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Today, we wish to share with you the story of Ken and Harry Akune. Both served in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and volunteered for the US Army out of Amache, CO. After reading their story, please click on to a clip of Ken from "A Tradition of Honor" and what will strike you is his passion for serving, and thoughts of why it was important that Japanese Americans proved their loyalty to the United States. What astounds me, however, is that they had two other brothers who served in the Japan Imperial Army at the same time. Because MIS veterans served in the Pacific theatre, their chance of running into family was high. I cannot help but wonder what was going through Ken's and Harry's minds as they served proudly for this country, yet knowing their siblings were on the other side. I hope you will take the time to read this amazing story below. It will remind you of the complexities of war, and the difficulties faced by Japanese Americans who had family members in Japan. But what is important is their conviction and steadfast belief in America, the only country they knew and loved.
Sincerely,
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When MIS linguist Harry Akune boarded the paratrooper plane headed for Corregidor, he had a parachute, but no formal parachute training. He also had no helmet, weapon, food or water. So what did he have? "Just my coveralls," says Harry. And determination.
Attached to the 503rd Parachute Regimental Combat Team, Harry had lost his equipment on a wayward jeep. Veteran paratroopers say that very few men would have continued under such circumstances. Harry was one of those few. "I'm gonna have to go," Harry remembers thinking. "I can't quit here." Plus, he worried about what people would think if they heard he got to the plane but didn't get on. "So I got up, put on my parachute, got on the plane and sat down." Parachuting had "sounded easy" to Harry when he volunteered for the airborne assault on the Manila Harbor fortress. As it turned out, jumping out of the plane was the easy part. |
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 Online Oral History Videos
Watch more than 200 oral history videos of veterans interviewed through the Educational Foundation's Hanashi Oral History Program right on your computer. Just go to www.goforbroke.org and click on "Oral Histories" to view both short interview clips and entire full-length interviews. Visitors can also search through the entire video archive by typing in keywords or names. And, the best part is that it's absolutely free! |
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 4th Annual Evening of Aloha
With less than two months to go, final preparations are being made for this year’s Evening of Aloha Gala Dinner on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at the Anaheim Hilton. An estimated crowd of more than 1,000 guests is expected to be on hand for this wonderful evening of fine cuisine and top-notch entertainment, hallmarks of past Evening of Aloha dinners. |
In my eight years here at the Go For Broke Educational Foundation, I have heard many stories of our courageous men and women who served this country with valor and courage, at a time when their loyalty was questioned. You cannot help but be touched by what you hear.
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