NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

John Murakami was born Fegruary 19, 1919 in Sherwood, Oregon to Shuichi Murakami and Yae Goto Murakami. He died January 28, 2005 in Portland, Oregon.

John entered military service in March, 1942. His family was interned at Minidoka Relocation Center, in Hunt, Idaho in September, 1942 after spending four monhts at an assembly center in Portland, Oregon.

After basic training at Camp Robinson in Arkansas, John was stationed at Fort Warren, Wyoming and when the 442nd RCT was formed, volunteered to become a member of that unit. Following additional training, he was sent to Italy and assigned to Company F. He met his brother, Charles "Jumbo" Murakami , who had volunteered from Minidoka. John was wounded by shrapnel in the liberation of Bruyeres France in the Vosges Mountains. After three months in the hospital, he rejoined the 442nd, but was deemed unfit for comabat duty and assigned to a transportation corp in France. He was honorably discharged from military service in December, 1945. He earned a Purple Heart, Bronze Star and in 2011, a Congretional Gold Medel.

After his discharge, he entered the construction trade with Onchi Construction Company, then taught building construction at Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, Oregon.

After retirement, John entered community service with vigor. His activities included the Japanese Ancestral Society, Legacy Center, Portland Bentham Lions, Oregon Sight and Hearing Foundation, Nissei Vets, Japanese American National Museum and Portland Taiko. He earned awards for lifelong didication and service from many organizations.

John Murakami had a zest for life and lived it to the fullest.