Jack Hifuo Mizuha (November 5, 1913 – September 7, 1986) was an educator, soldier, and judge. He was a member of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, and served as the Attorney General of Hawaii from 1958 to 1959, a Circuit Court judge from 1959 to 1961, and a justice of the

Supreme Court of Hawaii The Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of ...

from 1961 to 1968. He was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

Early life

Mizuha was born on November 5, 1913 in Waihee, Maui to immigrants from

Hiroshima, Japan is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region of Honshu. Hiroshima Prefecture has a population of 2,811,410 (1 June 2019) and has a geographic area of 8,479 km² (3,274 sq mi). Hiroshima Prefecture borders Okayama Prefecture to the ...

. He graduated from

Maui High School Maui High School is a public high school founded in 1913 in Hamakuapoko, a sugarcane plantation town on the island of Maui in Hawaii. In 1972, the school moved to its new location in Kahului, Hawaii. Old Maui High School The original school was ...

and the

University of Hawaii A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, th ...

, where he studied business and economics. He was a member of the ROTC while he was in school, and ultimately became a lieutenant in the Hawaii National Guard. While studying for his master's degree in education, he worked as a police reporter with

Jack Burns John Francis Burns (November 15, 1933 – January 27, 2020) was an American comedian, actor, voice actor, writer, and producer. During the 1960s, he was part of two comedy partnerships, first with George Carlin and later with Avery Schreiber. ...

. After graduation, Mizuha became a teacher at Waimea High School, where he met his wife, Toshiko Sueoka. They had one child.

Career

Mizuha was called to active duty in 1939, and served in the 299th Infantry Regiment. He was in charge of the Burns airfield in Kauai, and was part of the military response to the Niihau Incident. After the

bombing of Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Haw ...

and the subsequent formation of the 442nd Infantry Regiment, he was put in command of the unit's Company D. They were sent to fight in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

, where Mizuha was wounded on his back and neck. While in recovery, he wrote many letters defending the loyalty of Japanese American soldiers. He eventually was invited to meet with

Eleanor Roosevelt Anna Eleanor Roosevelt () (October 11, 1884November 7, 1962) was an American political figure, diplomat, and activist. She was the first lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945, during her husband President Franklin D. Roosevelt's four ...

at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in ...

to discuss them. Once he had recovered from his injury, Mizuha returned to

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

and got a job as a principal at Hanamaulu School in Kauai. He also regularly spoke about

civil rights Civil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from infringement by governments, social organizations, and private individuals. They ensure one's entitlement to participate in the civil and political life o ...

and the "Americanization" of Japanese Americans. He then decided to use his GI Bill to study law at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

. After graduation, he returned to Hawaii and in 1948 was elected to the Kauai Board of Supervisors. He also served as a delegate to the 1950 territorial constitutional convention. In 1958, Mizuha became the

Attorney General of Hawaii The Attorney General of Hawaii ( haw, Loio Kuhina) is the chief legal officer and chief law enforcement officer of Hawaii. In present-day statehood within the United States, the Attorney General is appointed by the elected governor with the approv ...

. Then, in 1959 he was appointed as a judge to the Circuit Court. Finally, on April 28, 1961 Mizuha was promoted to the

Hawaii Supreme Court The Supreme Court of Hawaii is the highest court of the State of Hawaii in the United States. Its decisions are binding on all other courts of the Hawaii State Judiciary. The principal purpose of the Supreme Court is to review the decisions of ...

. He served until June 28, 1969, then retired and returned to his law practice. Mizuha died on September 7, 1986.

References

Justices of the Hawaii Supreme Court 1913 births 1986 deaths Hawaii Attorneys General American jurists of Japanese descent University of Hawaiʻi alumni University of Michigan Law School alumni American military personnel of Japanese descent United States Army personnel of World War II Military personnel from Hawaii 20th-century American judges National Guard (United States) officers Hawaii National Guard personnel United States Army officers {{Hawaii-state-judge-stub