Print This Page

Corporal Henry Koyei Higa

A young, Asian man in military dress uniform and hat, smiling at the camera.
  • Unit: Company B, 35th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division
  • Date of Birth: October 23, 1930
  • Entered the Military: November 2, 1948
  • Date of Death: June 12, 2023
  • Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
  • Place of Death: Kailua, Hawaiʻi
  • Award(s): Bronze Star Medal for Valor, Korean Service Medal with 3 Bronze Stars, American Prisoner of War Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, U.N. Service Medal, and U.S. Army Occupation Medal
  • Cemetery: section CT13P, row 400, site 415. National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Contributed by John-David K. A. Araki
Mentored by Mrs. Amy Boehning
Hawaiʻii Technology Academy
2024/2025

Early Life

Henry Koyei Higa was born on October 23, 1930, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, to Matusuke and Ushiya (Yoshio) Higa, an immigrant couple from Okinawa, Japan. His parents worked on a sugar plantation, with his father spending long days tending the fields. Higa grew up in a large family with five full siblings and seven half-siblings.

World War II and Martial Law

During World War II, as a Japanese American child living under martial law in Hawaiʻi, Higa experienced curfews, food rationing, and the constant presence of the military. Despite the hardships, he and his community remained resilient, balancing cultural traditions with wartime challenges.

Auto Mechanic Apprentice

Before joining the service, Henry Higa worked as an apprentice automotive mechanic for Motor Parts Agency in Honolulu, gaining valuable technical skills. He graduated from McKinley High School in the spring of 1948 and enlisted in the U.S. Army that fall.

The Higa family, living in Honolulu, Hawai`i in the 1940 U.S. federal census. National Archives and Records Administration.
Workers loading sugarcane on carts in Hawai`i, 1917. Library of Congress (93510997).
McKinley High School students practice an air raid drill on the school’s campus. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 3, 1942.

Homefront

Hawaiʻi played a significant role in supporting the Korean War due to its strategic location in the Pacific and its strong military presence. Hawaiʻi served as a major training and deployment hub for U.S. troops heading to Korea. Schofield Barracks, Pearl Harbor, and Hickam Air Force Base were key military installations that prepared service members and supplied war materials. Also, the U.S. Pacific Fleet, based at Pearl Harbor, played a crucial role in transporting troops, equipment, and supplies to Korea. Aircraft from Hickam Air Force Base supported aerial missions.

Local Enlistment and Service

Many Hawaiians, including a significant number of Japanese Americans, volunteered or were drafted into the U.S. military. The famed 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team Veterans from World War II played a key role in leading new recruits.

War Industry and Economy 

Local businesses and industries helped support the war by producing and shipping essential goods. Hawai`i’s sugar and pineapple plantations contributed to feeding U.S. forces.

Tank crew taking a break during training at Schofield Barracks, Oahu, 1951. Department of Defense, State of Hawaiʻi.
This newspaper article details how enlistment in the Hawaiʻi National Guard increased after the outbreak of the Korean War. Honolulu Star-Advertiser, July 13, 1950.
Women working in the Dole Pineapple Company’s canning factory, c.1950s. Dole Archives, University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa.

Military Experience

After World War II, many bilingual Japanese-Americans from Hawaiʻi served in the U.S. military during the occupation of Japan. Among them was Higa, who enlisted in the fall of 1948 and trained at Schofield Barracks, Hawaiʻi. He served occupation duty with the 35th Infantry Regiment, which was stationed in Otsu, Japan.

The Korean War and the Pusan Perimeter

On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. The 35th Infantry Regiment was quickly deployed, landing in Pusan on July 13, 1950. They saw combat south of Taejon, where they covered the withdrawal of the 24th Infantry Division. By August, Higa’s unit was assigned to defend the southwestern sector of the Pusan Perimeter. Baker Company, including Higa, endured relentless artillery and mortar attacks while short on water and ammunition. Higa received a Bronze Star for his service at Chung-ni.

Advancing North and the Chinese Offensive

By late September, the 25th Infantry Division captured Kunsan and spent October eliminating any remaining enemy resistance. By early November, they reached the 38th Parallel at Kaesong before advancing north to Pyongyang and Anju. However, the situation drastically changed on November 24, when the Chinese entered the war, launching a massive counteroffensive.

Higa’s unit, Baker Company, was part of Task Force Dolvin, assigned to assess Chinese troop strength near Unsan, where the 8th Cavalry suffered heavy losses. When their position became untenable, Higa’s platoon sergeant advised the men to attempt escapes in pairs. Higa and fellow Hawaiʻi soldier Private First Class Nishimoto took their chances. Instead of heading directly south, they initially moved north to avoid detection. The only weapon they had was an abandoned Browning Automatic Rifle without ammunition. Under cover of darkness, they maneuvered past Chinese forces and reached a ridge at dawn. However, their luck ran out when they encountered over 15 Chinese soldiers. With no other option, they surrendered on November 27, 1950.

Captivity at Camp 5

The captured soldiers were forced to march through brutal winter conditions to a temporary holding village in the Pukchin-Tarigol Valley. Many prisoners perished due to extreme cold and malnutrition. In January 1951, survivors, including Higa, were moved to Camp 5 on the Yalu River, where they remained for nearly three years.

Conditions in the POW camp were inhumane. Prisoners endured starvation, physical abuse, forced labor, and relentless communist propaganda. When peace talks stalled, treatment worsened. In May 1951, Higa was declared missing in action and presumed dead. His family mourned, and his mother, Ushiya, was presented with his Bronze Star.

Release and Return

Following the signing of the Korean War Armistice, Higa was among the third group of UN prisoners released. His mother had never lost hope, saying, “He made us a promise he would come back, and now he is.” Her faith was finally rewarded when her son came home, after surviving years of hardship and captivity.

