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My Friend Hero Shiosaki 442 RCT


noworky
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I took these pictures today after church they’re of my good friend Hero Shiosaki who is 92 years young. Hero was a member of the Japanese American 442 RCT in Europe during WW2 and it is a privilege and honor to know him and call him my friend.I really look forward to having breakfast each week with him and his two sons and enjoy listening to him tell stories of his experiences during the war and his memory is truly amazing as he seems to remember even the smallest details of an experience he had.

 

It’s an interesting story of the sculpture of Jesus Christ’s likeness he’s holding in the photo. The German forces surrendered in Europe in April and May of 1945 and the sculpture was given to Hero then 25 years old on October 27th 1945 shortly before he left to come back home to Idaho.In between May and October of 1945 Hero along with much of the 442ND RCT waited out to come home in the city of Carrara Italy. He became friends with a local family there by the name of Frediana who Hero said just happen to by accident have two beautiful daughters! It sounds like the Frediana family was very nice to the members of the 442nd and Hero said he gave most all of his issued clothing to the family which meant a lot to them as they probably didn’t have much due to the war.

 

When he was getting ready to leave they gave him the marble sculpture of Jesus which he was able to have shipped home.Hero had the frame made for the sculpture here in Idaho when he returned after the war he has since donated it to our Methodist church. The sculpture is very detailed and also very heavy and for sure it’s maker was a very gifted person. The back of it still has an original note to Hero from the Frediana family. The city of Carrara is world famous for its marble quarries and was the favorite place for Michelangelo to get his marble.

 

Hero Shiosaki was drafted in March 1942 and took his oath of allegiance on March 12th. Hero told me his dad told him he’d rather see me come home in a casket than come home in disgrace. On his last furlough Hero was saying goodbye to him, his dad kind of grabbed his arm and said, ‘Hero,’ in Japanese he could understand, ‘you are an American soldier. You go fight for America. And if you have to die for America, so be it.’

 

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What a nice friend to have and a good inspiration as well.

I am sure he is very proud of his service and has all the GI stories to go with it.

I hope his sons are as proud of him, as you are to know him.

God bless him, and thank him for his service when you two next have breakfast. :salute:

 

JS

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