Francis Shigeo Takemoto (28 November 1912 – 26 May 2002) was a

Hawaii Army National Guard The Hawaii Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army and the United States National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one thi ...

and United States Army Reserve brigadier general. A veteran of the famed

100th Infantry Battalion The 100th Infantry Battalion ( ja, 第100歩兵大隊, ''Dai Hyaku Hohei Daitai'') is the only infantry unit in the United States Army Reserve. In World War II, the then-primarily Nisei battalion was composed largely of former members of the Haw ...

in World War II, he became the first Japanese American promoted to general officer rank in 1964.

Early life and education

Born in Honolulu on the

island of Oahu Oahu () ( Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over two-thirds of the population of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The island of O’ ...

, Takemoto graduated from McKinley High School. He received a B.S. degree in chemistry from the

University of Hawaiʻi The University of Hawaiʻi System, formally the University of Hawaiʻi and popularly known as UH, is a public college and university system that confers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through three universities, seven com ...

in 1935 and, having participated in the Army ROTC program, was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in the Army Reserve on 13 July 1935. Takemoto subsequently earned a graduate teacher's certificate from

Santa Barbara State College The University of California, Santa Barbara (UC Santa Barbara or UCSB) is a public land-grant research university in Santa Barbara, California with 23,196 undergraduates and 2,983 graduate students enrolled in 2021–2022. It is part of the Un ...

in 1940 and worked as a mathematics teacher on the island of Hawaii. He later graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College in 1953.

Military career

After serving as an Army Reserve officer for eight years, Takemoto reported for active duty on 30 March 1943 and was sent to Camp Shelby in Mississippi to train with the 442nd Infantry. He was transferred to the 100th Infantry Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division in Italy in March 1944. Takemoto landed at Anzio and received a shrapnel wound to the side of his head a few days later while serving with Company D. After recuperation, he fought with the 100th Infantry in Italy and France and was promoted to first lieutenant on 21 November 1944. When the 100th Infantry was made part of the 442nd Infantry on 11 June 1944, Takemoto acted as liaison between the two commanders. He earned a

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

and the Purple Heart for his World War II service. Released from active duty on 8 January 1946, Takemoto was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the Army Reserve on 25 September 1946 and given command of Headquarters Company, 299th Infantry, Hawaii Army National Guard on 20 November 1946. Promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on 3 August 1948, he became executive officer of the 2nd Battalion, 299th Infantry. Promoted to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

on 19 February 1952, Takemoto served as executive officer of the 298th Infantry and then commander of the 1st Battalion, 298th Infantry. On 5 February 1960, he became executive officer of Headquarters, 29th Infantry Brigade. On 1 July 1960, Takemoto was promoted to colonel. On 1 March 1963, he became commander of the 1st Battle Group, 299th Infantry and then commander of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 1 April 1963. In January 1964, he was promoted to brigadier general by Hawaii Governor John A. Burns. On 10 February 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson nominated him to also be a brigadier general in the Army Reserve. Takemoto was confirmed by the full United States Senate on 27 February 1964. He continued to serve as commander of the 29th Infantry Brigade until 3 May 1968, preparing the unit for potential Vietnam War deployment. Takemoto retired on 4 May 1968, having reached the compulsory retirement point for National Guard personnel at the time. On 13 May 1968, the 29th Infantry Brigade was in fact activated for federal service.

Civilian career

After World War II, Takemoto returned to teaching math. He was appointed principal of Aliamanu Elementary School in 1957 and then Manoa Elementary in 1965.

Personal

Takemoto was the son of Japanese immigrants Tsunetaro Takemoto (11 January 1880 – 26 August 1971) and Tane Takemoto (3 March 1882 – 6 February 1970). Takemoto married Gladys Chizuko Uyeno (12 June 1913 – 19 October 1996), a fellow teacher, on 28 August 1938. They had a daughter, a son and six grandchildren. After his death in Honolulu, Takemoto was interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific beside his wife on 11 June 2002.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Takemoto, Francis Shigeo 1912 births 2002 deaths People from Honolulu Hawaii people of Japanese descent University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa alumni Military personnel from Hawaii American military personnel of Japanese descent United States Army reservists University of California, Santa Barbara alumni American educators of Japanese descent United States Army personnel of World War II Hawaii National Guard personnel United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni United States Army generals Burials in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific