1/355 S P7 c6
4 o \{ .:: f!<.!cords Depository
I UN1Vf-H5ITY OF HAWAII /'
:!o ~PUKA PUKA PARADE Published by the Club 100
P. O . 5 0). I H, Ho. 'OLULU 10
TERRITORY Of H.H""AII </
An Incorporated Association of Member s of t he 100th Infantry Battalion
VOL. 1
ROBERT TAIRA ELECTED OAHU CHAPTER PRESIDENT
To the members of Club lOa, Oahu Chapter :
As your new president, I belleve that much can be accomplished in the commg year. It is now a choice of getting things done or watching this club die of inactlVlty. I have, therefore , appomted SlX Standing Commlttee chair men who are willing to sacrIfice much of their time and effort to work With your officers and dlrectors m making thiS Oahu ChapÂter the kmd of orgaruzatlOn we all dream of haVlng.
T o do thlS, your E xe c uti ve Board needs your kokua. We urge you to attend to the following matter s at once:
1. If you have not r ecelved noÂtices of general meetings or lssues of the Puka Puka Parade, the r eason is that we have no record of your present address. So, send in your permanent address and telephone number to--
Chairman, Membership & Dues Committee
P. O. Box 1636 Honolulu, T. H.
2. Bring your dues up-to-date. Statements have been mailed to all members . Make your payments by mail to the Chapter Treasurer, or at the Clubhouse to any of the of Âficer s on Saturday or Sunday.
3. Attend your general meetÂings and make known your desires regar ding club functions. ParticiÂpate in all Club 100 functions. We promise to notify you well in adÂvance of such functions .
My officers join me in thanking you for your support in putting us into office. We shall look forward to that same backing in the months ahead.
Sincerely yours, Rober t Taira (Signed) President, Oahu Chapte r
MAUl CLUB 100 ATHLETES TO INVADE OAHU
Gor o Kuwada, secr etary of the Valley Isle Chapter, has notified the Oahu Chapter that an aggregation of 10 athletes will invade Oahu during the T erritorial Club Convention July 20th and 21st to challenge the cit y boys in boWling. golf and softball .
(Continued on,Page 4)
JULY 1, 1946 NO.4
The Executive Committee presenting check to Governor Stainback In lolanl Palace. From left to right; Masayoshi Kawamoto, Mltsuyoshl Fukuda, ToshIo Kunimura~ Tadashi Ohta, Edward Yoshimasu and Governor Stalnback.
CONVENTION TO BE HELD JUL Y 20- 21
A Territorial convention of the Club 100 is scheduled to be held at 1444 Nuuanu Ave., Honolulu on SatÂurday and Sunday, July 20-21 at which time delegates from Hawaii, Oahu and Kauai will gather and formulate p I a n s and poliCies for the coming year.
This information was recently released by Mitsuyoshi Fukuda, PreÂs ident of the Territorial corpcration of the Club 100.
Fourteen delegates from MaUl, two from Hawaii and two from Kauai will me e t with approximately 35 me m be r s from Oahu on SatlLrday afternoon starting at 1 P.M. to elect directors of the corporation for the coming year. On Sunday morning a session of the Board of Director s is scheduled for 9 A.M., and an elect ion of officers and the appcintment of an executive committee will be taken up .
Social activities planned for this two day meet ing includes a gala chop suey dinner at the Waikiki Lau Yee Chai on Saturday evening at 5 P .M. On Sunday the newly installed memÂbers of the Board of Director s will be enter tained at a luncheon after the r egular meeting. The Maui delegates have asked the Oahu Chapter whether bowling, golf and a softball gam e could be arr anged, and the city boys have accepted the challenge and will be ready to t ake on the M a u i t e s .
TIDAL WAVE RELIEF CHECK T URNED OVER TO GOVERNOR STAINBACK
A check for $ 2395, represent Âing the contribution from the men in the 100th Battalion who are s till overseas for the relief of Hawaiian res idents who were victims of the tidal wave disaster, was turned over to Governor Ingram M. Stainback by the executive committee of the Club 100 .
The check was sent to the Club 100 for distribution but due to the lack of adequate facilities to handle such a task, the Club executive committee decided to turn the money over to the Governor who c 0 u I d channel the money to the pro per agencies.
