Staff Sergeant Jack Chuichi Arakawa

Early Life

Jack Chuichi Arakawa was born on November 5, 1920, in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. He was the third child of Makari and Matsu Arakawa, who immigrated from Okinawa, Japan, around 1910. Japanese immigrants became one of Hawai‘i’s largest ethnic groups, bringing their culture and traditions. Originally plantation workers, Arakawa’s father later worked as a janitor at a private school, while his mother labored in a pineapple cannery. He grew up with six siblings: Mitsuno, Shigeo, Toshino, George, Haruno, and Mary.

After completing middle school, Arakawa worked as a bakery helper. When World War II began, he found employment with McCabe, Hamilton & Renny, Hawai‘i’s oldest independently owned stevedore company.

Life Under Martial Law

The bombing of Pearl Harbor drastically changed life for the Arakawa family. With martial law declared, the U.S. military controlled daily life in Hawai‘i. Japanese language schools, religious institutions, and newspapers were temporarily shut down. Japanese Americans also faced curfews, blackouts, and restrictions on public gatherings. 

A group of Japanese American students known as the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV) formed after petitioning Lieutenant General Delos Emmons to serve in the military during World War II. Despite being classified as “enemy aliens,” they performed heavy labor at Schofield Barracks, building roads, and military installations, and working in a quarry for nearly a year before the U.S. War Department changed their classification. Japanese Americans, including Arakawa, were inspired to volunteer for the U.S. Army.

Homefront

During World War II, Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i demonstrated unwavering patriotism despite widespread suspicion and discrimination. To prove their loyalty, many adopted English-only policies, removed Japanese signage, destroyed Japanese-language materials, and discontinued cultural celebrations. Nisei, or second-generation Japanese Americans, considered themselves fully American and actively supported the war effort by purchasing war bonds, donating blood, and volunteering. 

Many Nisei Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students at the University of Hawai‘i joined the Hawaiian Territorial Guard but were later dismissed due to security concerns. In response, they formed the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV), a labor battalion supporting the U.S. Army’s 34^th Engineers with infrastructure projects at Schofield Barracks. Their dedication helped pave the way for Japanese American military service, most notably the formation of the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, one of the most decorated units in U.S. history.

Hawai‘i’s Contributions to the Korean War

Hawai‘i played a critical role in the Korean War due to its strategic Pacific location and strong military presence. Thousands of soldiers from Hawai‘i, including Native Hawaiians and Japanese Americans, served in key units such as the Hawai‘i National Guard’s 298^th and 299^th Infantry Regiments and the 442^nd Infantry Regiment, which helped train troops. The highly decorated 5^th Regimental Combat Team fought in major battles, including the Pusan Perimeter and Heartbreak Ridge. Military installations like Pearl Harbor and Schofield Barracks were essential transit points for troops and supplies, while Tripler Army Medical Center treated wounded soldiers returning from the front lines.

Hawaiian Support During the Vietnam War

During the Vietnam War, Hawai‘i continued to serve as a crucial military hub. Key bases such as Pearl Harbor, Hickam Air Force Base, Schofield Barracks, and Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station played vital roles in operations and troop deployments, while U.S. Pacific Command (PACOM) oversaw military strategy in the Pacific. Many soldiers from Hawai‘i, including Native Hawaiians and Japanese Americans, fought in Vietnam. The 25^th Infantry Division (“Tropic Lightning”), based at Schofield Barracks, played a major role. Hawai‘i’s rugged terrain provided an ideal setting for jungle warfare training, preparing troops for combat conditions in Vietnam. Meanwhile, the Pacific Fleet and U.S. Air Force units stationed in Hawai‘i supported naval operations, aerial refueling, reconnaissance, and medical evacuations, ensuring wounded soldiers received life-saving care.

Military Experience

Staff Sergeant Jack Chuichi Arakawa was inducted into the U.S. Army on March 25, 1943, at Schofield Barracks, volunteering for service with the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT). As a machine gunner in Company H, he fought across Italy, France, and Germany, participating in major campaigns such as Rome-Arno, the Northern Apennines, and the Po Valley.

