Grandfather on my mom's side was a scholar in China before the Communist revolution. he was arrested and thrown into a Communist prison, where he eventually built up a good rapport with the guards by reading and writing their mail for them and playing music on his violin. Eventually built up enough good will with the guards, and staged his escape by asking if he could leave for a pack of smokes. Obviously the guard refused, but my grandfather assured them by allowing them to hold on to his prized violin. The guards relented and my grandfather got my mom, grandma and 6 other kids and fled to America.

On the dad's side my grandfather was born in Los Angeles pre-WWII. As soon as the US started registering the Japanese, my grandfathers family read the signs and decided to switch alliances. My grandfather joined the Imperial army and fought in the Pacific theater. After the war my grandfather moved back to the US, ran some restaurants and eventually spent his days becoming a kendo master and making stained glass.