Jimmy Akira Hanamoto, was born on April 20th 1933 in Santa Cruz, California. He was the youngest of
eight children, born to Shingoro and Asano Hanamoto. He had two older brothers, Sam and Tom, and five older
sisters, Mae, Helen, Tomi, Sue and Ruby. His family lived and worked on a farm in Santa Cruz. Life was difficult as
his parents and older siblings had to work long hours on the farm in order to feed and sustain such a large family.
When World War II started and the mandated internments began, Grandpa was nine years old. His family
travelled to the San Jose area to meet with the Idemoto family. Their intention was for their families to travel
together to the internment camp so that they would be housed together. Their plan succeeded as they were all
sent to Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming. Grandpa was a young boy during the internment, so his
memories of camp life were rather fond. He recalled ice skating along the frozen Shoshone River during the winter
and going on a trip up to Yellowstone National Park with the Boy Scouts troop.
When his family was released from internment camp, he was about 12 years old. His family moved to a home in
the San Fernando Valley. He began attending public school and later graduated from San Fernando High School.
Jimmy was drafted into the US Army on May 19, 1954. He worked as an interpreter/Interrogator. He received a
Korean Service Medal, U.N. Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and ROK
Presidential Unit Citation.
He and his wife, Yetsuko Iwanaga, met and began dating in 1956. He was 23 when they married in March of
1957. Together, they purchased a home in Pacoima, California where their 3 children, Art, Sandi, and Barry were
born. Later, in 1966, Jimmy and Yetsuko moved to Mission Hills, where Grandma still resides.
Jimmy and his friend Kiyo Mochizuki, who had both graduated from Trade Tech College, started a machine shop
business in the garage of the Pacoima house. They named it Hanamoto Manufacturing Company. They were quite
successful and made a comfortable living for their families. The company later expanded into a building in Van
Nuys CA. Back then, with the small business owner tax laws, Jimmy was able to get a new car every other year.
The company also leveraged tax write-offs to purchase a condominium in Mammoth Lakes and in Oxnard. Both
condos have since been sold. But, the children wish they still had the Mammoth condo.
At age 58, he had a stroke and life became more difficult. He complained of pain and dizziness, but was still able to
enjoy going to watch thoroughbred racing, playing poker with family and friends, and playing black jack and slots in
Las Vegas. At home he would putter around in the backyard growing vegetables and fruit trees.
In the intervening years, Jimmy and Yetsuko's 3 children were married. This resulted in Grandma and Grandpa
being blessed with 5 grandchildren, Ryan, Kevin, Nicole, Brianne, and Bryce.