Local WWII veteran celebrates 100th birthday with family, friends, community

WHITTIER, Calif. (KABC) -- A local World War II hero and longtime Whittier resident recently celebrated a "milestone birthday" surrounded by dozens of family, friends and community members.

But before serving our country, Yoshio Nakamura - or "Yosh" as his friends call him - was unjustly incarcerated along with thousands of Americans of Japanese ancestry.

"We're here to honor a good friend, a mentor and a soldier for life," said Lt. Col. Victor Shen with the U.S. Army.

"Turning 100 is a great celebration of life, and what it means to be an American to have lived through so many things, he's been such an inspiration to so many in the community," Shen said.

Before his time in the military, Nakamura and his family were among roughly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry incarcerated following the outbreak of war with Japan. It was during his time in incarceration he chose to enlist.

"He was rounded up at 16 and sent to concentration camps. He was only allowed things he could carry. They took his dog away to put him in a camp. They said would you fight for America and fight the Japanese? And he said, 'Yeah, I'll do it,'" said Allan Zolnekoff, former mayor of Whittier.

During World War II, Nakamura served in the 442nd Regimental Combat team composed of Americans of Japanese ancestry.

"They fought the enemy, but they also fought discrimination, and they came through it wholeheartedly," said Peter James Gravett, a retired major general in the U.S. Army.

Nakamura served as staff sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1946. He went on to receive a bachelor's degree from USC before pursuing education and becoming a teacher.

Now retired, Nakamura isn't letting his age slow him down. His words of advice for a long and happy life?

"If you treat people decently, eventually it comes back to you," he said.