Friday, December 13, 2013

Getting The Word Out! Via Dr. Morris Lai


Aloha,
Here is a link to the web video on the College of Ed CRDG produced book Reflections of Honor: The Untold Story of a Nisei Spy:
http://www.hawaii.edu/news/2013/12/13/the-untold-story-of-a-nisei-spy/

Please post wherever possible and share with as many people as possible via email and social media as soon as possible. The book has just been released.
The story is also posted on the UH System homepage hawaii.edu.
Thank you to Helen Au of CRDG for bringing the book to our attention after I spoke at last week Thursdayʻs UH Mānoa communicators meeting. The production of this video would not have been possible without her drive, guidance and timely responses.

Also, please take the time to view the video. It was a very unique project. The Media Production office has produced 147 videos since video operations started 18 months ago and this is probably our proudest achievement.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,

--
Daniel Meisenzahl
Director of Media Production
External Affairs and University Relations
University of Hawaii System
2444 Dole Street, Bachman Annex 2
Honolulu, HI  96822
Phone:  (808) 956-5941
Cell: (808) 348-4936
Fax:  (808) 956-3441
Email: dmeisenz@hawaii.edu
“It’s the story about how one man, could do so much, despite the very trying circumstances,” said Morris Lai, principal investigator for the book, published by the Curriculum Research and Development Group of the UH Mānoa College of Education. Reflections of Honor is based on Komori’s hand written journal, an oral history interview and declassified army documents.


Arthur Komori, a Nisei from Hawai‘i, was one of two Japanese Americans recruited to the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) to pose as Japanese sympathizers and spy on Japan’s activities in Manila in the months leading up to World War II. When the war started, this Nisei served his country as a translator and undercover agent both on the front lines and behind the scenes in General MacArthur’s headquarters, even while at home over 120,000 Japanese Americans were interned in relocation camps.

More than just a spy, Komori’s varied responsibilities also included interrogating prisoners of war and helping to train new linguist recruits and prepare them for work in the Pacific. Komori was also with MacArthur when he retook the Philippines and was in Tokyo Bay to witness the surrender of the Japanese to the Allied Powers. Fortunately, Komori recorded his story in journals, reports, and even poetry. This long overdue account of a decorated Military Intelligence Hall of Fame inductee reveals an important chapter in the history of Japanese Americans during World War II.


Thursday, October 17, 2013

Way to go Francis Wong!


It was reported in the '61 Classnotes Section of the Fall 2013 Iolani School Bulletin, that Francis Wong ('61) and other members of his team Cataract & Vision Center of Hawaii won the Oahu District Tennis Championships for Men's 7.0 Over 55 and advanced to the to the USTA (United States Tennis Association) Sectional Playoffs   which were to be held in September where teams from the neighbor islands would compete. 

The team which included Francis and  two other Iolani connected members, Walter Fo ('64) and Worldster Lee won the tennis Sectional championships and will go on to represent the Pacific Section of the United States Tennis Association at the National Championships in April 2014 in Surprise, Arizona. Not a small accomplishment with a team with an average age of 70 years old hanging in there and beating teams with much younger players.

This is huge in this blogger's opinion. Many of us with old knees can go forward but this  quick side to side stuff, backward and forward hustling , stop and go movements plus the skill of swinging a racket places these guys in a special fitness category all their own. If I were the owner of a  company that made Glucosamine/Chrondroitin tablets for joint, I would definitely sign these guys up to do my commercials.

Worldster is not an Iolani alumnus but he is a member of the Iolani Philantropists Circle and along with  Francis, and Walter has had a youngster who graduated  with the Iolani Class of 1998.



Worldster Lee is back row-left end; Walter Fo ('64) is back row-right end; Francis Wong is front row  second from right.

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Cabaret


Milton and Maddie Oshiro stepped up for the second year in a row to organize an  Iolani Class of ’61 presence at Diamond Head Theatre’s production of Cabaret on Sunday Oct 6, 2013.

The show itself was outstanding . However, an entertaining show in itself was watching the all female band and the musical director '61 classmate Emmett Yoshioka dressed in drag conducting the band like a field commander ....keeping the show moving with the music....conducting with his right hand and simultaneously playing on the keyboard with his left hand.. Throughout the performance Emmett also played the sax, flute and clarinet. Judy Yoshioka also performed with the band. 

Attending were Ken and Jennifer Lee, Morris and Lorna Lai, Warren and Anita Ho, Steve and Ginny Sato, Mike and Lorrie Chun, Steve and Kathy Takaki, Ken and Lynn Nakasone, Bob Mumper and Becky Rosenberg, Jim and Sue Miyashiro, Milt and Maddie Oshiro and Cliff Uejio. 

The group gathered at Happy Day on Waialae Avenue  afterwards for  fabulous Chinese cuisine, conversation and fellowship. 


Sitting: Lynn Nakasone, Mo Lai, Lorna Lai
Standing: Ken Nakasome, Warren Ho Lorrie Chun, Mike Chun, Bob Mumper, Becky Rosenberg



1st row: Lorrie Chun, Steve Takaki, Kathy Takaki, Maddie Oshiro, Sue Miyashiro, Judy Yoshioka
2d row: Warrren Ho, Jim Miyashiro, Emmett Yoshioka, Milton Oshiro, Bob Mumper, Ken Lee, Jennifer Lee



Front: Anita Ho, Clifford Uejio, Steve Sato, Ginny Sato
Back: Emmett Yoshioka, Judy Yoshioka, Warren Ho



Sitting: Steve Takaki, Kathy Takaki, Maddie Oshiro, Sue Miyashiro, Jennifer Lee
Standing: Lorrie Chun, Warren Ho, Jim Miyashiro, Milton Oshiro, Bob Mumper, Ken Lee


Emmett Yoshioka  participating in a question and answer session at the end of the performance


Judy Yoshioka



Judy and Emmett Yoshioka


All photos except for the last  are via Mike Chun.




Monday, September 16, 2013

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Class of '61....... 70th Birthday Bash

Posting for posterity:

Thanks to Jimmy Miyashiro's brother, Ronald, here's the YouTube link to the Turning 70 video:http://youtu.be/bIv2HrYvb2A

Thursday, September 12, 2013

No AC.....No fans.....before global warming!!!!

Via Lincoln Tokumoto and Ken Lee



Lincoln:  Thanks for sending the photo.  It really brought back memories of our youth & of the Class of 1961 having Lunch at the Cafeteria.
In the photo, I'm sitting on the table on the left & I'm looking at the camera & waving.  Gary Shigemura is sitting across from me.  On the
bottom of the photo, from left, looks like Mark Hayashi(???), Wayne Takemoto, James Leong, Howard Lee, Canuto Tacderan, Lincoln
Tokumoto, James Miyashiro, Roger Nishimura who is next to the Headmaster Burton M., Norman Tyau on the left on the Headmaster,
and Alan Matsuura. On my table, facing the camera, looks like Mike Tanaka, and Roland Otake.  I'm forwarding your photo to our class-
mates to share in one of our youthful days at Iolani, for that one second it was caught on camera.  Lincoln, again, thanks for sharing your photo.

Ken Lee

Monday, September 2, 2013

Iolani Class of '61 Turning 70 Birthday Party
















What an effort on the part of the planning committee to pull off this Turning 70 Event held at the Japanese Cultural Center on August 24, 2013. Forty-four classmates and twenty-seven  wives turned out to make this a successful event.

Elaine Chun  was the chairperson of this event. Her planning committee consisted of Gary Shigemura, Ken Nakasone, Warren Ho, Jim Miyashiro, Cliff Uejio, Tom Wong and Rodney Chun. Several Iolani '61 wives  were also  key players in the  planning. Dick Tsuda handled the finances and the collection of the money.

Lynn Nakasone, Carolyn Shigemura and Kathleen Takemoto did a marvelous job  with the decorations  and Ken Lee, Rodney Chun and Anita Ho put in a hard effort to come up with gift certificates/door prizes.

No sooner had I  entered the ball room ,  I was presented a name tag by Sue Miyashiro  who was in charge of the check in. Most of the class was doing a "Class of 61" questionnaire with 50's and 60's oldies selected by Jim Miyashiro  being played in the background. Jim also provided the pens,  each one topped by a huge daisy with a photo of each classmate taken from Iolani yearbooks.

A sample question was which faculty member said, "Holy Moses, King of the Jews, bought his wife a pair of shoes and when the shoes began to wear, Holy Moses began to swear ." Several spouses actually corrected these questionnaires and tallied the scores so there would be no "fudging". Prizes were later presented to the three classmates with the highest scores.

