Arsenio Advincula

Arcenio James Advincula is a martial artist and a first-generation student of the founder of Isshin-ryū Karate, Tatsuo Shimabuku. He also has an extensive background in Largo Mano Eskrima, Hindiandi Gung Fu, Ryukyu Kobudo and Combat Judo. He is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served for 22 years, 6 months, 18 days including two tours in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He retired in 1981 as a Master Sergeant.

Some of his other notable accomplishments include; designing the Isshinryu patch, receiving a Black Belt Emeritus from the United States Marine Corps, working with the San Diego Chargers on body mechanics, selected by the Okinawan Government to represent the U.S. at the 2005 Okinawa Karate and Kobudo Exchange Symposium.

Arcenio James Advincula was born in Juneau, Alaska on January 25, 1938. When World War Two broke out Advincula's father, who was Filipino, brought him to a Filipino family by the name of Diaz to take care of him. His father left for Anchorage where he worked for the U. S. Army Air Corps at Elmendorf Air Base. At the conclusion of the war in 1945 Advincula was reunited with his father in Anchorage.

Advincula began his Martial Arts training in 1946 at the age of 8. His father hired two of his friends who were close-combat instructors for the Philippine Army, Pete Rado and Tony Navarro, to train him. Pete Rado began teaching Advincula Escrima knife fighting and Tony Navarro began teaching him knife fighting with a K-Bar. They both taught him Combat Judo. Around this time his father bought him a Springfield Navy Training Rifle and he started rifle and bayonet training as well.

Advincula's active duty career in the United States Marine Corps spanned 24 years and began on April 30, 1957 when he enlisted at Anchorage, Alaska at the age of 19. During the course of his career he served 2 tours in Vietnam, one of which was ended by a back injury. He returned to Vietnam for about 40 days in 1975 after volunteering to assist in Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of U.S. citizens and allies before the impending fall of South Vietnam. Some of the highlights of his distinguished military service include the following:

Advincula’s personal decorations include (Foreign and non-U.S. personal and unit decorations are in order of precedence based on military guidelines and award date):

Began in 1946 at the age of eight. Instructors were Pete Rado and Tony Navarro, both of whom were Filipino Scouts and close combat instructors. Pete Rado taught Advincula escrima and Tony Navarro knife fighting. Later he trained with Loi Miranda in Alaska (1961).

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