Toro Migita |
Schofield Barracks |
Information provided by Jack G. Henkels |
In the area of Leilehua Lane, near the intersection of School Street and Fort Street, Torao Migita, the only Japanese American Serviceman to die on December 7th. His family was told that he died at Wheeler Field but military records show that he was actually killed in downtown Honolulu. Born in Kalihiwai, Kauai, on October 25, 1914, Migita was a private with Company D of the 298th Infantry Regiment, which was stationed at Schofield Barracks. He had a weekend pass to visit his family in town when the attack began. Hearing on the radio that all military personnel were to report to their ship or base, he was heading back to Schofield Barracks when he was killed by friendly fire. Although his name was originally omitted when the Remembrance Exhibit was constructed in 1991, Migita was not overlooked by the people of Hawaii. His name was the first to be inscribed on the "temporary" World War II Memorial which contains the names of all servicemen from Hawaii who died in World War II. His name is listed first because he was the first local serviceman to die in the war. |
