Attorney Ted T. Tsukiyama is still making history at age 96. Watermark Publishing has released his book, “My Life’s Journey: A Memoir.” Ted says he was the first Japanese-American graduate of Yale Law School (1950) and the first Japanese-American graduate of the University of Indiana (1947). He has been active as a community historian known for documenting the Japanese-American experience, specifically that of the nisei soldiers of World War II, and for his distinguished legal career as an arbitration specialist.

Ted fought with honor in WWII, even as other Japanese-Americans were locked up in internment camps. He was born in 1920 and grew up in Kaimuki, the second youngest in a family of five siblings. A graduate of Roosevelt High School in 1939, he entered the University of Hawaii at Manoa the same year. His education was interrupted by the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, and the U.S. entry into WWII.

Ted became a founding member of the first volunteer all-nisei unit of WWII, the Varsity Victory Volunteers, and went on to join what would become the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was picked out to serve as a military intelligence operative in the jungles of Burma and was discharged when the war was over in 1946. Thanks to the GI Bill, he resumed his college education at Indiana and Yale …

Missionary descendant Cyril Francis Damon Jr., 90, better known as Frank Damon, who died May 13, will be remembered in Hawaii’s history as a founder of Damon Shigekane in 1963. It was “one of the first, if not the first, multiracial law firms in Hawaii,” according to Frank’s last law firm, Damon Key Leong Kupchak Hastert. “At that time, major law firms in Hawaii had few, if any, Asian or women lawyers and none as partners.”

Frank died due to complications from pneumonia. Frank’s younger brother, Gordon Damon, 86, died in his sleep days earlier on May 9. Condolences to their family members.

In the 1960s I needed a lawyer concerning a business deal, and Frank was recommended to me. When I met Gordon in about 1970, I told him that his brother Frank had served me well as my lawyer. Gordon proudly told me Frank and Henry Shigekane had “formed the first haole-Japanese” law firm in the state.

Henry retired from the firm in 1978. Frank, a true gentleman, always gave me a call or sent me an occasional note even years after our legal business was handled to my satisfaction. Frank told me he and Henry were students at Yale and met there. Frank was a year ahead of Henry at Yale and graduated in 1950 and from the University of Colorado Law School in 1953.

Henry had worked as a youth in pineapple fields. While attending UH he took on a job as busboy, baker, yardman, etc. at Queen’s Surf in Waikiki. Then, with the help of his philosophy professor, he was accepted at Yale on a partial scholarship. After graduating, he went on to earn a law degree from Harvard University.

Frank’s specialty with his local firm became estate planning, wills and trusts. When it came time for me to have a will, Frank was my man. The notes and calls from Frank continued well after he became too old to practice law and his assistant Doug Smith took over his clients …

Services for Martin Pahinui, 65, a member of the well-known musical Pahinui family who died May 28, will get underway at 9:30 a.m. Monday with visitation at Hawaiian Memorial Park Mortuary. Condolences to the family …

Hawai‘i State Art Museum hosts the Hawaii Friends of Civil Rights’ annual free “Evening of Jazz,” emceed by Al Harrington, on the museum’s second-floor courtyard Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. Performing will be Mike Lewis & Friends, Ginai, Starr Kalahiki, Amber Ricci and Renee and Mike Ebalaroza.

HFCR co-chairs Faye Kennedy and Amy Agbayani, and John Nichols, chairman of the Committee on African-American Culture and the Arts, will honor Judge James Burns with a tribute by his widow, Emme Tomimbang, and Judge Sabrina McKenna. Civil rights activist Jewel McDonald and UH language instructor Edward “Ash” Ruggiero will be remembered by Kathryn Takara and Agbayani …

After listening to master navigator Nainoa Thompson’s magnificent speech after Hokule‘a returned from its spectacular round-the-world journey, I think he should run for governor.

Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets during World War II, writes of people, places and things. Contact him via email at bwood@staradvertiser.com.