editing the information. A complimentary Echoes of Silence CD ROM is available to any individual who wishes to learn about these soldiers. It can be requested by contacting the JALL.

In 2020 Susan Uyemura, president of the JALL, kindly allowed the 100th Education Center to upload the 341 profiles of the soldiers who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion.

Notes:

The 100th veterans’ organization in Honolulu used the listing of the soldiers who were killed in action that was included in the book “Ambassadors in Arms: The Story of Hawaii’s 100th Battalion” by Thomas D. Murphy. It was published in 1954 by the University of Hawaii Press. This list also appeared in “Remembrances: 100th Infantry Battalion 50th Anniversary Celebration, 1942 – 1992” published by the 100th organization.

The following are the discrepancies between the original list in the Murphy book and the Echoes of Silence profiles:

• Yukitaka Mizutari was born in Hawaii and listed as killed in action on the 100th’s listing. The EOS profile states he was killed in New Guinea. Mizutari was originally with the 100th but was recruited by the Military Intelligence Service while at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and transferred to the language school at Camp Savage, Minnesota. In New Guinea he was assigned to the Headquarters Department, 169th Language Detachment, 6th Infantry Division.
• Kay I. Horiba and Kozo Watanabe were listed as killed in action on the 100th’s listings. The Alliance’s research shows both men were born in California and survived the war. Horiba died in Cleveland in 2000 and Watanabe in 2005 in Menlo Park, California.
• Five men who were born on the mainland United States were not included on the 100th’s listing: Daniel J. Anderson of New York killed at the battle of Cassino; Charles S. Fujiki and Daniel Y. Tsukamoto who had been in the Posten Internment Camp before the Army; Tatsuo Yoshizaki from the Rowher Internment Camp; and George Katsuya Sawada of Washington.

Profiles: