Kendall J. Fielder

Kendall Jordan Fielder
Nickname(s) “Wooch”
Born August 1, 1893[1]
Cedartown, Georgia, USA
Died April 13, 1981 (aged 87)
Buried at Punchbowl Cemetery[2]
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch  United States Army
Years of service 1917–1941 (Lieutenant – Lt. Col.),
1941–1944 (Colonel),
1944–1953 (Brigadier General)[3]
Rank Brigadier General
Commands held Military Intelligence & Security, Hawaiian Department
Battles/wars Attack on Pearl Harbor
Awards Distinguished Service Medal,
Legion of Merit,
Bronze Star Medal[3]

Brigadier General Kendall “Wooch” Jordan Fielder (August 1, 1893 – April 13, 1981) was an influential World War II veteran, who settled in Hawaii, and testified before Congress in favor of statehood. At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, then Lieutenant Colonel Fielder was the U.S. Army G-2 Chief of Intelligence and Security, under Col. Walter C. Phillips.[4][5]

Fielder was a native of Cedartown, Georgia, and played football at Georgia Tech under coach John Heisman; graduating in 1916 with a degree in textile engineering. After graduation, Fielder was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.[5]

U.S. Army

In 1942, Colonel Kendall was involved in the formation of the Japanese-American Varsity Victory Volunteers, and flew to Washington, D.C. to persuade Gen. George C. Marshall to form the Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Kendall became known as a “Father of the 442nd”.[5]

General Fielder asked Thomas Taro Higa to go to Okinawa in 1945, to help convince the people of Okinawa to come out of the caves and surrender, since Higa was able to make a personal connection with them.

In December 1946, General Fielder was elected as an honorary member of Club 100 (the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans group).[6] 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,[7] and a member in good standing of the Society of American Magicians.[8]

Post Army

Retired, Brigadier General Fielder served as a technical adviser for the 1953 film From Here to Eternity.[9] In 1970, Bill Edwards played Colonel Fielder in the film Tora! Tora! Tora!.

From August 1, 1953 to August 10, 1954; Fielder served on the Honolulu Police Commission.[10]

References

Fielder, Kendall J. (O7450). B–Ga. 1 Aug. ’93. A–Ga. L.M., D.S.M., B.S.M.   G.S.C. 18 Oct. ’41. Grad.: C. and G.S. Sch., ’38, Inf. Sch., Advanced Course, ’31. B.S., Ga. Sch. of Tech., ’16.
2 lt. Inf. Sec. O.R.C. 15 Aug. ’17; accepted 15 Aug. ’17; active duty 15 Aug. ’17; vacated 13 Nov. ’17; col. A.U.S. 24 Dec. ’41; brig. gen. A.U.S. 8 Nov. ’44.—2 lt. of Inf. 26 Oct. ’17; accepted 13 Nov. ’17; 1 lt. (temp.) 12 June ’18; 1 lt. 29 Aug. ’19; capt. 1 July ’20; maj. 1 Aug. ’35; lt. col. 18 Aug. 40. (PL-1043) —Official Army Register (1946)[3]
  1. ↑ "Fielder, Kendall Jordan". The Generals of WWII. Steen Ammentorp. 2000.
  2. ↑ Donna (Jan 6, 2008). "Gen Kendall Jordan "Wooch" Fielder". Find a Grave.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Official Army Register (1946). Volume I. War Department: The Adjutant General's Office. 1 January 1946. p. 224.
  4. ↑ Prange, Gordon W.; Donald M Goldstein; Katherine V. Dillon (1988). December 7, 1941: the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-07-050682-4. OCLC 15793660. (quoting Walter Short on Fielder's nickname)
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Byrd, Joseph P., III. "Kendall J. Fielder". Fortunes of War: The Story of Georgia Tech and the United States Military. Georgia Tech Alumni.
  6. ↑ "Honorary Members". 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans: Education Center.
  7. ↑ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (1947). "Chapter 25". Tarzan and the Foreign Legion.
  8. ↑ Burroughs, Edgar Rice (April 2009). Jerry L. Schneider, ed. Edgar Rice Burroughs Tells All (Third ed.). Pulpville Press. p. 320. ISBN 978-1-4357-0830-3.
  9. ↑ "Kendall J. Fielder: Miscellaneous Crew". IMDb.
  10. ↑ "Fielder, Kendall J Brig Gen". Hawaii State Archives Digital Collections.