WASHINGTON – Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll has posthumously promoted seven Nisei soldiers from the Territory of Hawaii and former University of Hawaii Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets to the rank of second lieutenant.
The promotions follow a June 26, 2024, request from the Hawaii congressional delegation urging then-Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth to review the military records of the seven cadets and consider their eligibility for posthumous officer commissions.
The seven servicemembers served in University of Hawaii’s Army ROTC program, which was suspended during World War II. Shortly after signing up with the Hawaii Territorial Guard, all Nisei were expelled under policies related to Executive Order 9066 and widespread anti-Japanese American discrimination.
After being removed, the seven servicemembers volunteered to serve in the Army as enlisted soldiers in the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team. All seven were killed in combat in Europe in 1944.
“These young men wanted to serve as leaders in the U.S. Army,” said Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii). “They trained for it, they earned it, and they were denied that chance because of wartime prejudice. But they still put on the uniform and gave their lives in defense of our country. Today, we finally recognize them as the officers they were meant to be.
“This is about acknowledging the history of our Nisei veterans and honoring their sacrifice the way it should have been honored 80 years ago. I’m grateful to the University of Hawaii ROTC program, the Army, and the many who supported this long-overdue recognition.”
The former cadets are:
Staff Sgt. Grover Nagaji (1920-1944, born in Honolulu)
Sgt. Howard Urabe (1923-1944, born in Kapaa)
Sgt. Robert Murata (1922-1944, born in Honolulu)
Sgt. Jenhatsu Chinen (1922-1944, born in Wahiawa)
Sgt. Daniel Betsui (1922-1944, born in Hanapepe)
PFC Hiroichi Tomita (1923-1944, born in Wailuku)
Pvt. Akio Nishikawa (1922-1944, born in Paia)
The University of Hawaii awarded all seven men posthumous bachelor’s degrees in 2012. They were not commissioned as officers at the time of their deaths due to their earlier expulsion from the ROTC program. The Army’s decision to grant these promotions was based on documentation and research provided by the University of Hawaii Army ROTC program and the review process requested by the Hawaii congressional delegation.
The request was supported by the University of Hawaii Army ROTC program, current cadets and alumni, the U.S. Army Pacific, and Hawaii Gov. Josh Green.
“The promotion of these seven former UH Army ROTC cadets is a meaningful, long-overdue step to recognize these brave men who served our country and fought alongside their fellow Americans on the battlefield in WWII,” said Sen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii). “Even in the face of the prejudice that followed Executive Order 9066 — which included being expelled from the UH ROTC program — these men volunteered to serve with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most decorated unit in U.S. military history.
“It has been 80 years since these brave, dedicated servicemembers were killed in action while protecting our country, and I am proud to work on righting this historic injustice and correcting their ranks to honor their sacrifice.”
“These seven sons of Hawaii were just barely out of their teens in our UH ROTC program when their commitment to serve their country loyally as United States Army officers was questioned by that country solely because of their race,” said Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii). “Their perseverance in proving that loyalty as volunteer enlisted soldiers led to their ultimate sacrifice far from their home on the battlefields of Italy and France.
“The awarding of these gold bars three generations later means far more than final and just achievement of the rank of second lieutenant. It stands as still another in a long line of testaments to the commitment of Japanese Americans willing to fight and die to preserve and protect the values of democracy and freedom for a country that had not returned their loyalty.”
“I’m glad to see the Army is doing the right thing. These servicemembers made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and deserve every honor they’ve rightfully earned,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). “It is only right to honor these seven Americans who, through setback, strife, and sacrifice, continued to remain committed to the ideals and principles espoused in the Constitution of the United States.”
“This is a testament to the strength and courage of them, and all Nisei, who fought and died for freedom on a global scale while in the midst of tenuous conditions for Americans of Japanese descent in the U.S. at the time,” said Lt. Col. Jerrod Melander, UH professor of military science. “The UH Army ROTC Program continues to honor those former cadets, cadre, and alumni who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this country. This is one way to maintain the connection with our past and keep the legacy alive. We shall never forget!”
Profiles of Soldiers
Grover Nagaji. Born in Honolulu in 1920, he attended the University of Hawaii from the fall of 1939 until Dec. 7, 1941 and transitioned into the Hawaii Territorial Guard on Dec. 11, 1941. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into B Company, 100th BN of the 442nd RCT on March 24, 1943. He was killed in action on June 26, 1944 at the Battle of Belvedere, Italy during the Rome-Arno Campaign.
Howard Urabe. Born in Kapaa on Kauai in 1923, he attended the University of Hawaii from the fall of 1940 until Dec. 7, 1941 and transitioned into the Hawaii Territorial Guard. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into G Company, 2nd BN of the 442nd RCT on March 24, 1943. He was killed by fragments from an artillery shell on July 4, 1944 in the vicinity of Port Piombino, Italy near Hill 140 during the Rome-Arno Campaign.
Robert Murata. Born in Honolulu in 1922, he attended the University of Hawaii from August 1941 until Dec. 7, 1941. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into L Company, 3nd BNof the 442nd RCT on March 25, 1943. He died on Oct. 9, 1944 from wounds sustained from an artillery shell in the Vosges Mountains during the Rhineland-Vosges Campaign.
Jenhatsu Chinen. Born in Wahiawa on Oahu, in 1922, he attended the University of Hawaii from the fall of 1940 until Dec. 7, 1941 and transitioned into the Hawaii Territorial Guard. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into E Company, 2nd BN of the 442nd RCT on March 23, 1943. He died on July 5, 1944 during the fight for Hill 140 near Livorno, Italy in the Rome-Arno Campaign as the 2nd BN, after two days of intense action attempting to attack through the German interlocking fires with little to no cover or concealment, stormed and seized a portion of the hill.
Daniel Betsui. Born in Hanapēpē on Kauai in 1922, he attended the University of Hawaii from the fall of 1940 until Dec. 7, 1941 and transitioned into the Hawaii Territorial Guard on Dec. 8, 1941. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into the 232nd Combat Engineer Company (CEC) of the 442nd RCT on March 12, 1943. He died on Aug. 2, 1944 near Livorno, Italy during the Rome-Arno Campaign when a crate of TNT exploded, killing 11 soldiers, two from 232nd CEC, two from M Co, 442nd RCT, and seven from 109th EN BN from the South Dakota Army National Guard, part of the 34th Infantry Division.
Hiroichi Tomita. Born in Wailuku on Maui in 1923, he attended the University of Hawaii from August 1941 until Dec. 7, 1941. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into F Company, 2nd BN of the 442nd RCT on March 24, 1943. He was killed in action on July 12, 1944 in the vicinity of Casale, Italy near Hill 147 during the Rome-Arno Campaign.
Akio Nishikawa. Born in Paia on Maui in 1922, he attended the University of Hawaii from August 1941 until Dec. 7, 1941 and transitioned into the Hawaii Territorial Guard on Dec. 11, 1941. He became a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers in February 1942 and was inducted into the Medical Detachment of the 442nd RCT on March 24, 1943. He was killed in action on July 11, 1944 in the vicinity of Casale, Italy near Hill 140 during the Rome-Arno Campaign while attached to E Company, 2nd BN, 442nd RCT.
Source: The Rafu Shimpo