Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura comes home, and larger evacuation claims stall

Vol. 37, No. 12, September 18, 1953. 8 pages. View this issue

Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura’s return to Gallup, New Mexico, filled the front page. The Medal of Honor winner was welcomed with a parade, a JACL dinner-dance where National Director Masao Satow gave him a JACL pin, and a testimonial dinner planned in Little Tokyo. Beside that story, Mike Masaoka warned that more than half of the private attorneys handling larger evacuation claims had not answered specific questions, which put the program at risk. Larry Tajiri’s column looked at Governor Earl Warren’s changing record on Japanese Americans.

Other pages follow Crown Prince Akihito’s American tour, the return of 28 Nisei in Operation Big Switch, and the question of Issei classified 5-F who were denied re-entry permits. Issei naturalization ceremonies in Portland and Denver are covered, along with two Japanese youths who swam ten miles to Kauai and faced deportation. Columns by Bill Hosokawa and Harry K. Honda close the issue.

What’s in this issue

National

• Attorney Apathy Seen Dooming Larger Evacuation Claims, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Over half of private attorneys handling larger evacuation claims have failed to answer specific questions on individual claims, according to Mike Masaoka. He warned this indifference jeopardizes the program and could lead Congress and the Justice Department to reduce funding and support.
• 5-F Classified Issei Problem Up for JACL Study, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Issei classified 5-F by draft boards during World War I are being denied re-entry permits to the United States. The National JACL Study Commission on Immigration and Naturalization has been asked to study the problem.
• Oregon Judge Naturalizes 13 More Issei Citizens, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Thirteen Japanese-born residents took the oath of allegiance in federal court in Portland, Oregon, on Sept. 9 and became U.S. citizens. They were part of a group of 155 naturalized at the ceremony.
• Seek Suspension of Deportation Orders on Stowaways Who Swam 10 Miles to Shore, by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 1. Two Japanese youths who jumped ship and swam to Kauai face deportation and criminal charges for illegal entry. Their attorney has asked the Attorney General to suspend deportation and dismiss charges so they can leave voluntarily.
• Plant Market Order Invalid, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Los Angeles superior court judge declared California’s bedding plant marketing order invalid in a case against Issei nursery owner Robert Asamoto. The court found the order was unwarranted government interference with private business.
• Crown Prince Meets Eisenhower; Visits U.S. Cities This Month, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A schedule change allowed Crown Prince Akihito to meet President Eisenhower, who received a silk screen gift from the Emperor. The prince’s tour continues through Boston, Michigan, Chicago, Wyoming and Pacific Coast cities before his October departure.

Military & Veterans

• Miyamura Relaxes at Gallup Home, Feted by JACL and Friends, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Medal of Honor winner Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura received a JACL pin from National Director Masao Satow at a Gallup dinner-dance. The celebration marked his return from Korean captivity, with speeches recognizing Japanese American pride in his achievement.
• Sgt. Miyamura Back in Action at Home, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Less than 24 hours after returning from Korea, Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura responded to a fire call with the Gallup Volunteer Fire Dept. He will be discharged from Fort Bliss and plans to open a drive-in restaurant with a POW camp buddy.
• Li’l Tokio to Honor Sgt. Miyamura at Testimonial Dinner, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Little Tokyo will host a testimonial dinner for Sgt. Miyamura on Sept. 25 at the Statler Hotel’s Pacific Room. Tickets are $6.50 and the Medal of Honor winner is expected to spend a week in Southern California.
• Big Switch Ends, 28 Nisei Freed, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Operation Big Switch concluded Sept. 6 with the return of 110 Americans including 28 Nisei from North Korean captivity. The article lists released and still-missing Nisei servicemen.
• Earl Warren: 1943-1953, by Larry Tajiri, page 7. Larry Tajiri examines Governor Earl Warren’s transformation from a vocal anti-Japanese official during the evacuation era to a supporter of Nisei rights. He considers whether Warren might be appointed to the Supreme Court.

JACL

• National JACL Credit Union Growth Reported, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Credit Union president Shig Ushio reported 468 members and an anticipated 1953 dividend of 5 to 6 percent. The financial statement showed a net profit of $4,287.08 for the period, up from the prior year.
• Citizenship Conference Hears Masaoka, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The eighth National Conference on Citizenship in Washington, D.C. featured Mike Masaoka as a discussion leader on Issei reactions to naturalization. The JACL has participated in the conference for seven years.
• Inagaki, Ishimaru to Visit Northwest Chapters, by P.C. Staff, page 4. National JACL President George Inagaki and regional director Haruo Ishimaru will visit several Pacific Northwest chapters in September. The tour includes Portland, Hood River, Tacoma, Spokane and Seattle.

In-Depth

• Washington Newsletter: In Memoriam, Fred M. Vinson, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka pays tribute to the late Chief Justice Fred Vinson for landmark civil rights decisions affecting Japanese Americans, including the Oyama alien land law case. He notes Vinson’s rulings ended an anti-Japanese judicial era.

