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KIA Japanese American Dog Tag. . .


MBMorley
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This ID tag was found at a local Fort Worth, TX flea market for $1.00. I would love to find more info about this guy if anyone has access to unit rosters. As you can see in the picture, this tag has been damaged (its not rust . . . tag is made of stainless steel) . . . could this be damage as the result of what might have killed this soldier? Another interesting thing about this tag is the fact that there is still dirt caked inside the stamped lettering on the front and back of the tag . . . could this have been a battlefield relic found by some tourist? From what I have been able to find out so far, this guy was listed as MIA and presumed dead as of 3June1945 and posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Listed below is what his dog tag reads . . .

 

SUNAO KUWAHARA

30105683 T43 A

KIMIE KUWAHARA

567 QUINN LANE

HONOLULU, T.H. N.S.

 

Any help you guys might offer would be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

Thanks,

post-7151-1247094501.jpg

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Dont know if you pulled this yet but:

Field Title Value Meaning

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 30105683 30105683

NAME KUWAHARA#SUNAO########## KUWAHARA#SUNAO##########

RESIDENCE: STATE 03 HAWAII

RESIDENCE: COUNTY 000 NO COUNTIES SHOWN

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 0391 Undefined Code

DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 23 23

DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 03 03

DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43 43

GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private

GRADE: CODE 8 Private

BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION BI# Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA

BRANCH: CODE 00 Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA

FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #

TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

LONGEVITY ### ###

SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life

NATIVITY !0 Undefined Code

YEAR OF BIRTH 23 23

RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 4 Japanese, citizen

EDUCATION 1 1 year of high school

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 747 Semiskilled longshoremen and stevedores

MARITAL STATUS 1 Single, with dependents

COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)

CARD NUMBER # #

BOX NUMBER 0371 0371

FILM REEL NUMBER 3.92# 3.92#

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This ID tag was found at a local Fort Worth, TX flea market for $1.00. I would love to find more info about this guy if anyone has access to unit rosters. As you can see in the picture, this tag has been damaged (its not rust . . . tag is made of stainless steel) . . . could this be damage as the result of what might have killed this soldier? Another interesting thing about this tag is the fact that there is still dirt caked inside the stamped lettering on the front and back of the tag . . . could this have been a battlefield relic found by some tourist? From what I have been able to find out so far, this guy was listed as MIA and presumed dead as of 3June1945 and posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Listed below is what his dog tag reads . . .

 

SUNAO KUWAHARA

30105683 T43 A

KIMIE KUWAHARA

567 QUINN LANE

HONOLULU, T.H. N.S.

 

Any help you guys might offer would be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

Thanks,

 

 

Sunao Kuwahara, sometimes also known as Thomas Kuwahara, served in Company A of the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate). That battalion ultimately became the first battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, although it always retained the 100th Battalion designation. Kuwahara was probably a replacement, sent to the 100th in early 1944. He was reported missing near Lanuvio, Italy on June 2, 1944. Hope this helps.

 

Jim McCaffrey

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  • 3 months later...
Dont know if you pulled this yet but:

Field Title Value Meaning

ARMY SERIAL NUMBER 30105683 30105683

NAME KUWAHARA#SUNAO########## KUWAHARA#SUNAO##########

RESIDENCE: STATE 03 HAWAII

RESIDENCE: COUNTY 000 NO COUNTIES SHOWN

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT 0391 Undefined Code

DATE OF ENLISTMENT DAY 23 23

DATE OF ENLISTMENT MONTH 03 03

DATE OF ENLISTMENT YEAR 43 43

GRADE: ALPHA DESIGNATION PVT# Private

GRADE: CODE 8 Private

BRANCH: ALPHA DESIGNATION BI# Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA

BRANCH: CODE 00 Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA

FIELD USE AS DESIRED # #

TERM OF ENLISTMENT 5 Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law

LONGEVITY ### ###

SOURCE OF ARMY PERSONNEL 0 Civil Life

NATIVITY !0 Undefined Code

YEAR OF BIRTH 23 23

RACE AND CITIZENSHIP 4 Japanese, citizen

EDUCATION 1 1 year of high school

CIVILIAN OCCUPATION 747 Semiskilled longshoremen and stevedores

MARITAL STATUS 1 Single, with dependents

COMPONENT OF THE ARMY 7 Selectees (Enlisted Men)