The 442^nd RCT landed at Anzio, Italy, on March 26, 1944, and played a crucial role in defending the beachhead against German forces before advancing toward Rome. One of their first major victories as a combined regiment was the capture of Belvedere on June 26, 1944, where the 100^th Battalion outflanked and decimated an entire SS battalion, earning the Presidential Unit Citation.

Arakawa also took part in the dramatic Rescue of the Lost Battalion in the Vosges Mountains of France in October 1944, where the 442^nd RCT broke through heavily fortified German defenses to save 211 trapped soldiers of the 141^st Infantry Regiment from Texas. The brutal six-day battle resulted in nearly 2,000 casualties, leaving some companies nearly wiped out.

In January 1945, Arakawa was listed as wounded in action, though he later returned to service. In April 1945, the  442^nd RCT spearheaded the final assault through the Gothic Line, pushed German forces into retreat and contributed to the liberation of northern Italy. For his service, Arakawa received a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and multiple Presidential Unit Citations.

Occupation of Japan

After returning from Europe in November 1946 and being discharged on March 24, 1947, Arakawa re-enlisted in December 1947 and served with the 24^th Infantry Division on occupation duty in Japan. The occupation of Japan after World War II aimed to demilitarize, democratize, and rebuild the country. Many Japanese Americans joined the occupation forces and used their language skills to assist in the transition while also proving their loyalty after facing wartime discrimination. In September 1948, Jack Arakawa deployed to Kyushu, Japan with the 19^th Infantry Regiment, 24^th Infantry Division, which had been stationed in Japan since 1945 to carry out occupation duties.

Korean War

When the Korean War began, Arakawa was sent to the front as a machine gunner with Company C, 1^st Battalion, 19^th Infantry Regiment, 24^th Infantry Division. He was an experienced soldier. His unit was deployed to defend the Kum River line, where they faced the full force of the 6^th North Korean Division on July 15, 1950. The 19^th Infantry Regiment suffered heavy casualties but succeeded in slowing the enemy’s advance.

On July 16, 1950, Arakawa’s first day in battle, near Taejon, Arakawa’s position came under intense enemy fire. Despite being deafened and partially blinded when his machine gun exploded, he continued fighting with an automatic rifle, holding off the advancing North Koreans long enough for his fellow soldiers to retreat. He was last seen firing into the enemy ranks and was mistakenly reported dead.  Instead, he had been wounded. Hawai’i headlines reported, “442d Veteran First Hawai‘i War Victim.”

Capture, Death March, and Imprisonment

After being stunned by a bullet that grazed his chest, Arakawa attempted to evade capture by hiding in a North Korean village. His shaved head helped him blend in temporarily, as North Korean soldiers also had shaved heads, unlike South Koreans who kept their hair longer. However, he was eventually stopped and captured. When interrogated, his captors initially mistook him for a Japanese soldier and did not believe he was American. They questioned his presence in Korea, and when he explained that the United Nations had sent the 24^th Infantry Division, they expressed confusion, believed the United Nations (UN) supported them instead.

As a Prisoner of War (POW), Arakawa was forced to carry ammunition for the enemy for 38 days. Despite the harsh conditions, he was given rice and vegetable soup, which he considered adequate food. He encountered five other Hawaiian POWs before being marched to Seoul, where he was held in a converted schoolhouse prison camp. He and 373 fellow prisoners were later forced on a brutal 270-mile death march to Pyongyang, with 81 men dying along the way due to beatings, malnutrition, and exposure. Out of 376 POWs, few survived the forced march from Seoul.

