Ninety-three-year-old Takejiro Higa, who served as a Japanese interpreter during the Battle of Okinawa 71 years ago, still recalls when he had to interrogate both his middle school teacher and two of his Okinawa classmates who were taken as prisoners by U.S. forces.

In 1944, Higa and his brother Warren were in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service, after leaving their home near Vineyard Avenue and Liliha Street. They served with twinges of apprehension, however, as they looked like the enemy.

“Two weeks after landing on Okinawa in 1945,” said Takejiro Higa, who now lives in Kapalama, “I was called to interrogate my seventh-grade teacher, who had been caught digging in his garden and taken to the stockade. I was able to convince my commanding officers that he was just a teacher and not a soldier, and he was released.”

Higa was also asked to interrogate two 22-year-old Japanese soldiers who turned out to be his classmates in June 1945, just before the end of the battle.

“The soldiers at first didn’t recognized me, but under questioning they came to realize that we were classmates. They started crying because they thought they would be killed since they were taken as prisoners.” Higa recalled that one of the soldiers said: “‘But now that my own classmate is on the other side of the fence, we figure our lives will be saved. We are crying for happiness.’”

The moment is seared into Higa’s memory.

“Because if I didn’t run away when I was 16 years old, I may be in the same boots as they were, somebody may be interrogating me, you know. And to this day, when I think about it, I get cold sweat,” said Higa.

Higa and other second-generation Japanese-American soldiers collectively received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2010 for their wartime service.

Higa’s life story, along with those of 11 other Japanese-Americans soldiers who volunteered to fight when their loyalty was questioned, is included in a new Smithsonian website, “The Nisei Soldier Congressional Gold Medal.” The website is being launched today.

Three of the featured second-generation, Japanese-American or nisei soldiers are from Hawaii — Higa, the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and the late state Sen. Sakae Takahashi — and served in the segregated units of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team; the Military Intelligence Service; and the Women’s Army Corps.

Christine Sato-Yamasaki, executive director at the National Veterans Network, said in a news release that the exhibition aims to “share the personal experiences of the esteemed Nisei soldiers so generations can understand and personally relate to each story.” She added, “The website will allow educators, students and multigenerational families to easily access the extraordinary stories of these WWII heroes.”

Irene Inouye, Inouye’s widow, said: “The digital exhibition of the Nisei Soldier Congressional Gold Medal is a meaningful testament to the bravery, sacrifices and patriotism of the Japanese-Americans who served our country during World War II. The partnership between the National Veterans Network and the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of American History helps to ensure that the contributions of Americans of Japanese ancestry can be shared with a national and international audience.”

Lifesaving duty

During the Battle of Okinawa, Higa and fellow MIS soldiers sought to save lives by persuading civilians to surrender rather than commit suicide in caves, where many had taken refuge. Soldiers in the MIS served in every major battle and campaign of the war, from Guadalcanal and the Aleutians to Okinawa, obtaining vital information from prisoners and flushing soldiers and civilians from caves and other areas.

Higa said he is grateful that he survived the war without having to kill anyone. “I am very happy that without firing a shot from my carbine I did my duty as a nisei solder and was able to help save the lives of a lot people on Okinawa.”

Born in 1923 in Waipahu, Higa was taken to Shimbaku village on Okinawa at age 2 and spent 14 years on the island before returning to Hawaii to avoid being drafted into the Japanese army for service in Manchuria. Following the outbreak of World War II, Higa volunteered for the 442nd RCT, but was rejected. He was subsequently accepted and trained as an MIS interrogator and translator.

Higa graduated from Farrington High School in 1947, after having had his schooling interrupted by the war. He attended University of Hawaii classes with Inouye, and eventually went on to work for the IRS for 30 years.

In recent years Higa’s story has been retold by the Japanese television network NHK as well as in several Japanese newspapers, books and even a comic book. Also, the story is part of the exhibit in Himeyuri Peace Museum in Itoman on Okinawa.

Inouye a hero, politician

In 1945, Inouye was wounded in the stomach and lost his right arm while serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy, where he would be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross that would be later upgraded to the Medal of Honor. Inouye was elected to serve in Hawaii’s Territorial House in 1954. Four years later, he won a seat in the Territorial Senate. In 1959, when Hawaii became the 50th state, Inouye was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. He went on to represent Hawaii as a U.S. senator from 1962 to 2012, when he died.

Soldier’s family proud

Takahashi, who died in 2001, served as a captain with Company B in the 100th Battalion, which later became a part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team — one of the most decorated Army units in World War II, based on its size and length of service. Besides serving in the state Senate, he was one of the founders of Central Pacific Bank.

Karen Takahashi, one of Takahashi’s four children, said, “The family is honored that his memorabilia is included in the digital exhibit. It is such an honor. We are so proud and humble because my dad was very proud of his service to his country and his legacy.”

Karen Takahashi said one of her brothers plans to attend a special ceremony in Washington, D.C., today when the website will be activated.