CARD NUMBER # #

BOX NUMBER 0371 0371

FILM REEL NUMBER 3.92# 3.92#

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Aloha to MB Morley and Jim:

 

First, I would like to thank MB Morley for placing this e-mail and Jim for the information provided on the person. You both cannot imagine how happy I am to have read both messages and it's because this man, SUNAO KUWAHARA, was my mother's youngest brother who joined the service, went to war, and never returned home to his beloved Hawaii. My mother and her siblings tried desperately all these years prior to their passing to see if they could locate any of his belongings and/or documentation he may have left behind. He was with the 100th/442nd Battalion and was sent to Anzio Beach where my mother and her family were told that he was missing in action. To this day, nothing has turned up except this dog tag that somehow found its way to the Fort Worth, Texas flea market.

 

Mr. Morley, I would like to purchase this particular dog tag of my uncle so that we, his blood family can have this as a keepsake of our uncle. Personally, I was not born where he was taken from us but my mother would share stories about their growing up years prior to his enlisting in the war. Another one of my mother's brother, an older one, also enlisted and was wounded and survived the war. He was just as much in the dark about what really happened to his younger brother. Please let me know what price you are asking for the dog tag. I would appreciate it very much if you could respond to me at your most earliest convenience.

 

Jim, the data you provided about my uncle is very much appreciated as well. I will keep on looking for more information and/or belongings of his if its still out there.

 

As we say in Hawaii. mahalo for your sharing and caring.

 

Joy Medeiros

joymedeiroshawaii.rr.com

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pathfinder505

I have a lot of dogtags found in the area of where soldiers camped and trained in Tennessee. I would think this tag was probably lost while training in the states.

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I have a lot of dogtags found in the area of where soldiers camped and trained in Tennessee. I would think this tag was probably lost while training in the states.

I agree, I've seen a lot of other dug dog tags and nearly all looked like this.

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This ID tag was found at a local Fort Worth, TX flea market for $1.00. I would love to find more info about this guy if anyone has access to unit rosters. As you can see in the picture, this tag has been damaged (its not rust . . . tag is made of stainless steel) . . . could this be damage as the result of what might have killed this soldier? Another interesting thing about this tag is the fact that there is still dirt caked inside the stamped lettering on the front and back of the tag . . . could this have been a battlefield relic found by some tourist? From what I have been able to find out so far, this guy was listed as MIA and presumed dead as of 3June1945 and posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Listed below is what his dog tag reads . . .

 

SUNAO KUWAHARA

30105683 T43 A

KIMIE KUWAHARA

567 QUINN LANE

HONOLULU, T.H. N.S.

 

Any help you guys might offer would be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

Thanks,

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Aloha,

 

I would also like to join my sister, Joy Medeiros in saying "Thank You" to MB Morley, Jim and Austin for finding my Uncle Thomas Sunao Kuwahara's dog tag and posting it and for all the information about my Uncle Thomas Kuwahara. As my sister, Joy Medeiros stated, we are more than willing to purchase my Uncle's dog tag from MB Morley. Please let us know at your convenience. Again, Thank you from our Ohana.

 

Samuel Ah Loo

[email protected]

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wow! a million to 1 shot in the dark that a member of the family is on the forum. i to go with the lost in trainning here in the states.

 

Look at the join date and number of posts for both of the forum members indicating that they are relatives. I would suggest they were researching the veteran using Google or other means and got a hit to our forum. Joined and then made the posts. Has happened in the past this way. My thoughts only ......

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Wow! I just read through this thread - believe it or not the credit for the find goes to my husband, Alan, who found this tag and bought it for $1. I remember the day we bought it! It was in a box with a bunch of other small items - costume jewelry, typical flea market junk. Of course the vendor had no idea where it came from.

