A Full Honor Wreath Ceremony for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Medal of Honor recipients took place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery Wednesday June 21, 2000, in Arlington, Va. From left are: Yeiki Kobashigawa, US Army, retired; Rudolph Davila, US Army, retired George T. Sakato, US Army, retired. President Clinton laer presented the medals at a White House ceremony. (AP Photo/Heesoon Yim)

By Curtis Narimatsu

Inimitable And Auspicious Heroes

1.   WIA 442 F Co.’s Hoxie Nagami lived a long life, albeit disabled (1921-2000). Wataru Kohashi saved Hoxie after Hoxie got shot.  Unarmed Wataru got 4 German POWs to carry Hoxie on a stretcher out of Wataru/Hoxie’s foxhole back to the base camp.  Wataru was gentle to the POWs & they respected/ trusted him.  Wataru was told by the base camp M.D. that Hoxie was going to die from extensive wounds.  But incredibly, Hoxie survived.  Wataru born 1922 & Hoxie were boyhood pals.  Hoxie’s brother was KIA [Takayama brothers died almost same time w/separate outfits/companies -- Bobby Command wrote a great Veteran's Day tribute to them  a decade ago]. After Hoxie suffered series of strokes, he fell into a coma at Hilo Hospital. Read the rest of this entry »