Remembering A Most Honor able Son
By Tim Holbert
We have the humbling opportunity to meet a great many American heroes at the American Veterans Center and World War II Veterans Committee . Every once in awhile , however , one makes an unforgettable impression .
That could be said for Ben Kuroki , who passed away on September 1 , 2015 at age 98 .
Ben ’ s World War II story alone was nothing short of inspiring : he was the only Japanese American allowed to fly combat missions over mainland Japan .
Though the Army Air Forces were rejecting Japanese Americans from service , Ben – a native of Nebraska who dreamt of being a pilot – enlisted anyway . Though often ostracized , he was determined to prove his value – and his loyalty – to his country . He eventually became a gunner on a B-24 Liberator , flying combat missions in Europe , including the harrowing raid on Ploesti in August , 1943 .
Ben completed his required 25 missions , then volunteered to keep flying . He was allowed to fly 30 missions before returning home . There , he became somewhat of a celebrity for his service , profiled in a 1944 TIME magazine article under a story titled “ HEROES : Ben Kuroki , American .”
That same year , in remarks to the Commonwealth Club of San Francisco , he said to great ovation , “ When you live with men under combat conditions for 15 months , you begin to understand what brotherhood is all about , what equality and tolerance really mean .”
Remarkably , throughout this time Ben Kuroki traveled to Japanese American internment camps , speaking to those interned about his own service , and encouraging the service of the young men interned .
Yet , it was not the spotlight that Ben craved – rather , it was serving his country in combat . When Ben ’ s requests to fly missions in the Pacific were denied by his commanders , Secretary of War Henry Stimson intervened , citing Ben ’ s “ splendid record ” and ordering he be allowed to return to combat – this time over Japan .
FOLLOWING HIS INCREDIBLE SER- VICE IN EUROPE , BEN KUROKI TRAVELED TO INTERNMENT CAMPS TO SPEAK ON HIS OWN SERVICE AS AN AMERICAN FLYER - IN SPITE OF THE UNFORTUNATE FACT THAT HIS AUDIENCE WAS OFTEN TREATED AS LESS THAN AMERICAN .
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