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Nobuaki "Warren" (1923-) was Radio Operator and communications intercepter and a veteran of the World War 2 Imperial Japanese Army.

Family History

He was born in Hawaii, USA, and he graduated from Maui High School, class of 1941. Warren was the eldest son of six children and was raised in Kahului. The father of Iwatake, a Kobayashi store employee, presumed drowned from a fishing trip at Peahi. Warren then moved to Hiroshima, Japan, to live with an uncle.

Service in Imperial Japanese Army

Iwatake was beaten and drafted against his will to the Imperial Japanese Army from a Japanese college in 1943.

He was present when former United States President George H.W. Bush was shot down over the Pacific in his Avenger bomber, during September 1944, and was later rescued by a submarine. Two American crewman with Bush were killed. Iwatake had missed the battle of Iwo Jima due to an American submarine attack on his ship's convoy, and was then placed on Chichi-jima, 150 miles north of Iwo Jima. American forces bombed Chichi-jima to cut radio communications between islands. Former President George H.W. Bush's task was to bomb the island's communication towers, and possibly any Imperial Japanese forces. Due to the "island hopping" strategy by American forces, the island was spared an invasion attack.

Iwatake was present when Japanese Imperial forces captured a Texas American pilot "Warren Vaughn" in February 1945. According to Iwatake, the pilot was executed at the harbor by beheading. Mr. Iwatake was assigned to guard and work with Warren Vaughn on Chichi Jima. He and Warren spent many hours talking and developed a personal relationship. One day Warren was taken away by other Japanese soldiers and executed. On that day Mr. Iwatake adopted and kept the name "Warren" in honor of his American friend Warren Vaughn.

Iwatake lost his youngest brother in the Hiroshima atomic bomb attack. The yougest brother was 500 yards from the epicenter attending a school. Reportly, the only thing left was a US Army canteen, as the youngest brother was vaporized in the atomic attack.

After the war, Iwatake, served as a translator for the American Embassy in Tokyo for 35 years.

Sources

CNN aired October 19, 2003 - 20:00 ET

Capt. Neil F. Murphy, Marine Corps Public Affairs Office November 5, 2003 "Childress vet was a great man."

• Imperial Japanese Army
• 1923 births
• Japanese World War II people
• Living people