What is Ben Kuroki?
[[File:Ben Kuroki (SDASM Archives).jpg|thumb|Ben Kuroki]] '''Ben Kuroki''' (May 16, 1917 &ndash; September 1, 2015) was an [[Americans|American]] [[United States Air Force|Air Force]] gunner. He was the first [[Nisei]] (son of [[Japanese people|Japanese]] immigrants) to serve in the [[Pacific Ocean theater of World War II]]. He served in a total of 58 combat missions during [[World War II]]. For his services to his country from 1941 until 1946, he was awarded three [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Crosses]], one [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Distinguished Service Medal]], and five [[Air Medal]]s with [[oak leaf clusters]]. Kuroki was born in [[Gothenburg, Nebraska|Gothenburg]], [[Nebraska]] and grew up in [[Hershey, Nebraska]]. His parents were Japanese immigrants, and was one of 10 children. Kuroki was married to Shige and had three daughters. Kuroki died on September 1, 2015 in [[Camarillo, California|Camarillo]], [[California]], aged 98.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/06/us/ben-kuroki-dies-at-98-fought-bias-to-fight-for-us.html|title=Ben Kuroki Dies at 98; Overcame Bias Against Japanese-Americans to Fight for U.S.|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=September 5, 2015|access-date=September 6, 2015}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Kuroki, Ben}} [[Category:1917 births]] [[Category:2015 deaths]] [[Category:American military personnel of World War II]] [[Category:Military people from Nebraska]] {{US-bio-stub}}