 

He in turn gave it to Mr. Morley, who he knew was a collector of 442 items. I say hats off to Alan for having an eagle eye to spot it and rescue it, and how neat that the family would find out about it through this forum! I'm sure they will be thrilled to have their relative's tag back!

 

What a neat ending to our $1 flea market tag story!

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Wow! I just read through this thread - believe it or not the credit for the find goes to my husband, Alan, who found this tag and bought it for $1. I remember the day we bought it! It was in a box with a bunch of other small items - costume jewelry, typical flea market junk. Of course the vendor had no idea where it came from.

 

He in turn gave it to Mr. Morley, who he knew was a collector of 442 items. I say hats off to Alan for having an eagle eye to spot it and rescue it, and how neat that the family would find out about it through this forum! I'm sure they will be thrilled to have their relative's tag back!

 

What a neat ending to our $1 flea market tag story!

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To forthworthgal,

 

It was my sister,Joy Medeiros who does our family geneology and was doing research when she found the information of our Uncle Thomas Sunao Kuwahara on this site. Then my sister informed me of the information she had found on this site, so I decided to see for meself. I am glad I did. I myself would like to thank you and your husband for finding my Uncle's dog tag and have been trying to make contact with MB Morley to see if he is willing to part with it. Again, thanks to all of you who have brought back to life past memories of my Uncle Thomas Sunao Kuwahara that our family never really knew about.

 

Aloha from Maui,

Samuel Ah Loo

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To forthworthgal,

 

It was my sister,Joy Medeiros who does our family geneology and was doing research when she found the information of our Uncle Thomas Sunao Kuwahara on this site. Then my sister informed me of the information she had found on this site, so I decided to see for meself. I am glad I did. I myself would like to thank you and your husband for finding my Uncle's dog tag and have been trying to make contact with MB Morley to see if he is willing to part with it. Again, thanks to all of you who have brought back to life past memories of my Uncle Thomas Sunao Kuwahara that our family never really knew about.

 

Aloha from Maui,

Samuel Ah Loo

 

 

Samuel-

Just keep trying. Mr Morley was on the site today and new PMs show up when one logs on. So at the very least you should be hearing from him soon one way or another regarding his plans for the tag. I hope things work out for you because given the level of interest you and your family has in your relative's history, that tag means eons more to you than any collector. All the best,

 

Kyle

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Aloha to MB Morley and Jim:

 

First, I would like to thank MB Morley for placing this e-mail and Jim for the information provided on the person. You both cannot imagine how happy I am to have read both messages and it's because this man, SUNAO KUWAHARA, was my mother's youngest brother who joined the service, went to war, and never returned home to his beloved Hawaii. My mother and her siblings tried desperately all these years prior to their passing to see if they could locate any of his belongings and/or documentation he may have left behind.

 

While you may not find his original documentation, you can request copies of his service records:

 

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-...ce-records.html

 

I personally have not done this, but other members of this Forum have. You can use the SEARCH tab above to see other postings about this.

 

Good luck!

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While you may not find his original documentation, you can request copies of his service records:

 

http://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-...ce-records.html

 

I personally have not done this, but other members of this Forum have. You can use the SEARCH tab above to see other postings about this.

 

Good luck!

 

I did this for my grandfather's service records (KIA November 44). It took some time but was well worth it, even though many of his records were lost in the fire in the 70s. Still, I got a lot of interesting paperwork relating to his service, death, burial, and even copies of letters my grandmother had written after his death. All of the Army personnel I dealt with were extremely courteous and helpful. I even received some extra help researching his death from the Director of Mortuary Affairs, who took a personal interest in my request.

 

I am friends with MBMorley so I'll ask him if he's checked this thread lately. ;)

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I am going to say what may be the "white elephant in the room". Knowing the extreme scarcity and impossibility and cost of replacing a tag such as this, maybe MBMorely has decided to keep it in his collection since he collects 442 memorabilia? I am not saying that it is right or wrong, but just that it might be possible it is the situation here.

