Nisei casualties in Korea and a summer of highway tragedies

Vol. 35, No. 6, August 9, 1952. 8 pages. View this issue

Twelve Nisei casualties in the Korean War led the front page: five soldiers listed as killed in action, one missing and six wounded, with names and hometowns printed by status. Alongside them came a run of road-accident stories, among them nine Japanese Americans, five of them children, who died when a dump truck struck their car in Union, Utah. JACL news followed the new immigration law, including a national program to help Issei become citizens, a Minneapolis banquet honoring Rep. Walter Judd and Mike Masaoka, and word that Japan’s quota would stay at 185.

On the inside pages, Bill Hosokawa wrote about a Waldorf dinner with Manhattan’s Japanese business community and a return visit to Seattle. Dick Akagi described the Masaokas’ cross-country trip. Four Nisei won gold medals at the Helsinki Olympics, and Ford Konno’s 1500-meter win was covered on page 7. Elmer R. Smith’s series reached Japanese immigrants in Canada, and Ann Nisei’s kitchen column offered rice recipes.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• 12 Nisei Casualties Reported in Korean War, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Department of Defense informed the JACL Anti-Discrimination Committee of 12 Nisei casualties in Korea, five listed as killed in action, one missing, and six wounded. The names and hometowns of the soldiers are listed by status.
• Nisei Soldier Escapes Death in Bus Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pfc. Donald J. Mita survived a head-on Greyhound bus collision in Waco, Texas, that killed at least 28 people. He suffered an ankle injury and expected to continue to Los Angeles.
• Ex-Mess Sergeant Combats Fire Situation With Army Tactics, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Joe Itagaki, a 442nd veteran and former mess sergeant, rebuilt his Honolulu restaurant after a fire destroyed about $50,000 in equipment. He set up a field-style broiler and resumed serving customers within three days.

Community

• Sacramento Girl Killed Instantly in Fall from Car, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Kimiko Ikezaki, 13, of Sacramento was killed when she fell from a car after its door accidentally opened while being driven by her sister-in-law. The girl’s head struck the pavement.
• Nisei Convalescing After Highway Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mrs. Frank Kuwahara is recovering in a Wendover hospital after a collision near Wells, Nevada, when a parked truck suddenly started and struck her car. Her injuries were serious but she is expected to recover.
• Two Nisei Hurt in Highway Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Nisei were hospitalized after a car they were riding in went out of control near Woodland, California, and struck a tree. Several other occupants were not injured.
• Nine Japanese Americans Die in Utah Highway Tragedy, Worst in State’s History, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Nine Japanese Americans, five of them children, died when a sand-laden dump truck struck their car at an intersection in Union, Utah, on Aug. 2. Funeral services were held in Salt Lake City with fifty-four pallbearers.
• Colorado Residents Escape Serious Injury, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Five Greeley-area residents were involved in a head-on collision on Highway 34 when another driver swerved into their lane. Most of the occupants received only superficial injuries.
• Dies Suddenly After Judo Match, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Robert Hiroshi Shintani, 16, died in Los Angeles after complaining of a headache following a judo bout at the Hollywood Judo Academy. An autopsy was ordered.
• New York Nisei Attends Boys State, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Two sons of George Kurosaka of Lake George, New York, received recognition: Robert represented his school at Empire Boys State, and George Jr. was honored by the ROTC Fourragere Society at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
• Jury Absolves Driver of Blame in Death of Dinuba Child, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A coroner’s jury in Dinuba cleared driver Jedel King in the July 22 death of 8-year-old Gary Tadashi Kurumaji. Witnesses disputed whether King stopped at the intersection.
• Hawaii Hails Performances of Nisei in Olympic Games, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 4. Hawaii Nisei swimmers Ford Konno, Yoshio Oyakawa, and Evelyn Kawamoto gained wide attention at the Helsinki Olympics. Their performances dominated Honolulu sports coverage.
• Ford Konno Wins 1500 Meter Race at Olympics; Nisei Win Four Gold Medals at Helsinki, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Four Nisei athletes won gold medals at the Helsinki Olympics, with Ford Konno, Yoshinobu Oyakawa, and Tommy Kono among the champions. Konno’s 1500-meter victory broke the Olympic record and put the U.S. team ahead of Russia.
• Konno ‘Tickled’ To Put U.S. Ahead of Soviet Team, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Ford Konno said after his Olympic victory that he was glad his win put the United States ahead of the Soviet team in the unofficial team standings. He described himself as tickled to death to contribute for his country.

JACL

• Testimonial Banquet to Honor Judd, Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A testimonial banquet in Minneapolis on Aug. 15 will honor Rep. Walter Judd and Mike Masaoka for their work on the McCarran-Walter Immigration and Naturalization Act. The program includes speakers from the Midwest JACL and the Twin Cities chapter.
• National JACL Program to Aid Naturalization for Issei, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL president George Inagaki announced a national program to help Issei obtain citizenship following the elimination of Issei ineligibility. The program includes publicizing immigration law interpretations, citizenship classes, a Japanese-language manual, and a Naturalization Day.
• JACL Recommendations Given Evacuation Claims Division on Future Indemnification Policies, by P.C. Staff, page 2. JACL representatives presented 1952 National Council resolutions to Justice Department officials on the evacuation claims program, including securing supplemental appropriations for over $4 million in outstanding awards. They also urged compensation for internees and favorable determinations on corporate claims.

Incarceration & Redress

• Masaoka Test Case Expenses Totaled $520, Says Shibata, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Yoshimi Shibata reported that legal expenses for the Masaoka Alien Land Law test case totaled $520.88, with all attorneys donating their services. The California Supreme Court ruled the Alien Land Law invalid in a 4-3 decision on July 9, 1952.

Arts & Entertainment

• Henry Nakamura Hopes to Make Career in Acting in Films, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Henry Nakamura, who played the orphan in Go for Broke!, is now performing in the Japanese-American film Forever My Love being shot in Tokyo. He hopes to pursue a film career after completing his Army service.
• Aki Kimura Makes Grade as Driver in Auto Circus, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Salt Lake Nisei Aki Kimura performed as a stunt driver with the Joie Chitwood Thrill Circus in his hometown. He is ranked among the nation’s top stunt drivers after winning honors at the International Stuntmen’s Association championships.

National

• Ask Japan Nationals Register for Immigration to America, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The JACL ADC Washington office advised Japanese nationals to register immediately with American consular officers under the new Immigration and Nationality Act, since applications will be handled first come, first served. Passport issuance remains the responsibility of the Japanese government.
• ADC Reports No Cut in Japan’s Immigration Quota Under Law, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL ADC secured a State Department ruling that Japan’s immigration quota will not be reduced by persons granted permanent residence through suspensions of deportation or private bills. Japan will therefore have its full quota of 185 under the new law.
• Justice Department Support Asked for Naturalization Day, by P.C. Staff, page 8. JACL ADC representatives proposed a national Naturalization Day program to Judge Carl Hyatt of the Immigration Service, arguing it would show Asians’ new acceptance in the United States. Judge Hyatt expressed appreciation for the effort.
• Urge Justice Department Drop Defunct Japanese Organizations From List, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Mike Masaoka asked Attorney General McGranery to remove defunct prewar Japanese organizations from the subversive organizations list, arguing the listing is misused in deportation cases. He contended the organizations no longer meet the definition of totalitarian.

Commentary

• Hawaii Moves Toward Statehood, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial notes Hawaii’s growing prospects for statehood, which both major parties now endorse. It credits Territorial Senator Thomas Okino’s recognition of JACL’s role in passing favorable legislation for Japanese Americans.
• Sentimental Journey, by Dick Akagi, page 4. Dick Akagi describes Etsu and Mike Masaoka’s long-deferred cross-country vacation, departing Washington in their car Peggy. The trip will retrace towns where Mike had confronted wartime hostility toward Nisei and Issei.
• Dinner at the Waldorf, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa describes a Waldorf dinner with Manhattan’s Japanese corporate community and observes that the postwar Kaisha representatives are younger and less experienced than their prewar predecessors. He characterizes the Japanese trade business as diminished and struggling financially.
• From the Frying Pan: Back to the Waterfront, by Bill Hosokawa, page 6. Hosokawa reflects on a return visit to Seattle, his hometown, noting its growth and changed streets. He reports on former classmates and the shift in Nisei athletics toward fishing and golf.
• Argonaut Deplores Economic Basis of Anti-Japanese Stand, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Argonaut criticizes efforts to penalize Japanese tuna imports and warns that economic grievances can translate into personal discrimination against Japanese Americans. It argues that racial prejudice grows from misunderstanding economic pressures.
• Ann Nisei’s Kitchen: Let Rice Keep Its Character, by Ann Nisei, page 8. Ann Nisei offers guidance on cooking rice properly, including water ratios, washing, and resting time. She includes recipes for Japanese rice with chicken, East Indian fried rice, and Mexican fried rice.

In-Depth

• Japanese in the Americas: Immigrants in Canada, by Elmer R. Smith, page 6. Smith traces Japanese immigration to British Columbia, explaining why the region attracted settlers and how restrictive policies in the U.S. and Canada followed. He notes that many immigrants then turned to South America.

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