James Mukoyama

James Hidefumi Mukoyama Jr. (, born August 3, 1944) is a retired US Army Major General who at one point was the youngest American to command a United States Army division. He served over thirty years on active and reserve duty in the Army, including service in Korea and Vietnam.

Biography James Mukoyama was born on August 3, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois. His father was a Japanese immigrant and his mother was the child of immigrant parents from Japan. Mukoyama's mother's family was interned at the American internment camp Manzanar.

Mukoyama first became involved with the military when he joined the Reserve Officer's Training Corps (ROTC) program Carl Schurz High School. He later attended the University of Illinois at Navy Pier, where he earned a bachelor's degree in English. While pursuing his bachelor's degree, he continued his involvement with ROTC as well as Pershing Rifles and the Drill Team. He was commissioned as a Regular Army 2nd Lieutenant and earned a master's degree in Teaching of Social Studies. He then attended the Infantry Officers Basic Course, and earned his Jump Wings.

In 1995, Mukoyama retired from the military. His accomplishments during his retirement include helping to form the Military Outreach of Greater Chicago, serving as Chairman of the Department of Veterans Affairs Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, and serving as chair for a committee with the National Veterans' Network to select the design for the Congressional Gold Medal award authorized by the Congressional Gold Medal for Japanese American Veterans Act. Legion of Merit Purple Heart

Publications Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader (Autobiography)