The concern shown by the boys who are still overseas is appreciaÂted by all the members of the Club 100 and by the people in the comÂmunity.
Bowling and golf will be featured beÂtween meetings either on Saturday afternoon or Sunday afternoon. KenÂneth Kaneko, an outstanding athlete of the lOOth Infantry Battalion, is in charge of the Sunday morning's softÂball game which is scheduled to be played at Ala Moana Park. The Maul aggr egation have assured the H,~no Âlulu chapter that their athletes are no harns" so Oahu is going out full for ce to turn them back.
E L FINCH: HONORARY MEMBER THIS IS THE FOURTH OF A SERIES OF AR',' ICLES ON THE HONORARY MEMBERS OF T HE CLUB 100
This issue of the Puka Puka Par!'.de is r espectfully dedicated to Mr. Earl M. Finch, Honorary MemÂber of the Club 100 from Miss!ssip-pi.
On March 5, 1946, a tall, stringy, slightly bald gentleman of thirty or thereabouts, came walking off the Pan American clipper which had just gotten in to Honolulu. HunÂdreds of AJA's were there to greet him in traditional Hawaiian sty 1 e with leis and music . Earl M. Finch, Hattiesburg businessman, who had befriended A J A's in Camp Shelby had just come to Hawaii to v is it with the boys he had come to love.
Earl Finch needs no introduc Âtion. Word of his genuine interest in the welfare of the AJA's had reached far and wide throughout the U. S. and Hawaii, and to the m this man had become a symbol of tolerÂance. His month's visit in Hawaii gave not only the AJA's, but the people of Hawaii as a whole, an opÂportunity to meet the man who had been dubbed "One Man USO" beÂcause of his sincere in t ere s t in entertaining men of Hawaii who wer e training in the States.
Upon his arrival, Yoshinao "Turtle" Omiya wi th Audrey, his seeing eye dqg, greeted Earl, whose enthusiasm of the r eunion with the man he had taken es~cial interest in, was a touching scene to even the coldes t of hearts. "Turtle" was one of the many AJA's who had be Âcome a fast fr iend ,of Earl FinchbeÂcause of his extreme interests and sincer e efforts to help men returnÂing from combat wounded.
Even in Mississippi, where the "]lm Crow Law" insists on white s upre macy, Earl Finch dared to de Âfend the cause for the AJA's. This action jeopardized his social as well as his economic position in his home town and outlying dis triCts, but this man unerringly s upported a princiÂple he believed. All this came about because of a coincidence of his cuÂriosity and sympathy for several AJA's who were in Hattiesburg early in May, 1943. His kindnes;; spread like wild fire, and before long he had all the men in camp at his fr ont door.
From his first acquaintance of one of the AJA's h1S interest grew until he was entertaining groups of hu n dreds to parties, dances and sightseeing trips. When the units, 100th and 442nd, embarked for overÂseas combat duty, he kept close conÂtact with the men by writing to them. At the same time, he made new friends among the replacements who came to Shelby after the originai unit left Shelby.
When the wounded began coming back for hospitalization to the States, Ea r 1 Finch, at his own expense, toured the different h 0 s pit a 1 s to visit and cheer the bed-ridden. He a rranged for orchestras to accomÂpany him, and entertained at difÂferent hospitals with Hawaiian proÂgrams. F or those patients who were s trong enough to go out on passes, Mr. Finch entertalOed them wit h nightclubs and theaters .
He is not an extremely wealthy man, as many people make him to be, however, money and time seem immater1al to him. He has travelled thousands of miles to see AJA's who were scatter ed all over the United States.
He impresses an observer as one who came from Hawaii. WatchÂing him conversing with men of the 100th and 442nd, he uses all the colÂloquials and pidglO that are so prevaÂlent among the Hawaiian soldiers. The men themselves take to h1m as a fnend and are not hes1tant about cracking jokes athim or teasing him. He feels nght at home with the boys, and admits that he does not enjoy the cramped soph1sticated style of the South.
Theforegoing is just asurfaclOg of the true Earl Finch, and does not do him justice. However, it is the belief of the writer that Ear 1 M. Finch is a pleasant picture in every member's mind. The Club 100 is proud to have the Gentleman from Mississippi an Honorary Member, and the members at large send h1m all the MAHALO and ALOHA.
