McHale’s Navy SEAL actor Yoshio Yoda has died at the age of 88, it was announced Monday.

The beloved actor, who played Takeo Fujiwara in the cult American TV series and two subsequent films, has died in Fullerton, California January 13.

Yoda was born in Tokyo, Japan March 31, 1934.

He was studying law at Keio University in Japan when a friend encouraged him to pursue acting.

Yoda moved to the United States and enrolled in film school at the University of Southern California in 1958 – eventually graduating with a degree in cinematography.

His rise to fame began when the school invited students who were bilingual in Japanese and English – then Yoda starred in the 1962 film The Horizontal Lieutenant as Sgt. Roy Tada.

The performance led to his casting as Fujia in the American sitcom McHale’s Navy, a role he played from 1962 to 1966 in 138 episodes and two films.

RIP: The beloved actor, who played Takeo Fujiwara in the iconic US TV series and two subsequent films, died in Fullerton, California on January 13

In June 1964, Yoda announced that he would marry Yoko Okazaki, a Japanese model.

After graduating from the Navy, McHale appeared in a 1969 segment of Love American Style, Love and the Letter and was an associate producer on the 1971 Golden Globe-nominated film The Walking Major.

After acting, he went by his middle name of James and worked as an assistant vice president of Toyota Hawaii.

He became an American citizen and lived in Honolulu, Hawaii for 15 years.

After his retirement, he moved to Fullerton, California, where he lived until his death.

At his request, the service will not be held. He was predeceased by a son, Edward Yuji Yoda.

Iconic: The star is best known for his role in the drama alongside Tim Conway and Joe Flynn