It is with a heavy heart that we belatedly learn of the passing of another of our Distinguished Veterans and a Valued Comrade. This sad news concerns the passing of Dr Katsumi Nakadate, Hq 681st GFA who passed away on 29 November 2007. In the latest issue of the Thundermailcall (#21, November 2009) an article concerning Dr. Nakadate) is as follows :
Col Katsumi James Nakadate, MD, 442 RCT/17th Airborne. Col Nakadate was born on February 3, 1914 in Portland, Oregon, graduated from Washington High School there, and from Willamette University in Salem Oregon in 1935. He graduated from the University of Oregon Medical School in 1938, while in US Army Reserve from 1938-39. He was in medical residency at the Eloise Hospital in Detroit on Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th, 1941 and he was investigated by the FBI. With the help of his Congressman, he was able to marry Mary Marumoto who was released from an Internment Camp in Idaho. After six weeks of medical training, he was placed on active duty with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and spent 6 weeks on studying tropical medicine before transfer to the 69th Division and then on to the 17th Airborne at Camp Forrest for training with the 681st Glider Field Artillery.
He served at the Battle of the Bulge, was wounded in neck and head with frostbites. He was wounded again at Operation Varsity in the hip and back while airborne in a glider. He was wounded again while treating the wounded and collapsed due to loss of blood. After treatment in France, he was hospitalized in England for 2 months. After VE-Day, he was transferred to the 82nd Airborne for duties in Berlin.
After returning home as high-point man, he stayed in reserve to be promoted up the ranks to Colonel. He worked as an anesthesiologist at VA Hospitals in Indiana, Washington and Portland Oregon before retirement.
Editor’s COMMENT : My attempt to contact the Colonel had failed with my letter returned for “No one here by that name”. I assumed he had expired since he was already 95 years old. But we will honor his name as one of our own. There were relatively few Asians in the 17th. For example, about 98% of the American-Chinese were assigned to the China-Burma-India (CBI Theater of Operation). From my hometown, only two got into the airborne. My friend Forney Lee went to the 11th Airborne and myself into the 17th. My friend Leon Lee went to the 507th Prcht and came home with a German bullet still in his brain. If he is still alive, he will be 90 years old now. He was OK except he had an epilepsy seizure now and then with a bullet in the back of his cranium.
Nakadate, Katsumi
NAKADATE, Katsumi 1914-2007
Katsumi James Nakadate, M.D., died Nov. 29, 2007, in Portland at age 93. Katsumi Nakadate was born in Portland on Feb. 3, …
Published in The Oregonian on 12/16/2007
I regret to tell you that we have been unable to contact a member of the Nakadate Family. Dr. Nakadate was an anesthesiologist and worked at VA Hospitals in Indiana, Washington and Portland Oregon before retirement. He joined our Association in 1982 and became a Life member in 1985. Our records indicate the Dr Naladate is survived by four children, five Grandchildren and one Great Grandchild.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Nakadate Family.
Sincerely,
Del Townsend
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