AUTOS FOR AMPUTEES
There 1S a bill now pending in Congress to prov1de specially-e Âquipped cars for the amputees and paralyzed veterans of World War II. Various hospitals throughout the Mainiand are urging immectiate ac Âtion on this bill and it is believed that quick and favor able action can be expected once the bill hits the floor of Congress.
Members of thJ'! Club 100, who are amputees or paralyzed veterans, are urged to s upport this measure a:.tthorizing the government to fur Ânish specially -eqUlpped motor cars to disabled veterans who otherwise would find it almost impossible or extremely difficult to get around. If you are 1Oterested, write to Mit z Fukuda in care of Club 100.
"Give me a sentence, Dick, with the word 'Rotterdam' in it."
" My sister et my candy, an' hope it'll r otter dam teeth outl"
-2-
BIG ISLAND NEWS
R1chard Miyash1ro's CAFE 100th in Hilo, which was r eported damaged by TW (tidal wave) during the month of April is once more opÂerating again. Lots of luck R1chard. You Honolulu lads should come over and try our deliclOus porter house and T-bone s teaks.
This writer is wondenng where the gals of Hilo were when the TerÂritorial Council on Veterans Affairs held an orientation r ecently for VetÂerans on the s ubject of available territonal house lots for sale and FHA material priority and loans . Oh yes, several of the veterans from the Club 100th were bashful to atÂtend the orientation together with the other prospectlve husbands-to -be, therefore they came into the counÂcil's office inctividually.
Our pr exy Mitsuyosh1 Fukuda and Mr. Leslie Deacon, both from the Castle and Cooke of the Capital City, while on a business trip r e Âcently in Hilo, fruled to observe a big sign "BUS STOP ONLY", within their first hour 10 the ralOY city. Thanks for your donation to our poor county. The Hilo gals were sor e with the wnter for haVlng that s tag get-together for our Honolulu guests. Who were they concerned about??
Thomas T. Kadota and Shigeru Ush1jima both Club 100th members are on the territorial s tat e h 00 d committee from this island. Do you know your 48 s tates first, boys?
OAHU CHAPTER JOINS CLEAN· UP CAMPAIGN
Club 100, Oahu Chapter, has joined 75 interested ciVlc orgamÂzations and departments of the City and County and Territorial GovernÂments in the clean-up and beauhf1-cation campa1gn sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce of Honolulu.
Several achve committees have been set up, and members of this organization are urged to partic1 -pate fully in the community efforts to clean and beautify Honolulu Hale .
Specific projects to be underÂtaken by the Club 100, Oahu Chapter, will be announced later . Meanwhile, let's do all we can, as proud citizens of a growing city, to aid the drive to "bathe and dress-up" Honolulu . .
BATTALION COLORS COMING HOME TO STAY
Hawaii's own, the 442nd RegiÂmental Combat Team and the one and only lOOth In f an try Battalion, is scheduled to arrive in Honolulu on or about the 10th of August to be deactiÂvated. They bring with them the
(Cont. on page 4)
GI BENEFITS: HOLD ON TO YOUR INSURANCE
Many members of the Club 100 who have let their National Service Life Insurance lapse are ' unaware ' of the fact that the policy can be reinÂstated by the Simple method of payÂing two months' premiums. Lapsed ' government policies may now be reÂinstated by payment of the premiums - -one for the lapse and one for the m 0 nth for which 'reinstatement is desired.
N a PHYSICAL EXAMINATION IS REQUIRED REGARDLESS OFTHE LENGTH OF TIME THE POLICY HAS LAPSED. T he s e regulations are effective until January 1, 1947, or for six months after the official end of the war , whichever is later.
In Congress there are several bills proposing changes in the in Âsurance act. There is one bill in particular which we ought to know about. In the S e na te it's Bill No. 1677 and in the House No. 4965. The four changes proposed by this bill seem so logical that they're likely to become law eventually. The main reason for the proposed changes is not alone s,cattered protests about the 1 a c k of flexibility in the NSLI plan. It's also because National SerÂvice Life Insurance is now a big buÂs iness --the greatest life insurance business ever known. It should be put on a peacetime basis.
