Chicago has been home to countless individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving the country and leading it to victory. One of these remarkable people is James H. Mukoyama. With over 30 years in the Army Reserve and two combat tours under his belt, Mukoyama has proven his courage and love for his country. We’ll delve deeper into his life and service on chicago-yes.com.
Military Service and Awards
Born in Chicago on August 3, 1944, James Mukoyama graduated from the University of Illinois in 1965 with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Following graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Regular Army. In 1966, Mukoyama earned a master’s degree in Social Studies Education.
During his five years of active duty, General Mukoyama served as a platoon leader in the Korean Demilitarized Zone and as an infantry company commander with the 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam. In 1987, he became the youngest brigadier general in the entire U.S. Army, and three years later, he became the youngest major general. In 1989, James made history as the first Asian American to command a U.S. Army division.
Among the many honors and decorations Mukoyama has received are the Distinguished Service Medal, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, three Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, the Parachutist Badge, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. Since retiring from federal service in 1959, General Mukoyama has been an active volunteer, lending his time and effort to numerous government and non-profit organizations that support military personnel, veterans, and the community at large.
Dedicated to Veterans and Their Families
In addition to his full-time role as Executive Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer for a national brokerage company, James Mukoyama served for seven years as the vice chairman and chairman of the National Patriotism Memorial, which was dedicated in Washington, D.C., in 2001. He is a life member of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
Mukoyama spent five years on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Advisory Committee on Minority Veterans, serving as chairman for the last two. In this role, he traveled extensively across the country to improve the delivery of information services to minority veterans. At the local level, he served for eight years as president and board member of a subsidized senior housing complex in a Chicago neighborhood. For a long time, James and his wife volunteered at a hospice, and for over a decade, he was a volunteer instructor for Military Ministry CRU (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) as part of the chaplaincy program at the Naval Recruit Training Center at Great Lakes. There, he helped train Navy chaplains from 2010 onwards.
In January 2013, Mukoyama answered a call to dedicate his life to serving Military Outreach USA, a religious organization that helps service members, guardsmen, reservists, and veterans heal from wounds related to their military service. This new appointment as president and executive director marked the end of Mukoyama’s 38-year career in financial services, where he was a member of both the New York Stock Exchange and the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
In May 2013, the Governor of Illinois honored Mukoyama as the “Illinois Veteran of the Month” in recognition of his unwavering commitment to veterans and their families. That fall, James was inducted into the inaugural class of the University of Illinois Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps Hall of Fame.
In May 2015, Mukoyama was appointed as Co-Chair of the Patient Advisory Council for the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago. This facility is notable as the first-ever joint Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility in the country.