In this interview, Dennis Prager speaks with Major General James Mukoyama, author of Faith, Family, and Flag, about his historic military career and his concerns over the perceived decline of American values. Mukoyama recounts becoming the first Asian American to command an Army division, serving under the famed Colonel David H. Hackworth in Vietnam’s 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, and emphasizes that the Army was one of the first integrated institutions, noting he experienced no racism during his 1969 service. He describes his upbringing in Chicago’s tight‑knit, church‑centered community, participation in Boy Scouts, and the role of faith and patriotism in shaping his identity. Mukoyama explains that recent polling shows a drop in American faith and patriotism, prompting him to write the “Mukoyama Life Manifesto” warning of a deterioration of the values that made the United States an exceptional, multicultural nation. He shares his daily mantra—faith, family, and the flag—and recounts speaking at a high school where a student adopted the mantra, illustrating his effort to pass these values to younger generations. Finally, he reflects on his father’s immigration story, highlighting the pursuit of opportunity and freedom that defines the American promise. Throughout, Prager and Mukoyama argue that the narrative of a racially divided America is a left‑wing myth and that preserving faith, family, and patriotism is essential for the nation’s future.
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It's not often I have a brigadier general on my show, to be honest, but Major General James Mukayama is my guest. He has written Faith, Family, and Flag. He was the first Asian American to— again, fill in the rest of the sentence—
command an Army division.
Command an Army division. The subtitle is Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader. So this, the picture of you on the COVID is of you in Vietnam. And what is the, uh, what does it say on your helmet there?
It says Hardcore. Meaning? Meaning that was the nickname for the battalion that I served in in Vietnam in 1969. It was the 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, commanded by the legendary Colonel David H. Hackworth. And I had the honor of— I knew Colonel Hackworth at Fort Lewis, Washington before Vietnam. I'm back at Fort Lewis. He writes me a letter. He called me Mook because he couldn't pronounce Mukoyama. And I used to call him Sir. So basically he writes me a letter and he said, hey Mook, we got a war going on. If you want a company, it's yours. It's like I hit the lotto, because to serve as an infantry company commander in combat under David Hackworth, it doesn't get any better than that. So I immediately volunteered again for Vietnam. First time they sent me to Korea, but this time they took me up on my offer and I went to Vietnam.
So I'm going to ask again, this— so 1969 Japanese American in the Army in Vietnam. Did you experience racism then?
No, no. I was a captain and that's all that counted, other than the fact that I was infantry, which I'm very proud of. But no, we did not look at each other in terms of race.
This is 1969, ladies and gentlemen. The great grand left-wing lie about racist America. It's truly destructive. All lies are destructive, but that one in particular.
Well, in fact, the Army was one of the first institutions in our society that integrated. 1948, President Truman. Prior to that, we had segregated units. We had black units. We had Japanese American units, of which, by the way, I'm proud to say I had uncles in it. I had relatives who served in Europe and in the Pacific fighting the Japanese.
Were you raised to love America?
Absolutely. I, first of all, I'm a very strong man of faith, and the church was the the center of our family life. You know, Chicago is the city of neighborhoods. It's really cool, and especially in those days, every neighborhood had, had a tavern, had a barber shop, had a local grocery store, and had a house of worship. And our church was 3 blocks away. Every Sunday we would put on our Sunday best clothes as a family and walk to church together. I literally was a choir boy in the church, and I was in Cub Scouts, I was in Boy Scouts. All of that was centered around the church community. And then, as I'm sure you know, the, the motto of Boy Scouts is for God and country, in that order.
That's important what you added in that order. That's right. You describe an America that is disappearing.
Yes.
You agree with me?
Absolutely. I'm— and, and in fact, uh, I did write just recently, this earlier this year, uh, I was so disgusted and disappointed with the polling that showed the significant decrease in American public about faith and patriotism. And so I wrote something called the Mukuyama Life Manifesto, which basically talked about what I saw as the deterioration of the American values that have made this the most exceptional, least racist, large multicultural nation in the world.
That's exactly right. I wish you could speak in every high school in the country.
I've gone back, and as a matter of fact, I— towards the end of my book, I talk about— I spoke at a high school. I have a standard daily mantra which is, "Every day is a great day. I have my faith, my family, and live in the finest country in the world." And so I gave this speech at a high school, and one of the students who heard me wrote me a letter, and actually a thank you letter for speaking. And that young man said that, "I've adopted your mantra." And I said, And I said, this guy gets it.
That's right. It's funny because I pull up near my house, there's a Starbucks, and I, I got a coffee most days. So the young, the young guy goes, so how's your day? I go, wonderful. All my days are wonderful. And whoever it is, is sometimes a young woman, doesn't matter, obviously. Whoever it is, they really like the answer. It's funny, they say, that's great, it's so good to hear. So I have a question I like to ask exceptional people like you. So has this always been your nature? You're obviously grateful, upbeat. Is that the nature God or nature gave you?
Yes, only because I've witnessed the— my father came to the United States at the age of 18, and he came here because of the opportunity and freedoms that were—
A Japanese man.
Yeah.
In fact, I want people to understand that.
Yeah. In fact, in 19— when he was born in 1900. Okay, and during grammar school, Japan in one generation went from a third world country to a world power that defeated not only China but defeated Russia.
All right, continue with the story in a moment. The book by the Major General Mukoyama is Faith, Family, and Flag, up at my website.