A table was set up with photos from our high school days set up with photos provided by Mo Kimo Lai, Michael  Chun, Elliott Lum, Ken Lee and Cliff Uejio.  Milton and Maddie Oshiro provided cookies decorated with our unique Class of '61 seal  and also  the gift box decorations.

Andre'  Dulce  was the host and master of ceremonies for this event. Andre' was also the main cheerleader for this event in the months proceeding to get  classmates worked up about attending the event via email and phone calls/snail mail  from Seattle.

Prior to the beginning of the official program Brian Furuhashi, Dexter's son, entertained us on the guitar  with one of his favorite instrumentals.

Dr. Mo Kimo Lai began the program with an oli (Hawaiian chant) entitled "Kunihi ka Mauna" (steep stands the mountan), which is often used to do things like ask for permission (to perform,) show respect for places and show humility.  Mo then followed with an oli komo (welcoming chant) after which Carolyn Shigemura and Elaine Chun danced the hula "Pola'ila'i which talks about the enjoying looking at the moon and the stars and enjoying the fragrance of the pikake.

Mo who was attired in a kihei (shawl) and a maile lei made by Elaine Chun said that the hula reminded  him  of La'i road in upper Palolo  Valley where many of our classmates lived in the past and where Bruce Ames currently lives on thirteen acres of farm land where he engages in legitimate farming.

Afterwards, Mike and Lorrie Chun and Mike  and Trudy Uechi gave a ballroom dance demonstration to the song "Last Night". Their dancing was remarkable ,  highly polished , and performed with precision and they looked like they were ready for "Dancing with the Stars" on network TV.

At the end of the performance,   Bob Mumper gave the invocation and blessing for the food.  Brunch consisted of assorted barbecued meats, chicken, fish and  various vegetable and fruit  salads followed by a choice of desserts. A "no host" bar was on hand to provide classmates with something other than water, juice or soda.

The following were random comments made by classmates in attendance:

Wes Tanaka says that he spends his free time reading, exercising and doing  home projects.

Bruce Ames is enjoying retirement life in Palolo Valley where he is training for the 2014 Honolulu Marathon. He considers himself a "wogger"....halfway between a walker and a jogger. He says that he ran the 2013 Honolulu Marathon in 8 1/2 hours and plans to run the next one at  the same pace (roughly 3.2 miles per hour)  He says that the view from the back of the pack of  the wonderful female okoles is what keeps one motivated to keep going.

Bob Mumper also  considers himself a "wogger" and like Ames also enjoys  the view from the back of the pack. Mumper says that he spent his summer visiting family in Massachusetts and Virginia where he spent a great deal of time watching Nascar and Duck Dynasty.

Ken Lee and Jennifer spent time in Los Angeles visiting their daughter and her family. Ken is in the process of building a new home in Kahala where he'll be able to step out his door and jog on level ground. At our age, it's hard enough to jog on level ground. Who needs a hill right outside your door unless you're expecting a flood?

"Long time no see" Dennis Iwamura is still running a Brokerage Company in Enchanted Lakes Kailua  and he also represents Novelty Candies.

Mike Uechi is too busy being retired and participates in ballroom dancing with his life time partner Trudy.

Dennis Goto says that he's still working and loves what he's doing.

Rodney Chun is till working at AA Electric and phasing of out of his chiropractor practice.

Stephen Sato is still retired and divides his time between Hawaii and California. He's still playing tennis.

Frannie Wong is almost retired and chasing yellow balls and tries to stay healthy.

Emmett Yoshioka says, "Music! Music! Music! What else?...."

Chuck Leong...."Golf anyone?...anywhere, anytime....he's been retired for 11 years.

Richard Kimura....Still working and taking care of his dogs.

Russ Saito.....says he's still working and he travels a lot visiting his grandchildren.

Mark Hayashi says that he golfs a lot and helps takes care of the grandkids.

Les Hata one of our calabash classmates (Kaimuki '61) does a lot of fishing (trolling, shore casting, diving) and helping to watch grandsons. Les finally retired after many many years of  serving on the Moilili Neighborhood Board.

Allan Kawada spends time fishing, volunteering in a feral cat program to capture, neuter and release them back into the neighborhoods. He also does target shooting and practices Kendo.

