Dr. Takashi Manago is one of six known living veterans of the mostly Hawai‘i-born, Japanese American unit — the 100th Infantry Battalion (the 100th). At age 101, Dr. Manago is an active member of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans organization, affectionally called “Club 100” and tirelessly makes public appearances to represent those killed in action during World War II and those who have since passed. With the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT), the 100th became the most decorated in US military history for its size and length of service.
Dr. Takashi “Taka” Manago was born on Jan. 20, 1924, in Captain Cook, Kona, Hawai‘i. He is the son of Kinzo and Osame Manago, the founders of the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook.
Taka was a 17-year-old student at Konawaena High School when Pearl Harbor was attacked. In 1944, he was inducted into the Army with the 442nd RCT and later joined the 100th Infantry Battalion – Company A, as a replacement. The boat trip from Hawai‘i to the mainland was seven days of seasick torture.
After basic training at Camp Hood, Texas, Taka was deployed to Italy in April 1945. He served as a litter bearer in Northern Italy. His assignment was bringing the injured soldiers from the front line under the cover of night. He remembers the “ack-ack” sounds and 88mm shells whizzing overhead.
After a few weeks in combat, they got word that the Germans had surrendered, and on May 8, 1945, the war in Europe was over.
Taka’s next assignment was receiving and processing the German prisoners of war. He decided to reenlist and continued to serve in Florence, Italy, where he took medical classes at the Army training school. He married Italian sweetheart Silvana Cozzi and later had a daughter, Rita.
Taka was discharged in 1948 as a staff sergeant. After the war, Taka attended Creighton College and the Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Dental Medicine. He established a successful dental practice in Honolulu. Taka married Jane Toyoko Iida and had three children: Jennifer, Beverly and Jeffrey. He enjoys watching sports, eating out and helping to perpetuate the legacy of the 100th Infantry Battalion.
In a previous article, I wrote about elders staying healthy by being social and purposeful. Dr. Manago is a great example of how young a 101-year-old mind can be. Thank you, Dr. Manago, a Hawai‘i-born veteran, who helped liberate Europe while spreading the seeds of aloha.
100th INFANTRY BATTALION VETERANS
520 Kamoku St. Honolulu, HI 96826
For more information:
info@100thbattalion.org | 808-946-0272
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