John F. Aiso

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John F. Aiso (December 14, 1909 - December 1987) was an accomplished military leader, distinguished lawyer and judge. As a Lieutenant Colonel Judge, Aiso was the highest-ranking Japanese American in the Second World War. Inducted into the Military Intelligence Corp Hall of Fame in 1991, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 for his service during World War II. He graduated from Harvard Law School in 1934. Between 1935 and 1952 Judge Aiso also worked in private practice in Los Angeles and New York. After serving as a Commissioner for one year, he was appointed to the Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1953. He was later elevated to the Los Angeles Superior Court. Judge Aiso became an Associate Justice of the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, November 4, 1968.

The Aiso Library at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center is named for John F. Aiso in honor of his contributions as the chief instructor of what became the Military Intelligence Service Language School, the predecessor of the Defense Language Institute.

In the Little Tokyo community of Los Angeles, a one block segment of San Pedro St. between Temple Blvd. and 1st Street has been renamed Judge John F. Aiso Street in honor of the judge.