The bill I've mentioned w 0 u 1 d make endowment poliCies available-Âthi-ee kinds. There will be a 20-year endowment, an endowment at age 60 and an endowment at age 65, With the three types of permanent lllSur Âance policies already available for our selection - ordinary life, 20-pay life and 30 pay life - - and the three new endowment policies, a vet would have six choices.
One of the amendments proposed w 0 u 1 d remove restrictions on the c 1 ass of beneficlaries permitted. There would be no limitations as to who or what flrm or w hat friend could be named as beneficiary. There seems to be need for a change of this kin d to get NSLI on a peacetime, commercial basis.
Next, the amending bill, if it becomes law, sets up new modes for settlement to the beneficiary. NaÂtional Service Life has allowed the beneficiary a choice of only two opÂtions or methods of settlement in case the insured veteran dies at any time or from any cause . Ye t the two choices have been good ones--both have been 1 i b era 1 adjustments to provide payments to the beneficiary. The fourth amendment would set up a system of disability benefits payÂable to the insured veteran in case he becomes totally disabled fro m any case. There wiil be an additionÂal premium to pay if any of us want to buy that kind of insurance ... ' ..
MAUl Kaoru Moto recently r ecelved
an Italian decoration, the Military Valor Cross, for herolc action 10
the Italian campaign. Moto IS one of the most decorated men in the Valley Island today for he holds the Distinguish Service C r 0 s s aslde from other "frult salad" r ibbons. Moto is due for m 0 r e battles (do Âmestic ones) f or he got mar ned lately.
It was just like old times when Col. Turner, Maj . Lovell and Capt. Kometani arrived here for the MeÂmorial Day ceremonies. Memorial Plaque was unveiled here on that day with Col. Turner as malO speakÂer. Of the 114 names listed on the plaque, the following were from the 100th: Mat sue i Ajitomi, Harold Arakawa, T a k eo Fujiyama, Yeiko Goya, Tam 0 t s u Hanida, Hideyuki Hayashida, Harold Higashi, Kihashiro Hotta, Henry Ikehara, Katsui JinnoÂhara, .Paul Kimura, Sho~atsu Kina, Masao Mats u i, Tsuyoshi Miyoga, Isa mi Miyasato, Saburo Maehara, Joe Nakamoto, Edward Nakamura, Martin Naganuma, Kazuo Nlshihara, Hideo Nagata, Sue 0 Noda, Douglas Otani, Wallace Oshiro, Masanao Otaka, Masatsugu Riyu, Louis SakaÂmoto, Herbert Sadayasu,David Suda, Takeo Shimizu, Hit 0 s h i Taguchi, Taro Tonai, Yoshinobu Takei, HaruÂyoshi Tateyama, Min 0 r u Tosaka, Ken k 1 chi Teruya, Isami Tomita, Robert Takeo, Teruto Tanimoto, Lel Yamashiro and Yogi YasUl,
After the ceremomes, MaUl'S 100th veterans gathered at the OnÂental Chop Suey house for lunch Wlth the Honolulu visltc;>rs as guests. :Sull session followed, and all Maui men agree that we had a grand time reÂcounting old times.
~---
Valley Island lOOth Infantrymen observed the 4th anniversary of the battalion with dinner and dance at Mr. S. Mizuba's beachhouse Saturday night, June 8th. Guests included reÂcent Club 100 hostesses and each veteran was allowed one guest. Hula dance by "JOCkey" Akira Ishikawa highlighted the entertainment.
Toru Orikasa, Kaoru Moto, KaÂzuma Taguchi, Nobo r u Hashiro, Ts ukio Yamagata, Charlie Yayoshi, Topsy Omura, Hideo Kon, and Donald Uchimura were some of the Maui 100th members who were recently married.
Jack Gushiken, secretary at Maui Police Department, is expectÂing a ,visit from the pr overbial s tork soon; Kats Hanada runs a service station; Robt. Hashimoto is opera-
- 3-
NEWS ting a bakery shop; Rlchard Inguchi is nursing a bad ankle and plans to go to school soon; Toshio Iwami IS electrician with the Maui ElectriC Company; Geor ge Kurisu and Donald Uchimura ar e s ign painters at the Kahului Navy Air Base; Shoichi Matsumoto is attending Maui VocaÂtional School; Wataru Micruoka is cdpartner in home appliance busiÂness; Matsuyoshi Nagao, Wataru Nouchi, Tsukio Yamagata, Noboru Hashiro, Masayuki Kitagawa, MasaÂmi Kagehiro, Shinichi Yamada, TsuÂtomu Nagata, Robt. Shimada, Kazuma Taguchi, Shigeyukl Suma, Rudy YoÂshida, Masao Sato, and Wataru KaÂneshina are all employe d at the N a v y Base; Yoshito Nishlmura is with the La.4aina Ice Company.
Nob 0 r u Sugahara, personnel department at Puunene; Shmgo TaÂkahashi and Eichi Endo, HC&S Co., Kenichi Tokunaga, Puunene air base, Tatsuo Terao, Kahulul Store; Goro Kuwada, Walluku post office; Yoshio Kobayashi, Maui Pineapple Company; Toshio Kusunoki, fisherman; Edward Nashiwa, baker, Tadao Sato Paia Cleaners; Shlro Yamato, school teacher; Shinichi Yam'lda, Pioneer Mill Company; ZenklChi Shiroma and Shuichi Tengan, bus drivers; MaÂmoru T~bayashi, tailor, Kiic h i Kohats u, !j;aleak'ala Motors; Goichi Shimanuki, harbor clerk, Nobuyoshl Furukawa" s tore keeper; Raymond Iwamoto, Willie Goo and Charles Mizoguchi, Walehu golf course keepÂer s; Yukits ug u Iwamoto, Ma Ul County; Hatsuo Satoshige, Wailuku Sugar Company; Isoji Iwalshi, store keeper; Kazuto Masuda, Libby McÂNeill and Libby; Tsutomu Nagashima, Territorial Motors, Yoshitaka Ushi- , jima, farmer; Toru Orikasa, Maui ShmbWr, Stanley Masumoto, Terr. Council on Veterans AffairS and Mamoru Koki, U. S. Engineers.
Osamu Nakagawa runs a tailor shop; Hisao Tsutsumi and Arthur Shinyama are with the Maui Pine Âapple Company; S h i n ob u Tofukuji runs the City Drug; Fred Yokoyama runs the Hinode Soda Works; Ted Hamasaki run s appliance stores; Jack Arakawa is parts man at Maui Motors; Kiyoshi Ikeda is with the con s tr uc t io n department of the HC&S Co.; Akira Ishlkawa trains race horses; Hideo Kon is with the Ma1!i Pineapple Comapny; John MiÂyagawa, works in the recreational department at HC&S Co.; Kaor u Moto is with HC&S Co.; Mitsugi Moto is mechanic at Maui Motors, Minoru Murakami is mechaniC at Puunene; Mits uru Omori is school secretary; Yoshiharu Saito is truck driver.
MESSAGE FROM OAHU CHAPTER PRESIDENT
At a r egular meetIng of the Club 100, Oa hu Chapter, held on Sunday, June 2, 1946, officer s and directors for the corrung year were elected.
Robert Taira succeeds Dr. KoÂmetaru as president; James Akamine IS the new vIce -president , Jlr o MatsuI becomes secretary, Tsuneo Morikawa takes over as treasurer; Gary UchIda IS assistant treasurer; Hideo Kajikawa was reelected audi Âtor; and Sam Sakamoto succeeds Mr. Turner as director.
Oa h u delegates to the TerriÂtorial Convention to be held m HonoÂlulu July 20-21 were also elected. The delegates are: Mike Miyake, Katsuji Shintaru, Harold Tabata, Yoshiharu NIShida, Fred Kanemura, Rioe TomIta, Wilham Oya, All e n Ohata, Jiro MatsuI, Kenneth YoshiÂura, Sam Sakamoto, Noboru Kaneko, Eddie Yoshlmasu, Masa Kawamoto, Isamu Tomita, Naojl Yam a gat a, Conrad Tsukayama, Andy Okamura, Hideo Kajikawa, Ryo OkazakI, Robert TaIra, Takashi Kitaoka, Eugene KaÂwakamI, James Akamine, Hldeo Sato, Ralph Yoshioka, Gary Uchida, MarÂtin Tohara, Tokujl Ono, Tadashi Ota, Tom Nosse, and ToshlO Kunimura.
