NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

Jack was born on 10/17/1915 in Orillia, WA. His birth certificate had his name as Roy Toshiaki Hori. When he started school, the teacher couldn't pronounce Toshiaki, which is what his parents Shigechi and Shimano called him, so the teacher gave him the name Jack. So Jack went by Jack T. Hori the rest of his life. He grew up in the Auburn area with his parents working on farms, and then a store that Shigechi opened. Jack had two brothers, George and Frank, and two sisters, Mary and Amy. Some time when Jack was growing up, he spent two years in Japan, staying with his grandparents. That is why Jack didn't graduate from High School until he was 20. Jack graduated from Auburn High School in 1935. Jack was an outstanding baseball pitcher in High School, and other sports, and was an All Star on the Auburn Japanese Baseball Team. In 1936, the team went to Japan and played baseball there for about 3 months. In 1937, Jack worked with his dad in a store, and he played for the White River Japanese Baseball Team. It was during this time that Jack met Satoko(Sachi) Iwasaki at the ball games. Jack went into the US Army for service on 10/14/1941 in Tacoma, WA. He went to his training at Camp Grant in Illinios, and then went to Texas where he was at Kelly Field, then Randoplh Field, and then to Fort Sam Houston. All during this time, Jack and Sachi stayed in contact writing to each other. While stationed at Ft. Sam Houston, Sachi came down to San Antonio, and they got married on 6/7/1943. In Jan 1944, Jack left for Camp Savage Military Intelligence and Police School in Minnesota. Sachi went to Minidoka Internment Camp and stayed with her parents. While in camp, Sachi gave birth to Jack(Jay) Hori on 2/8/1944. Jack left for overseas in June 1944, and served in New Guniea & Southern Philippines, and was discharged on January 4, 1946. Some of Jack's decorations and citations were; Philippine Liberation Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, American Defense Service Medal, American Theater Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, and Victory Medal. After leaving the service and coming back to the Auburn area, Jack and Sachi opened a small grocery store in Renton in 1947. On 12/29/1947, their second child, Michael was born, and on March 24, 1949 a daughter, Cathy, was born. Jack got tuberculosis in Sept 1954 and had to stay at Firlands Sanitorium Hospital, until he left in the summer of 1955. Jack and Sachi got out of the store in 1956, and Jack started to work for the US Post Office that year. Jack retired from the Post Office in September 1978, and died one month later on October 23, 1978. Jack didn't get to enjoy his retirement very long, but he did enjoy his life with Sachi, and watching his kids grow up to be adults. He enjoyed working outside in the vegetable garden. He enjoyed watching sports on the television, and listening to the ball games on the radio, and playing cards. He would have enjoyed the grandchildren that came after his death, and they would have enjoyed him.