Background
Okutsu was born in Koloa, Hawaii to Japanese immigrant parents.
Okutsu was born in Koloa, Hawaii to Japanese immigrant parents.
He was a Nisei, which means that he was a second generation Japanese-American. Okutsu joined the United States Army in March 1943. Ohata volunteered to be part of the all-Nisei 100th Infantry Battalion.
This army unit was mostly made up of Japanese Americans from Hawaii and the mainland.
On April 7, 1945, Okutsu was serving as a technical sergeant in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was awarded the Army"s second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross, for his actions.
2, Hilo, Hawaii.