President Taira has announced the members of the six standIng committees: House and Trophies-ÂJames Akarrune, chaIrman, W,lham Oya, George Izuta, Larry Hlrokawa, Shigeru Nakata, Kenneth Kaneko; Mutual' Assistance -- Takashl KitaÂoka, chairman, Allen Ohata, Tokuji Ono, James Tani; History -- Kaneml Kanazawa, chairman, Masayukl KaÂwasaki, Kenichi Suehir o, Warren Iwai; Social--Eddie Yoshimasu, chairman, Yoshiharu NIshida, Ernest Tanaka, Fred Kanemura, C her r y Kunieda, Conrad Tsukayama, Eugene Kawakami; Public Relations--Henry Kawano, chairman, Kungo Iwai, Rioe Tomita, Tom Nosse, Herbert Yama-
CLUB 100 P . O. Box 1636 Honolulu, T . H.
GENERAL RYDER ACCEPTS HONORARY MEMBERSffiP
Dear Sir: Upon my return to my IX Corps
Headquarters m Japan, from an ex Âtended leave m the United States, I found your letter conferrmg upon me an honorary membership in Club 100. To say that I am delighted to accept this honor is putting it ver y mildly. It is one of the highest that I have received in a rather checker ed miliÂtary career.
I remember, vividly, my first contact with the 100th Battalion outÂside of Oran, when I visited Its headÂquarters to speak to the officers and non - commissioned officers of the conditions they would soon find on the battlefields of Europe . No one could look into the keen, serious,intelligent, interested faces that surrounded me that morning without coming to the immediate reahzation that here was a " combat unit par excellence" m the makmg that needed only a battle seasorung to put it among the best. As you know history and your actions justuled completely that first ImÂpression. Benevento, The Crossmgs of the Volturno, Cassino, The Anzio Beachhead, The Advance on Rome, The Advance Northward to Pisa, and all the hghting that these actions enÂtaIled, gave to the 100th Battalion a reputatlOn for loyalty and ability that was not bettered by any other battaÂlion m the American Army.
It IS, indeed, a pleasure and a pn vllege to accept an H 0 nor a r y MembershIp in Club 100. I appreÂciate deeply, the honor you have beÂstowed upon me.
Sincerely, (Signed) CHAS. W. RYER
Major General, U. S. Army
moto; Membership and Dues--Naoji Yamagata, chairman, Shinya Namiki, James Matsuda, Chikami Hirayama, Harold Kanemllra.
MAUl CLUB 100 ATHLETES (Cont. from page 1)
Plans are being made to welÂcome these Mauites and a schedule is being drawn up for a tournament in all three sports.
In his letter to the secretary of the Territorial Chapter, Goro comÂments that these i n v a d e r s are no "Hams" and advance warning was given to prepare for an onslaught.
Oahuans will have to rally toÂgether to avoid thIS murder, and inÂterested members are asked to conÂtact the Club offIce by telephOning 66594 and leaving theIr names with the secretary.
BATTALION COLORS COMING (Cont. from page 2)
Battalion and Regimental Color s , flags that are symbolic of the hghting hearts of the AJA's from Hawaii.
A reception commIttee headed by our for me r Colonel, Farrant Turner, assisted by other members of the Club 100 plus representatives of the 442nd Club, is plannmg a deÂserving welcome for these boys.
Tentatively the following lS the program on the day the ship pulls into one of the ports of Honolulu. CiVlhan cars, approximately 60, apÂpropriately decorated, will be at the wharf to take these men on a planned motorcade through the city k> the Governor's office. The boys will be greeted with Hawaiian music and hulas at the pier. Parents of boys are encouraged to be at the Palace, but are asked not to take too much time with them because the boys will have to get to the Governor on a set time. At the Palace, the boys will be officially welcomed home by the Governor. Aft e r the official ceremony, the boys will be free for one hour to meet families and friends . The boys will then pile up on Army trucks and will be taken down to Schofield for final processing.
1I:t":::tii thr r:; .... C)~IC" "-'n"'~ l't " • • -. - '" ..... " 1 v.., 0 r y
Uul vC'r:31 t.:r of ll::t";'li i P. O. Box 18 Honolulu 10. T. H.