Kendall J. Fielder

Early career and World War I

Kendall J. Fielder was born on August 1, 1893, in Cedartown, Georgia, as the son of William and May Fielder. Following a high school, he entered the Georgia Tech, where he played football under coach John Heisman and captained the team between 1915 and 1916. Fielder graduated in summer 1916 with Bachelor of Science degree in textile engineering and accepted job as Real estate loan agent in Atlanta, Georgia.

Fielder became an active member of the Committee of Inter-Racial Unity, one of many advisory groups to Hawaii FBI Chief Robert Shivers to study and encourage racial harmony among the various ethnic groups on the islands. Following the devastating Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, Fielder task was to dispel the rumors and encourage calm among the residents. He investigated allegations of espionage and sabotage, worked with the press to ensure accurate reporting, and gave two radio addresses to calm the fears of the population.

During the events following Pearl Harbor, general Short was relieved of command on December 18, 1941, and replaced by lieutenant general Delos C. Emmons, who had orders from the President Roosevelt which included mass internment of Hawaii's Japanese population on Molokai Island or stateside. Emmons also formed a Public Morale Division in the Territorial Office of Civilian Defense, whose responsibilities included race relation recommendations to Fielder.

Fielder was also a member of Rotary International organization and served as Assistant treasurer. Since December 1946, General Fielder was elected as an honorary member of Club 100 (the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans group). The Japanese-American 100th was the first active Battalion of the 442nd Regiment.

According to Edgar Rice Burroughs (writing in Honolulu circa 1944) they played bridge occasionally, and Fielder was an accomplished parlor magician, and a member in good standing of the Society of American Magicians.

Brigadier general Kendall J. Fielder died on April 13, 1981, aged 87, at his home in Honolulu, Hawaii. He is buried at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific together with his wife May Crichton Fielder (1897–1994).

In popular culture

Fielder served as a technical adviser for the 1953 film From Here to Eternity. In 1970, Bill Edwards played Colonel Fielder in the film Tora! Tora! Tora!.

Decorations

Here is Brigadier General Fielder's ribbon bar: