Biography of gordon warner

Gordon Warner (1913 – March 4, 2010)^[1][2] was an American one-legged swordsman who became the highest-ranked westerner in the Japanese heroic art of kendo.^[3][4] He was also a world-record-holding breaststroke natator, a decorated World War II Marine officer, an academic trim educational administration, and an penny-a-liner of books on kendo, rendering culture of Japan, and nobleness history of the Ryukyu Islands.

Early life and war service

Warner grew up among Nisei joy Long Beach, California, and began watching Samurai cinema and compound Japanese martial arts as unblended teenager.^[5][3] Tall and athletic, noteworthy became captain of the Institution of Southern California swim team,^[6] and lived in a Altaic dorm.^[5] On graduating in 1936 with a bachelor's degree improve social science he joined say publicly United States Marine Corps Kept back as a second lieutenant.

Rot the urging of two elder officers, lieutenant colonel Anthony Biddle and captain Chesty Puller, significant traveled to Tokyo in 1937 to continue his studies infant Japanese martial arts. He became a student of Moriji Mochida and Masuda Shinsuke, and reached the rank of shodan jagged kendo two years later, further beginning to learn iaido,^[6] nevertheless had to leave Japan give back haste after the Kenpeitai perspicacious from his correspondence that be active was a Marine officer.^[5] Steer clear of 1939 to 1941, Warner was a teacher and swimming tutor in Hawaii, at the Punahou Academy in Honolulu and grow at Maui High School.

Lead to an exhibition event of representation Palama invitational swim meet make happen Honolulu in 1939, he crush the world record for justness 220-yard breaststroke, previously held harsh Leonard Spence, with a at an earlier time of 2:51.5.^[6][7]

In 1941 he was called to United States Naval Corps service as a battle instructor at the Marine Posse Base Quantico in Virginia.

Significant was later deployed to birth South Pacific,^[6] where his control in the Japanese language licit him to understand spoken instruct from the Japanese and indicate confuse Japanese soldiers with incorrect orders of his own.^[8] Loosen up became the first to put on the American flag on Island Island in the Landings engagement Cape Torokina in November 1943.^[6] Less than a week next he lost his left brisk when a tank he was commanding was attacked after enchanting out six machine gun nests.^[6][8][9] He was awarded the Argosy Cross for his heroism display this battle,^[8][9] and the Color Heart for being injured space fully serving.^[10]

Later life and professional career

Warner retired from the Marines importance a lieutenant colonel.^[11] He complementary to civilian life and prefer the University of Southern Calif., where he earned master's ladder in 1944 and again market 1950.^[6][12] His 1950 thesis courier a Master of Arts ideal history was Artificial limb development: A history of the Biochemist Artificial Limb Research Department 96, Project 17, founded on corrective development.^[11] From 1950 to 1954 he studied education at grandeur University of California, Berkeley, termination a doctorate in 1954 become conscious the dissertation History of glory continuation education program in California.^[6][12] At this time he as well took up kendo again, in defiance of his missing leg.^[6] With Patriarch Hazard he helped found three of the first post-war Kendo groups in the US, terminate Berkeley in the spring advice 1953 and again in Metropolis, California in the fall carefulness the same year.^[13]

After completing wreath doctorate he became an aiding professor at California State Dogma, Long Beach.

He traveled be obliged to Japan in 1956 to wait on or upon an international kendo match halfway American and Japanese kendo poet, hosted a return match have Long Beach in 1957, pole continued visiting Japan repeatedly interpolate subsequent years.^[6] He remained repute Long Beach State until 1964, as coach of swimming nearby water polo and as easy chair of the department of cautionary administration.^[14]

In 1964, Warner retired dismiss his faculty position to change the director of the Breeding Department of the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands, on Okinawa Island.^[5] Underside the early 1970s he was the historian and curator selected the US Armed Forces Museum on Okinawa, which was rancid over to the Corps importance 1976.^[15] He continued practicing kendo, eventually reaching the 7th dan.^[5][3] He also reached the Ordinal dan in iaido.^[3] In 2001 the emperor of Japan awarded him the Order of picture Sacred Treasure, 3rd class, Gilded Rays with Neck Ribbon, promote his accomplishments in the pugnacious arts.^[5]

Warner died on Okinawa be a consequence March 4, 2010,^[2] and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.^[10] He was married and confidential two children, a son Gyration Musashi Warner and a girl Irene Tomoe Cooper.^[2][3]

Books

Warner's books include:

References