Upon arriving in Pyongyang on October 9, 1950, he noticed that civilians were more sympathetic than those in Seoul. A doctor secretly provided medicine and bandages, while an elderly woman gave the prisoners apples and rice with onions and meat—a rare kindness during captivity

Escape and Rescue

On October 14, 1950, Arakawa and four other prisoners learned they were being sent to Manchuria. As they were marched toward the railroad station, they saw an opportunity to escape. They hid in the shadows of an alley and allowed the column of prisoners to pass. Once alone, Arakawa, who resembled a Korean, took the lead, pretended to be a guard and shouted “Bali, Bali” (“Hurry!”), successfully guiding the others through Pyongyang undetected.

Their escape nearly failed when they encountered a North Korean roadblock and were fired upon. They hid in a crowded street before breaking into an abandoned house, where they remained hidden for five days. They survived on flour, sesame seeds, and water, eventually developing a taste for the makeshift food.

On the fifth day, they heard church bells and South Korean soldiers shouting “Banzai!” Peeking outside, they saw Republic of Korea flags waving, signaling that the city had been liberated. They emerged cautiously and were greeted joyfully by a South Korean sergeant, confirming their rescue.

Reassigned to Fort Shafter

On December 6, 1950, Jack C. Arakawa arrived safely in Japan, where he underwent a complete physical at the 128^th Station Hospital at Zama and was found to be in good condition. Although he initially wanted to return to his unit immediately after discharge from the hospital, authorities recommended he take leave and return home first. 

Arriving in Hawai‘i on November 10, he was assigned as a driver for the post chaplain at Fort Shafter. His homecoming marked the end of more than two years and three months away from his family since he had left for Japan. For his extraordinary bravery and survival, he received the Silver Star, originally issued posthumously when he was presumed dead.

Camp Chickamauga, Japan 

After receiving the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster and a Purple Heart during a ceremony at Schofield Barracks in February 1951, Arakawa applied for a transfer to rejoin his old unit still fighting with UN forces. Two years later, military news from Beppu, Kyushu, highlighted a luau held at a U.S. Army base in Japan, where troops enjoyed traditional Hawaiian dishes. Jack Arakawa, stationed at Camp Chickamauga with the occupation forces, supervised the serving of food at the event.

Re-enlistment and Return to Korea

In March 1957, Arakawa re-enlisted for another six years, serving in Hawai‘i as an instructor at the Fort Shafter Special Services gym. In 1963, he extended his service for another three years, returning to Korea with the U.S. Eighth Army, which was responsible for deterring North Korean aggression and maintaining stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Supporting War Effort in Vietnam

Arakawa’s last years of service occurred during the Vietnam War years. He retired as a staff sergeant with the 8^th Army in 1967.

After returning to Hawai’i, he worked as a cargo clerk for the U.S. Air Force at Hickam Air Force Base. Hickam served as the hub of the Pacific aerial network, supporting transient aircraft ferrying troops and supplies to, and evacuating wounded from the Vietnam War.

Veteran Experience

War Bride from Italy

After completing his service in the European Theater, Arakawa married Emilia Maria Teresa Lavacchini, an Italian woman from Florence, Italy, in 1946. The couple had known each other for a year and had a son, Jack, while living in Europe before returning to Hawai‘i later that year, where their daughter, Doris, was born in 1947.

First Funeral

In June 1950, the Army mistakenly notified Emilia of Arakawa’s death. General Douglas MacArthur and Hawai‘i Governor Oren E. Long sent letters of condolence. A memorial service was held at the Higashi Hongwanji Mission. Months later, a news reporter informed the family that Arakawa had survived. Following his return home and re-enlistment, Emilia filed for divorce.

Japanese Bride and Sons

During his time in Japan, Arakawa married his second wife, Tomoe A. Nara, and together they had three sons: Robert, William, and Glenn. The family later settled in Waipahu, Hawai‘i.

Commemoration

Staff Sergeant Jack Chuichi Arakawa’s endurance as a Prisoner of War in Korea demonstrated his unbreakable spirit, leading to his eventual return home. Additionally, his service in Japan and South Korea contributed to their post-war recovery and stability. Throughout his distinguished military career, Arakawa earned numerous presidential citations and commendations, including the Bronze Star, Silver Star, and two Purple Hearts.

