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LITTLE KENNY YASUIFor those skeptics who question the sincerity of Japanese-American soldiers, here’s a little story.Staff Sgt. Kenny Yasui of Los Angeles, Calif., has distinguished himself as the Baby Sergeant York” for his heroism on the Burma front. Although he is only five feet two and weighs scarcely more than 120 pounds, he's plenty tough when it comes to fighting Japs for Uncle Sam.During mopping up operations after the collapse of organized resistance on the Irrawaddy river, a group of about 17 enemy Japs was hiding out on an island. There was a call for volunteers and little Kenny was among the first to step out. He and three others stripped and swam the river, with Kenny in charge.Upon approaching the enemy nest, California-born Kenny Yasui yelled into the brush in the Japanese he learned while a student at Waseda university, Tokyo. He ordered the enemy to come out and surrender.In their bewilderment, the nips filed out to surrender their arms. Just then, a Jap officer sprang from a thicket, throwing a hand grenade to blow up Yasui and himself. Yasui Jumped into a foxhole and the Jap officer into another world. Then Kenny drew his sword. Three recalcitrant Japs were killed by other Americans while Yasui held his ground.Little Kenny solved the problem of getting the party across the Irrawaddy by having the remaining 13 prisoners swim pushing a raft. On the raft sat Kenny, sword in hand, bringing his prisoners back in the name of Old Glory.It’s a great tribute to those many Japanese-Amerlcans who are striving conscientiously to be good citizens of the country of their birth.
Newspaper Details
Twin Falls Times News
Twin Falls, Idaho, US
Sun, Oct 15, 1944
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 21 Oct 2018
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