| Revision as of 18:35, 11 May 2010 editRowe33 (talk | contribs)8 editsm Grammar - changed to 'had been conscripted as a nurse'← Previous edit | Revision as of 18:36, 11 May 2010 edit undoRowe33 (talk | contribs)8 editsm More grammar correction in 2nd paragraphNext edit → | ||
| Line 5: | Line 5: | ||
| ] armband, with Okinawan refugees]] | ] armband, with Okinawan refugees]] | ||
| Attached to the ], Tsubota didn't fire a single shot during the battle but managed to rescue many people hiding in the caves, even disobeying orders. Tsubota stayed in ] after the war. In 1947 he married Kiyoko, the young local woman who had been conscripted as a nurse and survived the battle carnage |
Attached to the ], Tsubota didn't fire a single shot during the battle but managed to rescue many people hiding in the caves, even disobeying orders. Tsubota stayed in ] after the war. In 1947 he married Kiyoko, the young local woman who had been conscripted as a nurse and survived the battle carnage after meeting her in a refugee camp.<ref>, '']'', April 1, 2005</ref> Together, they raised three children. He retired from the U.S. government service in January 1993. | ||
| Today, "Terry" remains a ] to the Okinawans as the man who personally prevented many of civilian suicides. In 2000 he accompanied Okinawa's governor and other officials during ]'s visit to the prefecture,<ref>, '']'', April 1, 2005 </ref> and in 2004 he was one of the honored guests at the 59th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa held in the ].<ref>, '']'', June 25, 2004</ref> | Today, "Terry" remains a ] to the Okinawans as the man who personally prevented many of civilian suicides. In 2000 he accompanied Okinawa's governor and other officials during ]'s visit to the prefecture,<ref>, '']'', April 1, 2005 </ref> and in 2004 he was one of the honored guests at the 59th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa held in the ].<ref>, '']'', June 25, 2004</ref> | ||
Revision as of 18:36, 11 May 2010
Teruto "Terry" Tsubota (born in Pahoa, Hawaii, on July 28, 1922) is a second-generation Japanese-American, or Nisei, who was credited with saving hundreds of Japanese lives while serving as a Military Intelligence Service (MIS) combat translator with the 6th Marine Division during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
Attached to the 4th Marine Regiment, Tsubota didn't fire a single shot during the battle but managed to rescue many people hiding in the caves, even disobeying orders. Tsubota stayed in Okinawa Prefecture after the war. In 1947 he married Kiyoko, the young local woman who had been conscripted as a nurse and survived the battle carnage after meeting her in a refugee camp. Together, they raised three children. He retired from the U.S. government service in January 1993.
Today, "Terry" remains a hero to the Okinawans as the man who personally prevented many of civilian suicides. In 2000 he accompanied Okinawa's governor and other officials during Bill Clinton's visit to the prefecture, and in 2004 he was one of the honored guests at the 59th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa held in the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum.
In 2007 the story of Tsubota and his fellow Japanese-American translators was told by James C. McNaughton in “Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During World War II”.
References
- , Stars and Stripes, April 1, 2005
- Defiant soldier saved lives of hundreds of civilians during Okinawa battle, Stars and Stripes, April 1, 2005
- Thousands honor 59th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa, Stars and Stripes, June 25, 2004
- Book lauds unheralded Nisei translators, Stars and Stripes, June 23, 2007
External links
- WWII interpreter saved civilians: The Hilo-born soldier was honored for his efforts on Okinawa, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, September 26, 2004
- Living by His Father's Words, Marine Corps Bases Japan Home Page, July 18, 2008
  | This biographical article related to the United States Marine Corps is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
 | This biographical article related to Japan is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
 | This article about a notable individual during World War II is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 1922 births
- American humanitarians
- American military personnel of World War II
- American military personnel of Japanese descent
- Japanese people of American descent
- Living people
- People from Hawaii
- United States Marines
- United States Marine Corps personnel stubs
- Japanese people stubs
- World War II biography stubs