 

This tag represents 3 scarce attributes that makes it not just a normal $1 dogtag:

 

1. The man served with the 442nd RCT.

2. It has a Hawaii NOK address. Hawaii tags are hard to find,.

3. This tag belonged to a soldier who paid the supreme sacrifice. These types of tags are very sought after by dogtag collectors.

 

To me collecting is not " about the money", but finding another tag like this would be almost impossible.

 

Kurt

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I am going to say what may be the "white elephant in the room". Knowing the extreme scarcity and impossibility and cost of replacing a tag such as this, maybe MBMorely has decided to keep it in his collection since he collects 442 memorabilia? I am not saying that it is right or wrong, but just that it might be possible it is the situation here.

 

This tag represents 3 scarce attributes that makes it not just a normal $1 dogtag:

 

1. The man served with the 442nd RCT.

2. It has a Hawaii NOK address. Hawaii tags are hard to find,.

3. This tag belonged to a soldier who paid the supreme sacrifice. These types of tags are very sought after by dogtag collectors.

 

To me collecting is not " about the money", but finding another tag like this would be almost impossible.

 

Kurt

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Aloha to All:

 

I, too, would lilke to add my thank you to Alan for finding my uncle's (Sunao Kuwahara) dog tag at the Fort Worth flea market. To his wife, Forthworthgal, I appreciate you passing along the information of how the dog tag came about and how MB Morley got hold of it. Although my siblings and I did not get to meet and know our uncle, he is still a part of us and we miss him terribly. I have been doing the genealogy for both our parents and to come across this dog tag and how it showed up is a miracle. When I initially read MB Morley's e-mail, I started to shake and tears welled up. To actually see a picture of it gave me goose bumps and peace knowing that my uncle did serve his country and paid the highest price for his family and the US.

 

At the present, my Japanese grandparents are buried here on Oahu and listed under their names is their youngest son, Sunao Kuwahara. The family wanted to remember him as if he were actually buried with his parents. It would mean an awful lot to us if we could bring this very personal item of his back to his homeland that he loved so much.

 

To MB Morley, I understand how important it is as a collector of military memorabilia to have added this particular dog tag to your collection. But, hopefully, you will be able to communicate with us one way or the other.

 

Once again, our thank yous to all that made this possible.

 

Joy Medeiros

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just-a-good-ole-boy

What an amazing series of events that have taken place! I hope that MB Morley gives you and your family the chance to own what I believe is something that is rightfully yours. The dog tag in question was undoubtedly lost by your Uncle and should be returned to his next of kin. Just my opinion.

 

Steve

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I have to say that I am a little surprised that MBMorley does not even have the courtesy to respond to the family member of the tag that he himself posted on the forum.

 

Sometimes I think a lot of people collect this stuff because it is neat and fail to grasp the emotional significance these items may carry for the family members. Do the right thing. Do you think this soldier would rather have the tag locked away in your collection or treasured in the hands of family?

 

The tag is MBMorley's, no question about it. If he wants to keep it that is his decision. At least have the personal courage to say that directly to the family of this soldier who are reaching out to him.

 

Jason

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just-a-good-ole-boy
I have to say that I am a little surprised that MBMorley does not even have the courtesy to respond to the family member of the tag that he himself posted on the forum.

 

Sometimes I think a lot of people collect this stuff because it is neat and fail to grasp the emotional significance these items may carry for the family members. Do the right thing. Do you think this soldier would rather have the tag locked away in your collection or treasured in the hands of family?

 

The tag is MBMorley's, no question about it. If he wants to keep it that is his decision. At least have the personal courage to say that directly to the family of this soldier who are reaching out to him.

 

Jason

 

Well said :thumbsup:

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I hope that MB Morley gives you and your family the chance to own what I believe is something that is rightfully yours. The dog tag in question was undoubtedly lost by your Uncle and should be returned to his next of kin. Just my opinion.

 

Steve

 

This would suggest, then, everyone on the forum who has an identified item in his or her collection be prepared to forfeit it if approached by a family member? For me, this would be every one of my letter collections, scrapbooks, and photo albums. I wonder how the helmet, uniform, and medal guys feel about giving up one of their prized finds? Some may now be more mindful of what they post when sharing acquisitions with the members.

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