Thomas Taro Higa

Thomas Taro Higa (September 22, 1916 – February 11, 1985) was a wartime hero both in the United States and Okinawa. Serving with the U.S. Army's 100th Battalion, Higa was critically wounded during heavy fire in Italy. Though shot in the back, he managed to carry two fellow soldiers to safety, thus earning him a Purple Heart and Silver Star. After being wounded, the military used Higa's charm and dedication to his country to help in the recruitment efforts. Higa stood center stage at relocation camps speaking out to Japanese-Americans, helping to gain awareness and support. Then, because of his tri-lingual (Japanese, Okinawan, & English) capabilities, he was asked to convince Okinawans hiding in caves to come out and surrender to safety before the caves were blown, thus sparing their lives. Higa risked his own life entering these caves unarmed, but in the end, saved several villages. After the war, Higa helped with efforts to rebuild Okinawa, sending pigs donated from Hawaii to replenish their depleted stock. In 1983, Higa was honored by the Okinawan government for his efforts during and after the war. In 2015, NHK produced the docudrama Nikkeijin Who Saved Okinawa (沖縄を救った日系人, okinawa wo sukutta nikkeijin) in Higa's honor.

Thomas Taro Higa was born on September 22, 1916 in Honolulu, Hawaii to immigrant parents Kana and Kamezo Higa. He was the third child of twelve children. He was raised by his grandparents in Okinawa and spent his early teen years in Osaka, Japan and returned to Hawaii to work as a farmer. Many people of the Okinawa Prefecture would immigrate to Hawaii in hopes of creating a lifestyle as "immigrant laborers." Their goal was to work hard and return with honor back to Okinawa. Higa's parents did not have time to rear their children so they sent the children that were born in Hawaii back to Okinawa entrusted by close relatives. Higa was sent with his older brother and older sister to their ancestral home in Shimabukuro, Kitanakagusuku, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa-Ken and was raised by his grandparents until he was 9 years old.

After childhood, Thomas Higa went along with his cousin and his cousin's wife and children to Osaka to fulfill his cousin's dream of living in a new land. However, it turned out to be a difficult beginning in life working long hours. His first job was at a store called the Daimaru Shoten in Nomura-cho, which was owned by someone from Wakayama Prefecture. Higa then left to work as a "live-in" apprentice at a wholesale cosmetics store called Horikoshi Kotetsu Sha which was owned by an imperial University graduate from Toyama Prefecture. Higa was only 11 years old and this is where he learned valuable life lessons and basic English. Higa's father had a large farm in Hawaii and needed more help. Higa returned to Hawaii when he was old enough to help. He was also employed at Fuji Denro Kogyo Ltd. under Yasutaro Goto, which manufactured iron hardening kilns for military use.

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