Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Francis Takemoto, first Native Hawai'ian brigadier general in US Army

Francis Takemoto, born November 28, 1912 in Honolulu, Hawai'i, graduated from University of Hawai'i with a degree in chemistry in 1935. He participated in the ROTC program and was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the Army Reserve. 

In March 1943, he reported for active duty and sent to train with the 442nd Infantry in Mississippi.  In March 1944, he was transferred to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division in Italy.  He earned a Bronze Star Medal and a Purple Heart, after receiving a shrapnel wound to the side of his head, for his WWII service.

Takemoto was released from active duty in January 1946, and promoted to captain in the Army Reserve in September 1946. He was promoted to colonel in July 1960.  President Lyndon Johnson nominated him to be Brigadier general in the Army and Takemoto was confirmed by the US Senate in February 1964. 

He retired in May 1968. He passed away in May 2002 in Honolulu. 

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: James Smith, first Native Hawai'ian to win Medal of Honor

 

I cannot find much information on Seaman Smith.  He was born July 5(?), 1838 in Hawai'i prior to it becoming a US territory.  He immigrated to the US and joined the Navy.  He was stationed aboard the USS Kansas near Greytown, Nicaragua on April 12, 1872, when the ship's captain and several members of the crew were drowning.  

His citation states that "Smith displayed great coolness and self-possession at the time Comdr. A. F. Crosman and others were drowned near Greytown, Nicaragua, 12 April 1872, and by extraordinary heroism and personal exertion, prevented great loss of life."

I have not been able to find any information on the incident, so I don't know what happened or what Seaman Smith did at that time.

Smith was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery July 9, 1872 making him the first Native Hawai'ian to win the honor.  

Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Dr. Isabella Abbott, first Native Hawai'ian to receive PhD in science

Isabella Aiona Abbot, born June 20, 1919 in Hana, Maui in Hawai'ian Territory, became the first Native Hawai'ian to receive a PhD in science.  Growing up, her mother taught her about edible Hawai'ian seaweeds and native plants.  

She received her undergraduate degree in Botany at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa in 1941, a MS in botany from the University of Michigan in 1942, and a PhD in botany from the University of California, Berkeley in 1950, becoming the first native Hawai'ian to receive a Doctor of Philosophy. 

She became a leading expert on Pacific marine algae, and in 1972, Stanford University promoted her to full professor of Biology, the first woman and first person of color to hold this position.  She authored eight books and more than 150 publications.  She is credited with discovering over 200 species, and several are named after her.

She passed away in August 2008 in Honolulu.