100 year-old World War II veteran, Yoshio “Yosh” Nakamura has passed away on November 22, 2025.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Whittier High School Vic Lopez Auditorium on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 2 p.m., 12417 Philadelphia St, Whittier, CA 90601.

However, the Auditorium is actually located on Whittier Ave. near Bailey St. The parking lot is to the north of the Auditorium. Parking is limited so you might have to park on the street.

Yosh was a beloved former teacher at Whittier High School and has an arts building named after him at the school. There is a scholarship in his name for students going on to College.

Yosh Nakamura was a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team composed of Americans of Japanese ancestry that became the most highly decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service. He received the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge, European-African-Middle Eastern Ribbon with three Battle Stars, Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster, the French Legion of Honor medal and with other Japanese American World War II veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100 Battalion and the Military Intelligence Service, was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on November 2, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

He was a staff sergeant when honorably discharged from military service in 1946, after seeing combat in France and Italy. He and surviving Nisei (second-generation Japanese Americans) of the 442nd RCT were honored by the California State Senate on Jun 21, 2018. Yosh and four other Nisei Veterans were chosen to ride and represent the 442nd RCT on the Go for Broke Float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in 2015. He has received commendations for his service from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees, Whittier City Council and others. He felt he represented and honored the WWII Nisei Veterans no longer with us or unable to be present.

The Whittier Public Library, the City of Whittier and County Supervisor Janice Hahn honored Yosh with a 100th birthday party at the Library. Supervisor Janice Hahn also hosted another 100th birthday party later in the month at the Liberty Community Plaza where other organizations and leaders had a chance to honor Yosh.

Born in Rosemead, CA. to Kanesuke Nakamura and Kuni Kawasawki on June 30, 1925, Yosh’s beginnings were very modest. He lost his mother to cancer before he was six. However, he always had friends, neighbors, teachers and family that gave him much support and encouragement. Savannah Elementary School, his elementary school in Rosemead, honored him as the keynote speaker on Leadership Day a few years ago and Columbia School, in El Monte, honored him during its 100th celebration.

During his time at El Monte High School in February 1942 he was elected President of the Lion’s Squires, an honorary service club. This gave him great faith in America, as the students voted him as President despite the Executive Order to incarcerate all persons of Japanese ancestry. He received his delayed El Monte High School diploma in 1991 at a special meeting with elected officials with TV and media coverage.

He, his father, and brothers Todd and Mark and sister, Shigeko were along with 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, mostly American citizens, unjustly incarcerated in camps in remote areas. He was first confined to the Tulare Race Track where horse stalls were converted into living quarters, then later to the hot desert Gila River camp in Arizona. He had faith that America would realize the removal was a big mistake. He spent his senior year in High School there trying to make the barren classrooms feel like a regular high school as much as possible. His efforts were appreciated by his classmates, who elected him to serve as an officer in various clubs and Vice President of the Senior Class.

At Gila Incarceration Camp, when he was asked by U.S. officials whether he would serve in the Armed Forces of the USA and go wherever ordered, he answered yes to prove his loyalty. He was inducted into the Army reserve, then to active duty and trained at Camp Blanding, Florida. He was shipped to France where he became part of the 442nd RCT and saw combat duty in France and Itay. Perhaps the most challenging time was scaling the steep Mt. Folgorito, Italy, in total darkness to surprise the Germans and break the Gothic Line.

This is where he thought he might soon be identified by a cross in a cemetery in Italy. He was fortunate to be led by a skillful and caring squad leader, Tom Kinaga, and comrades who looked after each other. He said of the 442nd, “Impossible was not in our vocabulary.’ As the enemy surrendered, they were assigned to guard them and also provided opportunities to appreciate the great art works in Florence and other sites, giving him a foundation for his art journey.

After his honorable discharge from the Army, he returned to California and enrolled at the University of Southern California, studying art, graduating with a B.A. and M.F.A. He was elected President of the Fine Arts student body.

In 1950 he married Grace Shinoda and they began their family. He was a proud father of three adult children: Linda Nakamura Oberholtzer, an attorney, photographer and birdwatcher, Daniel Nakamura (Paula Stinson), a retired math and science teacher and origami artist, and Joel Nakamura (Kathleen Nakamura), an internationally respected artist; his illustrations were on the 2005 Winter Olympics opening and closing ceremonies covers, and paintings appear in numerous publications, museum exhibitions and collections, all while he became a well-known Aikido performer and instructor. He has two grandchildren, Paloma and Kai Nakamura.

The spirit of the Trojans was a major factor in his life. He attended USC football games and alumni events. “Fight On” was part of his being. He was able to combine art classes with the teacher training program and graduated with a BFA magna cum laude. He began teaching art at Whittier High School after facing reluctance from other districts to hire a Japanese American. His presence on the faculty encouraged the District to begin hiring other Asian American teachers.

Yosh and Grace moved to Whittier, CA. when he started teaching at Whittier High School. He was selected as Teacher of the Year in 1960 by the Woman’s Club of Whittier and advanced to represent the San Gabriel Valley District. During his tenure at Whittier High School he was elected President of the Faculty Club.

When Rio Hondo College opened, he was hired as the founding Chair of the Fine Arts Department. He enjoyed very successful careers as a High School teacher, a College professor, administrator and artist. He retired as Vice President of the College in 1992. His numerous awards include Whittier High School Hall of Fame, “Teacher of the Year,” “Fellow of the College” by Rio Hondo College Board of Trustees, “Person of the Year” by the National Council of Community Services and Continuing Education, and commendations from local, regional, and State professional groups.

Yosh led a very active retirement life, supporting the arts, Hillcrest Congregational Church, The Whittier Regional Symphony, The Whittier Public Library Foundation, The Whittier High School Alumni Assn., The Whittier Museum, The Whittier Community Theatre and his community. The Whittier City Council selected him as the Community Hero for the Los Angeles County Fair “Whittier Day’ and he received the Lifetime Achievement Awards from Hillcrest Festival of Fine Arts and the Whittier Area Audubon Society (along with his wife, Grace) and was recognized as a Hero Among Us by USC at the USC/Utah football game and Military Hero at a Dodger’s game. During Nisei Week in 2022 he was awarded the title of Pioneer, was the Grand Marshal of the Whittier Uptown Assn.’s Christmas Parade, and was honored by the Whittier Regional Symphony in January 2024.

Yosh enjoyed a Tai Chi class with the Aikido Ai Dojo in Whittier. Even when his health declined, they considered him an honorary member.

He was a supporter of Go for Broke National Education Center, Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans, the Japanese American National Museum, the Little Tokyo Service Center, the Veterans Memorial Court Alliance, among others.

He assisted Go For Broke National Education Center in recounting the Nisei WWII veterans’ story to the community and younger generations. In October 2023 he had his “Years of Artistry” art exhibit at the Whittier Art Gallery. His etching “Flight Three’ is a part of the collection of the Joseph Hirshhorn Museum of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C.

He is survived by his children, Linda Nakamura Oberholtzer of CA, Daniel Wayne (Paula Stinson) Nakamura of LA, and Joel Craig (Kathleen) Nakamura of NM; grandchildren, Kai Daniel Nakamura of CA, and Paloma Linda Nakamura of NM; also survived by many nieces, nephews, and other relatives here, LA, and NM., as well as his sister, Shigeko Yoshimura. His wife, Grace, predeceased him.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Yosh’s memory to one of your favorite organizations or to goforbroke.org