Grant Hirabayashi was born in Kent, WA on November 9, l9l9.  In March of l932 he went to Japan to continue his education. Upon graduation from high school in Japan he returned to the United States and graduated from Kent High School,        WA in l94l.  He then enlisted in the Army Air Corps after being drafted into the Army.  He entered the Military Intelligence Service Language School in October, 1942 and upon graduation; he volunteered for the 5307 Composite Unit (Provisional), better know as the Merrill's Marauders.  During the Northern Burma campaign, he served with the 1 st Battalion, Red Combat Team and fought in the battles of Walabum, Shadazzup, Nhpun Ga and Myitikina.

    After the Burma campaign he was assigned to South East Asia Translation and Interrogation Center (SEATIC} in New Delhi, India and was attached to the British Royal Air Force as translator.  Subsequently he was transferred to HQ. China Theater and assigned to Sino Translation and Interrogation Section (SINTIC), Chungking, China where he served as an interrogator until the end of war.  After he attended the Japanese Surrender Ceremony held in Nanking, China as personal interpreter to Major General McClure, he returned to the USA and was discharged from the Army at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin in November, 1945.

    After discharge he served as Japanese Language Instructor with the Military Intelligence Service Language School from January, 1946 to October, 1947 when he was transferred to Supreme Commander For The Allied Powers (SCAP} Legal Section, Tokyo, Japan.  He served as interpreter, interrogator, court interpreter and court monitor for the B Class war crimes trials held in Yokohama, Japan.  Upon resignation, he resumed his education at the University of Southern California, CA where he received his BA and MA degrees in International Relations.  He served with the Department of State, Library of Congress and after thirty years of service, retired from the National Security Agency in 1979.

    His military decorations include Combat Infantry Badge, Presidential Unit Citation with Oak Leaf Cluster and Bronze Star with Oak Leaf Cluster.

    In July 1997, by order of the Secretary of the Army he was granted and assigned the distinction of Distinguished Member of the 75 th Ranger Regiment

    In July 2004, inducted into the Ranger Hall Of Fame, Fort Benning, GA..