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    • Arsenic Remediation
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  • Home
    • Upcoming Events
    • About hakalauhome
    • Contact Us!
  • Yesterday
    • Timeline
    • Camps
    • People >
      • The Ross Families of Hakalau
      • Satoru Kurisu
      • Toraichi Morikawa
      • Waichi Ouye
      • Aigoro Uyeno
    • Schools >
      • Hakalau School
      • John M. Ross School
      • Hakalau Japanese Language School
    • Churches & Cemeteries >
      • Churches >
        • Hakalau Jodo Mission
        • Honohina Hongwanji
      • Cemeteries >
        • Honohina Cemetery
    • The Voice of Hakalau
    • Sugar Production >
      • Hakalau Mill & Other Buildings
      • Wailea Milling Company
    • Roads, Bridges, Highways and Railroads >
      • 19th Century Hamakua Roads
      • Bridges >
        • Highway Bridges, 1950-1953
      • The Railroad
  • Today
    • Hakalau Farmers Market
    • Hakalau Jodo Mission Today >
      • Community Commitments >
        • Obon Festival
        • Memorial Day
      • Newsletters
      • PRESENTATIONS
    • Honohina Hongwanji Today
    • Hakalau Reunions
    • Wailea Village Historic Preservation Community >
      • Cemetery Stewardship
      • Reviving Hakalau School
      • Senior Luncheons
      • Mochi Pounding
  • Tomorrow
    • Arsenic Remediation
    • Cliff Failures
    • Hāmākua CDP & the CDP Action Committee

PFC Toshiaki "Toshi" Morimoto, October 18, 1944

Toshiaki was born and raised in Down Camp Hakalau.  He grew up playing basketball and participating in various community activities.  He went to Hakalau School and Hilo High School but, following the death of his mother in 1938, was employed as a carpenter with the Plantation until enlisting in March of 1943.  He was honored in Hakalau at a Chicken Hekka dinner right before his induction.
Picture
PFC Morimoto was in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 2nd Battalion, F Company.  He was killed by artillery fire on October 18, 1944 during an almost continuous four-day firefight in freezing and rainy weather for the strongly fortified hill that dominated Bruyeres, a small town in northeast France.  The Battle of Bruyères and the rescue of the "Lost Texas Battalion" is now considered to be one of the ten major military battles fought by the United States Armed Forces. 
 
After receiving his remains in 1948, memorial and interment services were held with participation by the AJA Veterans Council, the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the 442nd Co. F Boys.  He was survived by his father (a carpenter for the Plantation), 2 brothers and 5 sisters.
For the Hakalau Kuleana, our responsibility is to care for the land, the people, and the culture. We are guided by cultural values of YESTERDAY: Engage in collective effort. Look out for each other. Honor hard work. Show respect for those who came before us. Aloha and Mālama `Aina. In 2021, Akiko Masuda added two more values to the list: Consistently show up. Whatever has to be done, jump in and do it!