Harry M. Akune passed away at age 91 on September 26, 2011.  His service with the 503 ^rd RCT during the Second World War included the parachute jump on Corregidor Island where he was instrumental in the victory there.  This and other accomplishments only came to light in the past decades as information on the Military Intelligence Service was ultimately declassified.  Harry was a decorated war veteran who worked tirelessly to see that other Japanese American veterans received the recognition and benefits that they were due.

Born on May 20, 1920 in Turlock , California, He worked at the family grocery store delivering groceries After his mother passed away when he was 11 years old, his father moved the family back to Japan.

After returning to the U.S, he and his brother Ken were living in Turlock, California.   When the war broke out they were interned at the Amachi Relocation Camp where they both enlisted in the Army. Both were part of the MIS Language School at Camp Savage in Minnesota. The rest of Harry's family remained in Japan.  With the war ended, Harry and Ken worked to resettle their brothers and sisters in the U.S.

After the war, Harry met his wife Barbara Kubota in Chicago. He attended college at Morningside College and DePaul University on the GI Bill. Once it was safe for the Japanese Americans to return west, they both traveled by car to California and later settled in Gardena where he ultimately worked in the insurance business for many years. He loved playing golf and picked up the sport while going to college. He continued to play well into his 80's and would joke about playing with the "younger guys" who were in their 70's. In 1996 he was inducted into the Military Intelligence Hall of Fame in the presence of his family, children and grandchildren.  The subject of many interviews and documentaries, Harry's humility demanded that every detail be painstakingly noted so as not to deny others their proper recognition.

Harry was survived by his wife Barbara Miye Akune (deceased in 2016) and his two daughters Patricia and Susan, as well as their husbands Patrick Kurihara (deceased in 2020) and Scott Marnoy.  He was the loving grandfather to Jason, Thomas and Michael Kurihara and Zachary and Kate Marnoy.