Shiramizu Story

At 92 years old, Jimmy Shiramizu was born and raised on a sugar plantation in Pu'unene, Maui, to Japanese immigrant parents. Coming from extremely humble beginnings, Jimmy shares stories of not having shoes while attending school as a child but, through the love of his parents mixed with his own drive and tenacity, Jimmy attended and graduated from the University of Hawaii.

After college, Jimmy joined the United States Air Force and flew as a KC-135 pilot, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel out of Hickam AFB. During his service, Jimmy saved countless lives by refueling from the air and was a part of well-known teams and squadrons like "The Young Tigers" and the 6594th Test Group, to name just a few.

After his military service, Jimmy continued to serve and contribute to his community by working for the city of Honolulu and contributing to numerous projects within the state of Hawaii. He played a vital role in drafting and passing the bill for the Hanauma Bay project, among many others.