JAVA General Meeting- Election of New JAVA Officers
A JAVA General Meeting was convened at 11:30 AM on Saturday, July 6, 2002 at the China Gardens Restaurant in Rosslyn, Virginia, for the purpose of electing and installing new JAVA officers for 2002-04.
The meeting was chaired by the outgoing Vice President, Calvin Ninomiya. The meeting was opened with a Pledge of Allegiance, led by Joe Ichiuji, a 522nd FA veteran (attached to 442nd RCT). Calvin Ninomiya cited the many activities JAVA was involved in such as the dinner honoring the two Senators, Inouye and Akaka, the Outreach Program of the Memorial Foundation (NJAMF), JAVA participation in JACL’s Speakers Group, the establishment of a JAVA website, and others. He cited that of 145 JAVA members, 50 percent served in WWII . Calvin mentioned the changes made, such as changing the membership to calendar year, establishment of a National Membership category (for those living outside metro area) and establishment of a life membership…approximately 10% became life members.
Phil Ishio , the outgoing President, stated that JAVA will continue to exist, with new and younger members. Many WWII veterans organization have already ceased to exist or are making plans to do so. Northern California MIS for example has already decided to disband with their records going to the National Japanese American Historical Society. He introduced Warren Minami , as the new Chairman of NJAMF .
Mike Okusa, the outgoing Treasurer, gave his financial report. He stated that JAVA has a balance of $16,000 plus. Income for this year was $6,649 primarily from dues. Expenses were approximately $2,000 in donations (Uncommon Courage, JACL’s Freedom Walk, etc) and approx $300 in administrative expenses.
Warren Tsuneishi briefly mentioned the JACL’s convention on the West Coast and a request for assistance in his role as a JAVA representative to a group in Library of Congress compiling narratives from individual WWII veterans. Norman Ikari then spoke of his role in the JACL’s Speaker’s Bureau , citing only 8 speakers are from JAVA and urged for a pool of about 30 JAVA speakers. Grant Ichikawa then gave a brief account of the quilt’s display in Hawaii in March of this year and its scheduled showing at the JANM (Museum in LA) on August 10 and 11th during the Nisei Festival weeks.
Certificate of Appreciation was then given by the outgoing President Phil Ishio to the following: Calvin Ninomiya , David Buto, Mike Okusa, Grant Ichikawa, Norman Ikari and his group, Maggie Ikeda (for searching 442 files at NARA with Sus and Fumi Yamamoto) and to Gayle Yamada, producer of Uncommon Courage , represented by her father Gordon Yamada.
Norman Ikari (442nd) and Terry Shima (442nd) came up with a slate of very uniquely qualified younger officers for the year 2002-2004. They were Bert Mizusawa for President, John Kiyonaga for Vice President, Dave Buto as Secretary (2nd term) and Jack Tashiro for Treasurer. The vote was 100% unanimous. They were then sworn in for the new term.
Background of New Officers:
Bert Mizusawa: Graduate of West Point (lst in class). JD and MA from Harvard. Colonel, Army Reserve. Served in Italy and Korea. Special Asst to Secy of Army ; staff member of Senate Armed Services Committee. Present: President of Innovative Technology Application (ITA).
John Kiyonaga. Attorney-private practice. Graduate of Columbia. Served with Judge Advocate General in military as Captain. Son of late Joe Kiyonaga (442 and CIA) and Bina (author of book My Spy).
Dave Buto: Treasurer. His second term. West Point Graduate . Served in Germany and Korea. MS in Computer Science. Developed the JAVA website, www.javadc.org and serves as it webmaster, Son of late Col Jun Buto, of 442 and OSS.
Jack Tashiro Treasurer. Retired CIA. Attended MISLS at Ft Snelling, MIS translator at War Crimes Trial in Japan. MA at Univ of Minnesota( Public Admin), and John Hopkins (School of International Studies)
By Grant Ichikawa for Dave Buto, JAVA Secy