Senior Grand Master Tony Lasit
KSDI-UWMAA
D.O.B.- February. 21, 1927
Born on Maui, Hawaii
1943 - Started initial martial arts training in Honolulu, Hawaii. Judo at Kalihi, HI. Under Professor “Rubber Man” Higami and Kaimon Kudo.
1944 - Enlisted in U.S. Army. Served in the European Theatre of operations.
1948 - Honorably discharged from U.S. Army at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Continued martial arts at Nu’uanu dojo under Professor W.S. Chow.
1950 - Reactivated to active duty, due to the Korean War.
1952 - Once again honorably discharged after serving fifteen months of active duty.
1953, 1954 - Continued training martial arts.
1955 - Enlisted in the U.S. Air force, training with base judo classes at Lake Charles AFB, Louisiana.
1957- Reassigned back to Hickam AFB, HI. Started training at Palama settlement under Joe Emporado.
1958 - Joseph Emperado’s death unsettled my thoughts about being at “Palama”, so I moved to the Aiea, HI School under head instructor Benny Medero for the next four years.
1962 - I was transferred from Hickam AFB, HI to the Pacific Missile and Nuclear test range on Johnston Island. This is where I started the first KSDI School along with active duty military personnel and many civilian workers.
1962 - From the year 1962-1978 I received permission from the KSDI to open and conduct mixed martial arts under the KSDI “banner” and UWMAA from senior grandmaster Joseph Halbuna.
Johnston Island Pacific - Nuclear, Missile Test Range.
Cheyenne, WYO. Francis E. Warren AFB. SAC. ICBM.
Austin, Texas - Bergstrom, AFB-SAC-B-52 TAC Fighter, Air Crafters.
Bay City, Michigan, Wurtsmith AFB. SAC B52
Tucson, Arizona, Davis Monthan, AFB. SAC/TAC- B52, Fighters and AC-10
Santa Maria, CA. Vandenberg AFB. ICBM
Abbreviations:
SAC- Strategic Air Command (B52 Bombers) etc
ICBM- Inter Continental Ballistic Missile
TAC- Tactical Air Command - Fighter Aircraft
AC-10-Fighter, Bomber for Troop Support
1968 - Reassigned from Bergstrom AFB, Texas to Ubon, Thailand
1970 - Started another KSDI school in Ubon, Thailand.
1971- Rotated back to Wurtsmith, AFB. (SAC) again and started KSDI school on base.
1972 - Reassigned to Ton Son NHUT AFB, Saigon Vietnam
1973 - Reassigned to Davis Monthan, AFB. Tucson Arizona. Opened another KSDI class on base.
1975 - Assignment to Misawa AFB, Japan where I trained at a Japanese Aikido school.
1978 - When I left Japan for my retirement at Hickam AFB, HI, it was 30 years of military service in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air force. While stationed at Hickam, I trained under Guru Raymon Tobosa, learning the art of Escrima, Kali and Arnis. Later giving private “MMA” lessons of no more than six students to on class.
2006 - Las Vegas, NV- I attended my first KSDI seminar and tournament. Reunited with some of my former students, met their students and generations and generations after them. Two of my former students are GM Dan Baker and Professor Ben Calvo. I was introduced to GM Dechi Emporada and was promoted to SGM under SGM Joseph Halbuna, United World Martial Arts Association.
2007 - Currently I am Grandmaster of Lotus Self Defense Institute with Professor Roy D. Harrington, as president and founder of “NALA”- North American Lotus Alliance.
SGM Tony Lasit
Style: Kajukenbo, MMA