Commentary

• His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, by Mike Masaoka, page 2. Masaoka welcomes Crown Prince Akihito on his month-long U.S. tour, noting warm reception by officials, press and public. He expresses hope the prince will return to Japan impressed by American friendliness and commitment to peace.
• Topics: Nakatsuka (Honolulu stowaways continued), by Lawrence Nakatsuka, page 3. The stowaway story continues as an editorial in Honolulu’s Star-Bulletin argues the youths should not be exempt from normal immigration law. Their attorney and supporters seek to avoid deportation so they can later apply legally.
• Sea Travel and Off to the Hills Column, by Haruo Ishimaru, page 5. Ishimaru reports on chapter visits in Salinas, San Benito County and Gilroy, and previews the Stockton district council convention. He describes local fishing and barbecue events while discussing the 5-F classification issue.
• From the Frying Pan: No Nicer Guy, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Gallup residents turned out in large numbers to welcome Sgt. Hiroshi Miyamura home, with schools and businesses closing. The town presented him a $3,850 gift, and Miyamura describes his modest reaction to the acclaim.
• Vagaries: Math Problems in Second-Class Mailing Regulations, by Bill Hosokawa, page 8. Bill Hosokawa mocks new Postal Service regulations requiring newspapers to calculate weights and record copy distribution in complicated detail. He suggests the rules are unnecessarily confusing for circulation staff.
• Very Truly Yours, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry K. Honda offers commentary on civil rights and minority affairs in the news. He discusses national issues affecting Japanese Americans.

Community

• Nisei Appointed Ford Foundation Scholar at St. John’s College, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. Ralph Makoto Miwa, a Honolulu native with a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins, was appointed a Ford Foundation Scholar to teach political science at St. John’s College in Annapolis. He previously served in the Philippines, Korea and Japan.
• Endowment Fund Total Reaches $49,255.81, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Contributions from recipients of evacuation claim checks raised the National JACL Endowment Fund to $49,255.81, with $45,000 placed in trust. Recent donors from several states are listed.
• Toyo Miyatake: Pioneer Photographer and Naturalized Citizen, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Toyo Miyatake, a Los Angeles photographer whose studio began in 1923, discusses his career in dance and portrait photography and his plans to become a citizen. He is a strong JACL supporter.
• Nisei Woman Honored on Congressional Passport Trip to Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Shinzo Kiuchi, a recently naturalized Issei from San Francisco, is set to depart for Japan on a U.S. passport. He is believed to be among the first local naturalized Issei to make such a trip.
• $76,000 Damage Suit Filed by Widow of Nisei Killed in Gas Explosion, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The widow of strawberry grower Henry Takeiri filed a $76,365 damage suit after he was fatally burned in a butane gas explosion at a Santa Cruz residence. The suit names the property owner for alleged negligence.
• Inagaki to Address Crenshaw Community Council, by P.C. Staff, page 3. National JACL President George Inagaki is the opening speaker for the Crenshaw Community Council’s fall series on American life. He will speak on the Nisei at Holman Methodist Church.
• Freeway Plan Threatens Japanese Tea Garden, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A proposed state freeway through Golden Gate Park would largely destroy the historic Japanese Tea Garden and its ponds. The city Recreation and Park Commission has opposed the plan and readers are urged to send protests.
• Chicago Corner, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Chicago news covers community council reorganization with Japanese American leaders, city slum clearance, and remarks by Tokyo’s mayor on juvenile gangs. Personal notes mention local Nisei dentists and their activities.
• Early Christmas Party Tendered ARC Worker, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Portland Red Cross staff hosted a farewell party for Mary Minamoto, who was leaving for Tokyo with the American Red Cross. Colleagues and friends gathered at the chapter house canteen.
• 23 More Denver Issei Naturalized as U.S. Citizens, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Twenty-three Issei, including a mother of ten whose children served in World War II, took citizenship oaths in Denver on Sept. 1. The group brings the total of Denver naturalized Issei to 24.
• Denver Nisei Win Labor Day Baseball Tournament, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Denver Nisei defeated defending champion Ogden 14-3 to win the Labor Day baseball tournament, while Fort Lupton JACL took the lower division. Individual awards for most valuable players and pitchers were presented.
• Lodi A.C. Plans Second California Baseball Invitational, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Lodi A.C. announced the second annual California baseball invitational tournament over Labor Day 1954 at Lawrence Park. Organizers aim to revive Nisei interest in baseball.
• Visa Application Ruling Reversed, by P.C. Staff, page 6. After initial denial, the Immigration Service reversed its ruling and approved a visa for the Japanese-born wife of George Toyosaku Kawahara. Attorneys A. L. Wirin and Fred Okrand presented additional proof.
• New York Group Holds Annual Election, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Tokichi Matsuoka was reelected president of the Japanese American Committee of New York at its annual election. Other officers and board members were also named.
• Legislative Newsletter: Los Angeles Mayor Poulson and Citizenship Day, by Henry Mori, page 7. Henry Mori notes Mayor Poulson’s action to investigate job discrimination against Negro firemen and praises his stance on minority rights. He also previews the Crown Prince’s Los Angeles visit and the Miyamura testimonial dinner.

Sports

• Chicago Bloomer Girls Vie for National Title, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Chicago Bloomer Girls, including Denver shortstop Nancy Ito, won the second-half title of the National Girls Baseball League. They opened a nine-game series for the league title against the Mitchell Maids.

Obituaries

• Rev. Itsuzo Kyogoku Dies in Fresno, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Services were held in Fresno for the Rev. Itsuzo Kyogoku, a Buddhist minister known for his publications and his Sunday school work. He died after 12 years of ministry in the area.

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