Pvt. Hirose Of 442nd A Champion Swimmer

Pvt. Takashi Halo Hirose of the Japanese American Combat Team at Camp Shelby is only 19 years old but already he has seen large slices of the world through his ability to swim faster than adjacent competitors.

In Hawaii they learned to swim early and Pvt. Hirose was no exception. He learned to swim in an irrigation ditch, rose to be a national champion at 17, swimming in the surf and best contest pools of Hawaii, North America, South America and Europe, but now he has stowed his medals and cups and is out for other laurels as a hard-working soldier in a combat team. When it comes to swimming Hirose has a good many laurels to rest on, quite comfortably. Among other achievements, he has won 100-meter free-style championships of the AAU both in the United States and in Hawaii. In 1938 he was a member of the All-American team which set a world record for the 400-meter relay race, a record that has never been touched. He rose was the only Japanese American on the team.

Trainer

As a nine year old youngster Hirose was the find of coach Soichi Sakamoto of Maui, Hawaii, whose hobby was teaching boys how to swim in his famous Three Year Club. At one time Sakamoto had some 200 youngsters under his tutelage and has turned out many a star performer in the water. The irrigation ditch in which Hiroshi learned to swim was only wide enough for two swimmers, but it was all water and Hiroshi learned how to get through that water fast

At the age of 11, in 1938 Hirose won his first swim races. As a student of Maui Public School, he set new records in the 25-, 50- and 100-yard free-style races. His 100-yard record still stands. He went on to Maui High School, became the team captain in 1940 and became the Hawaiian champ of the 100 meter free-style. After high school, making the varsity team at University of Hawaii was a cinch. He swam the 100 and the 220 free-style, and occasionally resorted to backstroke and breaststroke. In 1938 he hung up another championship in Hawaii this time in the 220.

That same year, 1938, saw Hirose breaking into the world limelight. Making his first trip to the United States, for the national AAU championships, at Louisville, Kentucky, he placed second in the 100. This qualified him for a subsequent trip to Europe as a member of the All-American swimming team under Yale’s famous swimming coach, Bob Kiphuth. The team toured Europe and on Aug. 20, 1938, Hirose, Otto Jaretz, Peter Fick and Paul Wolf, set the world record of 3:59.2 in the 400 meter relay race. The World Almanac of 1943 shows that record still stands. In that meet, Hirose placed third in the 100-meter free-style. Hirose was only 14 years old then.

The American team toured Europe for six weeks, appearing and swimming meets at Munich, Budapest, Vienna and other cities. “I had my first view of German troops then,” says Hirose. “I expect to see them again. I remember particularly how frequently our train would be delayed at railroad stations while German troop trains rushed by.”

More Records

Returning to Hawaii, Hirose joined the Alexander Community house team which continued to pile up records. In 1939 he rose broke the 100-meter record in the Pan-American Games at Guayaquil, Ecuador, and in 1941 the Alexander House team swept the National AAU meet at St. Louis winning 8 out of 10 events. They won meets also at Detroit and at Santa Barbara, Calif. At St. Louis Hirose won the 100-meter free-style national championship.

He also declined a scholarship at Ohio State, and was a student at the University of Hawaii on December 7 1941. As a member of the University ROTC, he was sworn into the Hawaiian Territorial Guards. When the guard was inactivated he joined the Honolulu Fire Department and was a member until opportunity came early this year spring to volunteer for the Army as a member of the Japanese American Combat Team.

Since coming to Camp Shelby Hirose has had no opportunity to exhibit his prowess in the water. He’d like to compete in the 1943 AAU National but the chances are slim. Right now he has put aside his first love for the business of learning to be a soldier, and he’s happy to be in this organization. He has good company — other good swimmers from Hawaii. Among them are Pvt. Charles Oda, Hawaiian 800-meter free-style champion who took fourth in the 1941 National AAU meet; Pvt. Tom Tanaka, Hawaii low-board diving champion; and Pvt. John Tsukano, Hawaiian junior champion in backstroke and breaststroke events.

The swimmers of the Combat Team are anxious to take part in any exhibitions which might be arranged within the vicinity of Camp Shelby.