Prisoner of War Camp (POW) No. 5 at Pyoktong, on the Yalu River in Pyoktong, North Korea, c.1950-1953. Australian War Memorial (P00305.003).
Family photograph after Higa’s mother, Mrs. Ushi Tokuda was told that her son would be coming home. On the left is Higa’s sister-in-law, Betty Higa, holding his nephew, Brian. On the right is Higa’s sister, Mrs. Frances Sinabukuro. Honolulu Star-Advertiser, August 10, 1953.
Corporal Higa returned home and was greeted by his mother. Honolulu Star-Bulletin, August 22, 1953.

Veteran Experience

After surviving captivity as a Prisoner of War in North Korea, Private First Class Henry K. Higa returned to Hawaiʻi and began rebuilding his life. He met Jannate M. Nakamura, and the two married in 1958. Together, they built a loving family, welcoming their son, Derrick, followed by their daughter, Cheryl.

Higa established a career as a Business Machine Technician, working for Koss-Sherry Company, Office Things, and Olivetti Corporation. His technical skills and dedication made him a valued employee. Despite the hardships he endured during the Korean War, he remained committed to his community and fellow Veterans.

Commemoration

As a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans Commanders Club, the Korean War Veterans Association, and the American ex-POW Association, Higa remained deeply connected to those who shared his experiences. He passed away on June 12, 2023, at Castle Medical Center in Kailua, Oahu, Hawaiʻi, leaving behind a legacy of resilience, dedication, and service.

Henry K. Higa’s obituary photograph. Honolulu Star-Advertiser, August 13, 2023.
Henry K. Higa’s resting place at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, December 9, 2024. Courtesy of Lynne O’Hara.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“5th Hawaiian Prisoner Of War Freed.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 9, 1953. Newspapers.com (129582860). 

“Big Island GI Won’t Forget Milk, Imprisonment by Reds.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], August 20, 1953. Newspapers.com (270172108). 

“Cpl. H.K. Higa, Thin, Tired, Returns Home.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], August 22, 1953. Newspapers.com (159775722). 

“Enlistments In Guard Up.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], July 13, 1950. Newspapers.com (165203206). 

“Ex-P.O.W. Henry K. Higa En Route Home Today.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 21, 1953. Newspapers.com (280423116). 

“Ex-P.O.W. Henry K. Higa En Route Home Today.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], August 21, 1953. Newspapers.com (270172325). 

Hawaii. Honolulu. 1940 U.S. Federal Census. Digital image. https://ancestry.com. 

Henry K. Higa. Korean War Data File of American Prisoners of War, 1950 – 1953. National Archives and Records Administration. https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=240&mtch=1&tf=F&q=higa&bc=sl&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=4240. 

Henry K. Higa. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995. Digital Image. https://ancestry.com. 

Henry Koyei Higa, DD-214, Department of the Army. National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Henry Koyei Higa, Certification of Military Service. National Cemetery Administration, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Henry Koyei Higa.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 13, 2023. https://hawaiiobituaries.com/us/obituaries/hawaiiobituaries/name/henry-higa-obituary?id=52689064.

Home Again . . . home from Japan. Photograph. Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 22, 1953. Newspapers.com (164661117). 

Learns Son is Fifth Hawaii G.I Released. Photograph. Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 10, 1953. Newspapers.com (156311721).

[Loading sugar cane on carts, Hawaii]. Photograph. 1917. Library of Congress (93510997). https://www.loc.gov/item/93510997/. 

“Marriage Applications.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], September 3, 1958. Newspapers.com (269258004). 

Murphy, Jerry. “GI Returnees Wonʻt Talk ʻUntil Our Guys Get Out.’” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], August 24, 1953. Newspapers.com (280426249). 

“Nakamura Rites.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], April 5, 1965. Newspapers.com (259974847). 

PFC. Henry K. Higa. Photograph. Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], August 10, 1953. Newspapers.com (156311721).

Pyoktong, North Korea. Prisoner of War Camp (POW) No. 5 at Pyoktong, on the Yalu River. Photograph. c.1950-1953. Australian War Memorial (P00305.003). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C44340. 

Tank Crew During Training Break at Schofield Barracks. Photograph. In Annual Report of the Adjutant General, Territory of Hawaii, July 1, 1951 to June 30, 1952. Department of Defense, State of Hawai`i, 1953. https://dod.hawaii.gov/blog/annual-report/annual-report-of-the-adjutant-general-territory-of-hawaii-1951-1952/. 

Trenches Safeguard Boys, Girls at McKinley High. Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], March 4, 1942. Newspapers.com (165201766). 

Secondary Sources

“35th Infantry Regiment.” 25th Infantry Division Association. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.25thida.org/units/infantry/35th-infantry-regiment/. 

Baldovi, Louis. A Foxhole View: Personal Accounts of Hawaii’s Korean War Veterans. University of Hawai’i, 2002.

“Camps.” Korean War Ex-POW. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://koreanwarexpow.org/info/camps/. 

Dingeman, Robbie, and David Thompson. “Cannery Tales: Community Leaders Talk Story About Bygone Summers in Honolulu’s Pineapple Factories.” Honolulu Magazine, November 3, 2014. https://www.honolulumagazine.com/cannery-tales-community-leaders-talk-story-about-bygone-summers-in-honolulus-pineapple-factories/. 

“Henry Koyei Higa. Find a Grave. Updated July 16, 2023. February 14, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/256773538/henry-koyei-higa. 

“Henry Koyei Higa. Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/HENRYKOYEIHIGA/a40337. 

“Prisoners of War (Korean War).” Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://dpaa-mil.sites.crmforce.mil/dpaaFamWebInKoreanWarPOW.

This profile was funded by a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The opinions, findings, and conclusions stated herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.