Arakawa’s military career spanned three wars, and he remained committed to service overseas until his retirement as a Staff Sergeant with the 8^th Army in Korea. He later worked as a cargo clerk at Hickam Air Force Base. In a final twist of fate, the man who once saw photographs of his own funeral was laid to rest at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, in 1975. His legacy lives on as a testament to the sacrifice, dedication, and unyielding spirit of a soldier who refused to be forgotten.

Bibliography

Primary Sources

“442d Veteran First Hawaii War Victim.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], July 27, 1950. Newspapers.com (157651285).

Cpl. Jack Arakawa Honored. Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], February 18, 1951. Newspapers.com (58120735). 

“Cpl. Jack Arakawa, Once Listed Among Korea Dead, Returns.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], November 10, 1950. Newspapers.com (25251428). 

“Death of Korean War POW Recalls Strange Tale.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], March 31, 1973. Newspapers.com (17916611). 

An escaped prisoner of war returned home . . . Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], November 10, 1950. Newspapers.com (157651612). 

“Family of Korean Battle Casualty.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], July 27, 1950. Newspapers.com (258778848). 

Funeral Service for Pfc. Jack Arakawa. Photograph. July 31, 1950. Dennis M. Ogawa Nippu Jiji Photograph Collection,  Hawai’i Times Photo Archives Foundation, Densho Digital Repository (ddr-njpa-5-54, JA14.002). https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-njpa-5-54/.

The First Hawaii Soldier reported killed . . .  Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], October 25, 1950. Newspapers.com (58122878). 

Hawaii. Oahu. 1930 U.S. Federal Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com. 

Hawaii. Oahu. 1940 U.S. Federal Census. Digital images. https://ancestry.com. 

“Hawaii GI Hero of Korea Escape.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], October 21, 1950. Newspapers.com (165274049). 

“Hero, Once Red Prisoner, Asks Duty in Korea.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], February 16, 1951. Newspapers.com (157533822). 

“Isle Combat Infantryman Found to Defy Death You Must ‘Die.'” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], March 27, 1957. Newspapers.com (58122836). 

Looking at the photograph of Private First Class Jack C. Arakawa . . .  Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], July 28, 1950. Newspapers.com (165280337). 

Luau in Japan . . .  Photograph. Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], February 5, 1953. Newspapers.com (58122872). 

Nelson, Lyle. “With the Military.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], March 25, 1963. Newspapers.com (165279564). 

“New List of Island Boys Wounded in Action.” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], January 14, 1945. Newspapers.com (165318809). 

“News of Hawaii Boys in Service.” Honolulu Star-Bulletin [Honolulu, HI], August 31, 1945. Newspapers.com (148747589). 

“Passengers departing . . .” Honolulu Star-Advertiser [Honolulu, HI], September 27, 1948. Newspapers.com (165319065). 

[Scene on a pineapple plantation, with harvested pineapples, Hawaii]. Photograph. c. 1910-1925. Library of Congress (93511081). https://www.loc.gov/item/93511081/. 

VVV assembled in formal dress with gas masks. Photograph. 100^th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education Center. https://www.100thbattalion.org/history/japanese-american-units/varsity-victory-volunteers/.

Secondary Sources

Hinnershitz, Stephanie. “Japanese Americans and the Wartime Experience in Hawaii.” The National WWII Museum. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/japanese-americans-wartime-experience-hawaii. 

“Jack Chuichi Arakawa.” Find a Grave. Updated March 3, 2000. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/3768656/jack-chuichi-arakawa. 

“Jack Chuichi Arakawa.” Veterans Legacy Memorial, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/JACKCHUICHIARAKAWA/8462938. 

“Varsity Victory Volunteers.” 100^th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education Center. https://www.100thbattalion.org/history/japanese-american-units/varsity-victory-volunteers/. 

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.