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Passed away peacefully at the age of 99 at the Pohai Nani Care Center in Kaneohe on September 24, 2022.Albert was predeceased by his wife Beryl (Owan) Shizuko of Kahuku on July 18, 2015, and his 3 brothers Kanyu, Douglas and Larry. He is survived by 3 children: Nadine (Roger) Lescelius, Rance (Lisa), Iris (Patrick) Chang; 9 grandchildren; 2 great grandchildren and one sister, Sueko (Kenjiro) Uehara.
He served in the 442nd, 3rd Battalion RCT L Company as a Tech Sargeant and was posthumously awarded 2 bronze medals, a Purple Heart, and in November 2021, he was conferred the Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion d'Honneiur, the highest French distinction for military and civil accomplishments by the consul general of France at a ceremony held at the National Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.
In August 2019, after 75 yrs., he was reunited with the trench coat that he wore during the war. It was discovered by a collector and friend of Chris Sketchley (curator at Seattle's Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall) being worn by a French farmer near Bruyeres. He saw the jacket and offered to buy it for $15 from the farmer, and the farmer said "yes". Seeing the name "A. Nakama" on the jacket and after unsuccessful searches, he handed the jacket to Chris and the rest is history. The jacket is on display at the Seattle Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall.
Albert retired from the U.S. Customs, loved to play golf and was an avid UH Football and Baseball fan.
Private graveside services were held on November 1, 2022,
at Hawaiian Memorial Park.
