Edward John Drea

Edward John Drea was a historian’s historian. He recounted tales of lake effect snow, Japanese military history, Capitals hockey, Vietnam era figures, and, sadly, illness, in clear, candid ways. He always said that the best writing could be accessed by any reader, at any time.

Ed was born in Buffalo, New York on February 24,1944 to John Drea and Joan McCarthy. He passed in Fairfax County, Virginia on April 22, 2026 due to complications from neurodegenerative diseases. He is survived by his daughter, Rika (Jason Mosberg) and his granddaughter Edie.

Growing up in Buffalo, Ed attended the local grammar school. He had two older siblings, Frank and Margaret Drea. Their father was an employee of the New York Central Line and that allowed the family to take memorable train trips. As the son of a school teacher, Ed’s academic dedication created opportunities for him to travel far and wide. He completed his bachelor’s at Cainius College in Buffalo, New York; his master’s at Sophia University in Tokyo, Japan; and his PhD at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas.

Ed enlisted and served in Vietnam in the Air Force from 1967 to 1971, earning the rank of captain and ending his service with an honorable discharge. While stationed in Japan, Ed met Kazuko. They married in the US Embassy in March of 1971. They lived in Tokyo, Japan for several years.

When Ed and Kazuko returned to the US, they planned to host a wedding in his hometown. The local church had agreed to marry them, but upon seeing that Kazuko was Japanese, they refused to perform a ceremony. Ed’s mother simply replied: “We will have the wedding at home,” and they did. The pragmatic problem-solving in the face of challenges became an Ed trademark throughout his life.

In 1977, while working on his PhD at the University of Kansas, their daughter Rika was born. After completing his PhD, the family moved to Leavenworth, Kansas where Ed worked at the Army Command and General Staff College. They lived in a green house with buffalo roaming just around the corner.

In the years that followed, Ed worked at the Army War College in Carlisle, PA and the Center for Military History, in Washington, DC. He also took on several defense contracts and, after retirement, continued to work on his own material. Throughout all of his writing career, Ed believed that making accurate history available to all was the right thing to do and so he taught at a number of institutions including Leavenworth Penitentiary, US military institutions, and George Washington University.

Ed’s work ethic and drive were noted by his colleagues. His family work ethic was equally impressive as he attended all of daughter’s concerts, games (home and away), special events, and always made time to drink his daily coffee with Kazuko, grill, play basketball and street hockey, cut the grass, and take family vacations.

In 2003, Ed won the Samuel Eliot Morrison Prize for lifetime achievement in work in military history. A prolific author, his list of works includes: Japan’s Imperial Army: Its Rise and Fall, 1853–1945; McNamara, Clifford, and the Burdens of Vietnam, 1965–1969; MacArthur’s ULTRA: Codebreaking and the War Against Japan, 1942-1945. Later in retirement, he worked on Spies in British Controlled Singapore: Policing the Japanese 1921-1941 as a “hobby” project.

Ed and Kazuko traveled both near and far, enjoying adventures in Japan, China, Ireland, and Canada. They often traveled to California to visit their daughter. They were a wonderful pair who laughed often, ate well, and took pleasure in the little things.

Sadly, in 2013, Kazuko passed away from complications due to cancer. Ed continued to live in their family home in Fairfax City, Virginia.

In 2014, Ed was diagnosed with lung cancer. Amazingly, a pill alone effectively combatted the cancer. When the cancer spread to his brain, he took another pill that had similarly amazing effects. He continued to visit with many friends in the area and made frequent trips to California to see his daughter.

Over time, Ed developed atypical neurodegenerative diseases which slowly robbed him of his abilities to walk, write, and speak. Despite the ruthlessness of the diseases, Ed continued to battle them, working tirelessly with therapists and on his own as well. On his daily phone calls with his daughter, he would review the various exercises he’d done throughout the day, from rolling on his yoga mat, to writing his name thousands of times, to enunciating words with exaggerated movements. In true Ed fashion, he completed all of these exercises early or late in the day so that he could thoroughly enjoy time eating, drinking, and running errands with his friends.

He moved into an assisted living home in 2024. He missed the space and yard of their Fairfax home, but he did not miss the upkeep. While in his new home, he savored the lovely meals and various outings as well as the quiet time to read Japanese mystery novels and watch Capitals hockey.

Happily, in 2024, Ed welcomed his first grandchild, Edie Kaz, named after both him and Kazuko.  He enjoyed going out to dinner with Edie, Rika, and Jason and watching Edie play vigorously and loudly in his assisted living home.

Ed’s pragmatic problem-solving nature allowed him to continually surprise staff with his strength and abilities. For instance, if he didn’t have the core strength to sit up, he would simply swing his legs hard and generate enough momentum to drive himself upright. Or if he needed to get somewhere and his arms couldn’t move his wheelchair, he just backed it up with his legs, pushing his way quickly down the halls.

Ed accepted help when it enhanced his independence. From friends taking him on errands to his daughter trying to help him with his computer over FaceTime, he asked of others what he himself would have given to them.

In the spring of 2026, Ed fell ill. He was admitted to the hospital where he was diagnosed with pneumonia and heart issues. His daughter expresses tremendous gratitude and appreciation to Ed’s many friends who visited him in the hospital, at his assisted living homes, and helped her manage many aspects of his final days.

On April 22, 2026, while in hospice, he passed under the thoughtful and attentive care of his assisted living facility. Details for his memorial at Arlington National Cemetery are forthcoming.

If you would like, please sign the guestbook and add any photos or stories about Ed. Thank you.