Sam Yokota was born on 30 September 1924, in Pocatello, Bannock, Idaho, United States, to Sugi Baba and Yoshi Katsu "Roy" Yokota. The Yokota family owned a barber shop where Sam worked as a youth. In 1944, Yokota was drafted into the United States Army. He served in World War II in the 100th Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, attaining the rank of Staff Sergeant of Company L. After his military service, Yokota worked at Associated Food Stores while studying at Link's School of Business. On July 1, 1950, Sam Yokota married Myrt Edna Rolfe; together, they had three children. In 2011, Yokota received the Congressional Gold Medal along with other members of the 442nd Regimental Team; additionally, Yokota received a Bronze Star. Sam Yokota died on November 29, 2012.
Source:
Original order retained.
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The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Donated by Yuki Harada in 2008.
Processed by by Special Collections staff.
Forms part of the Mitsugi M. Kasai Memorial Japanese American Archives.
The Sam Yokota digital photograph collection consists of digitized black-and-white and color photographs from two albums containing 548 photographs documenting Sam Yokota's tour of duty while a Sergeant of Company L in the 100th Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. The photographs are well identified with names of individuals and some places. Locations include: Camp Shelby, Mississippi; Italy (Pisa, Florence, and other locations); the S. S. Wilson Victory; Camp Kilmer; Washington, D.C.; and Arlington National Cemetary. Subjects include: soldiers engaging in leisure activity and sport, including baseball, table tennis, and bowling; camp; clearing a beach; dogs; entertainers at Camp Kilmer; march down down Constitution Avenue to the Ellipse south of the White House. Several photographs also include President Harry S Truman interacting with the 442nd Regiment; and memorials and cemeteries.
The original images were loaned to the library and were scanned and then returned to the donor. The image files can be requested, but the library no longer has the original images.