Rodney Inefuku , another calabash classmate (Kailua '61) practices karate, plays the guitar and enjoys gardening, reading non-fiction and traveling.

Ken Kaneshiro enjoys fishing and spending time with his  grandkids. Like Dick Tsuda, he enjoys his work at the University of Hawaii and sees no reason to retire.

Dick Tsuda is working in the UH Entomology Department and watches his grandkids grow. Just another note....his wife Cassy told me that Dick was named after Dick from  the "Dick and Jane" reading series from the early 50's.

Fred Takara who left Iolani in his 10th grade year and graduated from McKinley ('61) enjoys taking trips to Japan and collecting photos of family members and other relatives who live all over via Facebook. He says that he's trying to accomplish his "bucket list"  items.

Craig Ichinose visiting from Ventura,  California says that he's still working but makes sure that he has fun getting together with  friends and their families.

Don Watanabe has been retired from Honolulu Fire Department for 14 years. He keeps busy doing projects around the house, diving and trolling and traveling.

Ken Nakasone is a retired engineer and spends time golfing, traveling and resting.

Lincoln Tokumoto is retired and lives in Thousand Oaks, California. He works 3 days a week at a library. He comes back to Hawaii frequently to help with the care of his mother and says that it's great to see old classmates.

Wayne Takemoto is retired living in Honolulu with his wife Kathleen. He was with the State Civil Defense for 11 years. Kathleen was a 6th grade classmate of Bob Mumper in Mrs. Brickner's class at Aina Haina School. Other members of the class were Richard Chung, Arthur Akina, Ed Ching,  and Frank Fukunaga.

Gordon KH Chun says that he's semi -retired and living in Salt Lake City, Utah. He works part time in China As a chemical engineer.

Cliff Uejio is retired and living in Waikiki. He said that his wife Stephanie put him on a diet and he has lost 25 pounds in his 3 years of marriage.

Mike Chun has been retired from the Dept. of Justice since 2004. He continues to volunteer for the Red Cross and AARP Tax Aide and spends a lot of time traveling and ball room dancing with his wife Lorrie.

Steven Takaki is retired from IBM and the Bank of Hawaii but continues to do volunteer work with the Kalihi YMCA and the Aina Haina Library. He recently traveled to London and Ireland. With the new academic year starting up, he'll be teaching two course (ICS 101) at Kapiolani Community College.

Jim Miyashiro long retired as a pharmacist still watches his grandchildren.

Milt Oshiro says that he retired in June. He says that he and Jim Miyashiro visited their former basketball coach , Coach Bobby Kau, at Kahala  Nui a couple of months ago.

Miles Ono says that he visited Europe this past may with his wife Lorene. He also visited Disneyland and Legoland last summer with his wife, grandson , son and daughter-in-law.

Richard Chung who didn't not come to Iolani  from Punahou until  his senior year says that he visited a dude ranch with his grandkids in Montana. As noted above, I was in the same 6th grade class with Richard at Aina Haina  and thought that he was at Iolani the entire time.

David Tyau who retired sometime ago from the post office has traveled all over the world with his wife Anita. David can tell you to be sure to remember your pin numbers of your credit cards when traveling internationally. He has experienced having to provide his pin number prior to using the card, apparently a standard precautions used by credit companies to guard against theft. No pin....no charge.

Just a note....as I traveled across country this summer , I had my credit denied and had to call the number on the back of the card to let them know that my card had not been stolen. I guess that's a good thing.

The next day, Ken and Jennifer Lee hosted the class at his home on the Hawaii Kai ridge line. Most of the classmates showed up and conversations resumed about old time, new times and from what I gathered about the importance of good health. As Woody Allen said in an interview in a recent issue of Esquire, you can have a successful life with family, home, job,  and good investments   but it you have a toothache, , gingivitis,  gout  or "God Forbid"something terrible like heart disease or cancer, it ruins everything.

As we all walked into Ken's house, Milton Oshiro was challenging guys to "Guess, Who This Is?". He towered above most of us at 5'11''. It was none other than Gerry Wheeler who lives in Aiea. He's married with three sons and is employed by Martin and MacArthur who makes koa furniture and other high end items. He says that he loves hockey. Most of remember Gerry as one of our shorter students who obviously had one heck of a growth spurt after he left Iolani.

At the end of the Saturday event at the Japanese Cultural Center, we were addressed by Jim Miyashiro and  class president Winston Hoshino from the Big Island who shared some of their memories of Iolani. Then we watched a musical  video and montage of slides and pictures from our years at Iolani accompanied by hit songs from  our era like "Mr. Sandman, give me a dream" and "She wore an itsy bitsy yellow polka dot bikini" Special tribute was also paid to our  classmates who had already passed on.

Also in attendance were Tom Campbell who came incognito (check out the class birthday picture last row), Sid Takenishi from  San Jose, California ,calabash classmate Wendell Wong (Punahou '61), Andre's sister Elissa , Annie Chun, Constance Goto, Betsy Hata, Virgie Hayashi, Wei Wei Inefuku, Joyce Kawada, Lorna Lai, Jennifer Lee,  Lei Saito , Kathleeen Takaki, Lena Tanaka,  Stephanie Uejio, Joan Watanabe, Joyce Wong and Judy Yoshioka. Jim Miyashiro's brother,  Ronald Miyashiro, filmed this event for posterity.

A copy of the DVD featuring the musical video and pictures mentioned above  was enclosed in a package with a 70th birthday event Class of '61 tee shirt and a ball cap and provided for everyone in attendance.  So, if you didn't make it, somebody who attended will have the DVD produced by our host and MC, Andre' Dulce


After Ken Lee's   Class of '61 day time  stag bash on Sunday....Chuck Leong, Craig Ichinose, Mo Lai and Russ Saito continued celebrating  at Russ's house that evening.

Thursday, April 18, 2013


FINAL COMMENCEMENT....  IOLANI CLASS OF 1961


Chew, Cary

Furuhashi, Dexter

Hashimoto, Robert

Kobayashi, Jon

Kumata, Donald

Matsuura, Alan

Murashige, Leslie

Oda, Stephen

Okawa, Ulysses

Otake, Roland

Pua, Raymond

Tagawa, Reed

Tajima, Dean

Tanaka, Michael

Tomita, Melvin

Watson, George

Wong, Calvin

Wong, Ronnie



Friday, March 8, 2013

Good Bye....Good Friend



Several classmates and spouses attended Dexter Furuhashi's Memorial Service yesterday evening March 7, 2013  at the First Assembly of God on Red Hill.  Classmates attending were Wayne Takemoto, Morris Lai, Steven Sato, Steven Takaki, Bob Mumper, Ken Lee, Tom Campbell, Eric Yamamoto, Jim Miyashiro, Milton Oshiro, Warren Ho, Wesley Tanaka, Alan Kawada, Ken Nakasone,   Gary Shigemura, Rodney Chun, Mike Chun, Dennis Goto , Mike Uechi and Dick Tsuda.

Several people spoke on behalf of Dexter including a DOE spokesman from the Farrington complex where Dexter worked as an administrative services assistant in facilities  and our own Milton Oshiro and Rodney Chun who remembered Dexter from "small kid" times, high school, college, adult life and of course all of the things that he had  done planning our 50th  reunion.Dexter was a black belt in judo and aikido, a licensed massage therapist, an accomplished ball room dancer, a meticulous organizer and a good friend to all of us.

We all got to meet his son Bryan Furuhashi who also spoke on his behalf and performed his rendition of  "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" on guitar for all those who came to celebrate Dexter's life.

Guests were invited afterwards to a sharing of food and memories. He will surely be missed by his classmates, family and friends.

ps. If I left anyone out who attended, please mention it in the comments below.




Monday, February 18, 2013

Dr. Morris Lai's Retirement Party at UH


Pictures posted on FB from Mo's retirement party put on by his fellow workers at UH.













Friday, February 8, 2013

More pictures from Andre's retirement party


Glenn Lee, Les Hata who left Iolani early and graduated from Kaimuki HS, Tom Wong and Wes Tanaka.





 Taking the class  test: Leroy Lee, Howard Lee, Jim Miyashiro, Ken Kaneshiro (long time no see classmate),  Wes Tanaka (back to camera) and Tom Wong (with the shoulder strap).



Norman Tyau, Warren Ho, Wendell Wong ( who left Iolani early and graduated  from Punahou ), Andre Dulce and Morris Lai