West Sacramento veteran turns 100

It’s now been more than 80 years since the end of World War II, and veterans from that conflict are rapidly becoming fewer with every passing day, as are veterans from the Korean War. KBA3’s Mike Carroll introduces us to one West Sacramento veteran who recently turned 100. January 22nd of earlier this year. I know he’s been really looking forward to this birthday. I mean, he says, I’m going to be 100. Minoro Oya, *** man who everyone knows simply as Minnow, *** beloved resident at Escaton Village in West Sacramento for more than 20 years, he’s the most cheerful person I know. If you ever see him down, you know he’s, he’s tired. All he wanted for his birthday were 100 birthday cards, one card for each of his 100 years. He got 580. He is just *** big force of energy and he is just, he has such *** unique story. Minna was born in Sacramento in 1926 to US born Japanese Americans living at 5th and N Streets, an area then known as. Pantown. Hawaiian. In the early 1930s at the height of the Great Depression, Minu’s father, *** professional fisherman, my father died. Your father died in *** fish accident. Minnow’s mother, struggling during the desperate times of the Great Depression, sent Minnow and his brother Hiroshi to live with an uncle, *** surgeon in Japan. I was only 6 years adopted, still alive. Hiroshi was adopted and would remain in Japan. In the late 1930s as Japan invaded China and Manchuria, teenage Minnow joined *** non-military Japanese Youth Corps. Manchuria, building and farming new Japanese settlements in Manchuria as World War II raged in the Pacific. In 1945, the Soviet Union invaded Manchuria. Minnow was taken prisoner and forced marched hundreds of miles. Siberia. I do know he was *** POW at one time. He was sent to Russia and experienced very harsh winters. Experience, you know, working in coal mines, digging coal in an open pit mine in minimal clothing in Siberian prison barracks like these and winters of 40 degrees below 0. 45 August to New Year’s Day 47. Minnow and his fellow prisoners were released, walked hundreds of miles out of Siberia, taken by ship back to Japan, where they learned that the war had been over for 2 years. His mother, amazed to learn that he was still alive, sent money for Minnow to come home to Yuba City. I don’t When in 1953 Minnow was drafted into the United States Army, he was drafted. He answered his calling. Minnow patrolled the DMZ, the demilitarized zone separating North Korea from South Korea. Minnow returned home again. He cooked in Japanese restaurants, had his own restaurant for *** time, became *** bookbinder, *** gardener, became an active member of the West Sacramento VFW, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and even served as the VFW’s commander in 1996. Veterans are the ones that brought him to Escata. When he was on the verge of he was homeless and they brought him to us, they saved him. He has given everything his whole life to veterans. He collects clothes for homeless veterans. He’s helped start veteran support groups here. Eskean even made it possible for Minnow to fly back to Japan to be reunited with his younger brother Hiroshi. And I’ve heard that Minnow, um, aside from picking up trash and volunteering on the weekends, gathering clothes for homeless veterans, he also helped start *** veteran support group here with some of these lovely gentlemen. He’s just *** very special man. I don’t think there’s anybody that dislikes him. Minnow still likes to cook and is happy to share his food with his neighbors. And on almost every day can be found picking up little bits of trash around the neighborhood. Always keeping the property clean and making sure that it looks like we have pride in living here. In West Sacramento, I’m Mike Carroll, KCRA 3 news. Oh, what an inspiration still going strong at 100, so inspiring.

A World War II and Korean War veteran from West Sacramento recently celebrated his 100th birthday, as the number of veterans from these historic conflicts continues to decline. It has been more than 80 years since the end of World War II, and veterans from that conflict, as well as the Korean War, are becoming fewer with each passing dayAll Minoru Ohye wanted for his birthday was 100 birthday cards, but he received 580 at his party. Learn more about Ohye’s journey in the video player above. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google

A World War II and Korean War veteran from West Sacramento recently celebrated his 100th birthday, as the number of veterans from these historic conflicts continues to decline.

It has been more than 80 years since the end of World War II, and veterans from that conflict, as well as the Korean War, are becoming fewer with each passing day

All Minoru Ohye wanted for his birthday was 100 birthday cards, but he received 580 at his party. Learn more about Ohye’s journey in the video player above.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google