Technician James Kazuo Okubo, A Soldier's Story


US Army Technician James Kazuo Okubo, A Soldier's Story:

Technician James Kazuo Okubo was born on May 30, 1920, in Anacortes, Washington. He graduated from Bellingham High School, where he played football, and later attended Western Washington University, joining both the ski and press clubs.

In 1942, Okubo left college when his family was forced into Japanese American internment camps. They were first sent to Tule Lake, California, and later to Heart Mountain, Wyoming. There, he worked as an orderly and nurse in the camp hospitals.

In May 1943, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he trained as a combat medic before volunteering for the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Deployed to the European Theater, he first served in Italy and then in France. During the brutal fighting of the 1944 Battle of Hürtgen Forest, Okubo repeatedly distinguished himself. On October 28, October 29, and November 4, he risked his life under intense machine-gun fire to rescue wounded soldiers, at one point crawling 150 feet to reach the injured. His extraordinary bravery saved the lives of 26 men.

After the war, Okubo settled in Detroit, Michigan. He completed his undergraduate studies at Wayne State University. He went on to earn a dental degree from the University of Detroit, where he remained for the rest of his life.

James K. Okubo died on January 29, 1967, following an automobile accident. He is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Detroit, Michigan.

Originally, Technician James K. Okubo earned a Silver Star for his heroism; however, on June 21, 2000, his actions were reevaluated, and his award was upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor.



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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller based in Tontitown, Arkansas.

She shares her journeys at Take the Back Roads, explores new reads at Rite of Fancy, and highlights U.S. military biographies at Everyday Patriot.

You can also browse her online photography gallery at shop.takethebackroads.com.

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Location: Anacortes, WA, USA

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