Thomas Taro Higa

Thomas Taro Higa (September 22, 1916 – February 11, 1985) was a wartime hero both in the United States and Okinawa. Serving with the U.S. Army's 100th Battalion, Higa was critically wounded during heavy fire in Italy. Though shot in the back, he managed to carry two fellow soldiers to safety, thus earning him a Purple Heart and Silver Star. After being wounded, the military used Higa's charm and dedication to his country to help in the recruitment efforts. Higa stood center stage at relocation camps speaking out to Japanese-Americans, helping to gain awareness and support. Then, because of his tri-lingual (Japanese, Okinawan, & English) capabilities, he was asked to convince Okinawans hiding in caves to come out and surrender to safety before the caves were blown, thus sparing their lives. Higa risked his own life entering these caves unarmed, but in the end, saved several villages. After the war, Higa helped with efforts to rebuild Okinawa, sending pigs donated from Hawaii to replenish their depleted stock. In 1983, Higa was honored by the Okinawan government for his efforts during and after the war. In 2015, NHK produced the docudrama Nikkeijin Who Saved Okinawa (沖縄を救った日系人, okinawa wo sukutta nikkeijin) in Higa's honor.

Early life

Thomas Taro Higa was born on September 22, 1916 in Honolulu, Hawaii to immigrant parents Kana and Kamezo Higa. He was the third child of twelve children. He was raised by his grandparents in Okinawa and spent his early teen years in Osaka, Japan and returned to Hawaii to work as a farmer. Many people of the Okinawa Prefecture would immigrate to Hawaii in hopes of creating a lifestyle as "immigrant laborers." Their goal was to work hard and return with honor back to Okinawa. Higa's parents did not have time to rear their children so they sent the children that were born in Hawaii back to Okinawa entrusted by close relatives. Higa was sent with his older brother and older sister to their ancestral home in Shimabukuro, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-Ken and was raised by his grandparents until he was 9 years old.

Career

After childhood, Thomas Higa went along with his cousin and his cousin's wife and children to Osaka to fulfill his cousin's dream of living in a new land. However, it turned out to be a difficult beginning in life working long hours. His first job was at a store called the Daimaru Shoten in Nomura-cho, which was owned by someone from Wakayama Prefecture.^[1] Higa then left to work as a "live-in" apprentice at a wholesale cosmetics store called Horikoshi Kotetsu Sha which was owned by an imperial University graduate from Toyama Prefecture. Higa was only 11 years old and this is where he learned valuable life lessons and basic English. Higa's father had a large farm in Hawaii and needed more help. Higa returned to Hawaii when he was old enough to help. He was also employed at Fuji Denro Kogyo Ltd. under Yasutaro Goto, which manufactured iron hardening kilns for military use.

Invention

Thomas Higa first became interested in electricity when he first read about it at the Horikoshi Kotetsu Sha. When he came back to Hawaii, he wanted to replace the kerosene lamps with an electric generator. He created this generator by utilizing the water from the stream by his house to power it. He used waste materials and an abandoned car to create a generator for his house. Word spread and Professor Tadaoki Yamamoto, the Department Chairman of the Faculty of Science & Engineering at the Waseda University, came to meet Higa and asked him to come to Japan and study. Since then, he completed 15 other inventions and applied for several patents at the Patent Bureau in Tokyo. He often had to go to the American Embassy to prove his American citizenship.

World War II

During World War II he served in the 100th Infantry Battalion for the United States Army where he received a purple heart. From June 1944 to January 1945 he was sponsored by the United States Army, Relocation Authorities and Japanese American Citizens League to go on a seven-month lecture tour to 75 relocation camps throughout the United States. The purpose of the speaking tour was to raise awareness and gain support for Japanese American Troops. As Higa was able to speak English, Japanese and Okinawan, he was a valuable asset to the United States military. General Kendall J. Fielder asked Higa to go to Okinawa during World War II to help convince the people of Okinawa to come out of the caves and surrender as he, Higa, was able to make a personal connection with them. In May 1983, Higa was honored by the Okinawan government for his contributions to the Okinawan people during and after the war in the Pacific. Higa was injured during the war and was then given the Purple Heart for his courageous service in the US Army.

Personal life

Marriage

Thomas Taro Higa married Toshiko Chinen on November 22, 1945 in Kauai where his wife was born. Higa was first introduced to Chinen after she wrote a letter of encouragement to him. She frequently wrote him letters and he had hoped to meet her in person. She would write about her family and friends in Okinawa and soon they wrote about their health and more personal stories. They developed a relationship and decided to wed as soon as Higa would return home from the war. This was a large gamble because they had never even seen each other before. Higa was doubting the marriage until he received a letter from his previous teacher who wrote, "An evil may sometimes turn out to be a blessing in disguise. Do not feel downhearted. One's mental power controls his bodily condition. Let your mental strength heal your wounds. I have no doubt that you can do this."^[1] This letter was dated on December 18, 1943 and two years later he married Toshiko Chinen.

Thomas Taro Higa died on February 11, 1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Post-World War II effort

Contributions

1968- Produced a documentary film, "Hawaii ni Ikiru" ("Life in Hawaii", created to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Okinawan immigration to Hawaii.
1974- Published Imin Wa Ikiru (Immigrants Live On), this book was an account of several Okinawan immigrants to Hawaii and North and South America.
1982-Published Aru Nisei No Wadachi (Memoirs of a Certain Nisei)

Awards

May 1983- Higa was honored by the Okinawan government and the Ryukyu University for his many contributions to the Okinawan people during and after the war.
July 1983- Recipient of the Okinawa Times Award,
August 1984- Recipient of the certificate of appreciation from Japanese American Citizens League at national convention in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Thomas Higa was also the recipient of the Silver Star for his great and brave service to the United States Army during World War II. The honor was awarded for his action during heavy fire in Italy on November 5, 1943. Higa was wounded from the back but continued to aid his fellow soldiers by carrying two men to a sheltered area. He then went back into the war zone to offer more aid. The heroic acts of Thomas Higa exemplifies the significance behind the honor of the Silver Star.^[2]

References

• Higa, Thomas T. Memoirs of a Certain Nisei: 1916 - 1985 = Aru-nisei-no-wadachi. Kaneohe, HI: Higa, 1988.