Mr. Yamashita's case, and the perception that Marine training programs were racially biased, prompted the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Va., to revise its manual last February. "Staff personnel shall not: Make statements or gestures or engage in any action that could be interpreted as racial, gender or ethnic prejudice or bias," said one of the paragraphs that was added.

In November, Mr. Dalton ordered the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Frederick F.Y. Pang, to review opportunities for minorities in the Navy and Marine Corps, which is a part of the Navy Department. Taunted From the Start

Mr. Yamashita's ordeal started almost immediately on reporting to the training program at the Officer Candidates School in 1989. According to Marine records, Marine Corps instructors taunted Mr. Yamashita about his heritage and at one point told him: "We don't want your kind around here. Go back to your own country."

Two days before the training program ended, Mr. Yamashita was dismissed for what his instructors called "leadership failure."

After two separate inquiries, the Marine Corps inspector general, Maj. Gen. Hollis E. Davison, said in 1991 that Mr. Yamashita was "subjected to ethnic insensitivity" and apologized. But General Davison, who has since retired, also concluded that Mr. Yamashita would have failed the program anyway.

Mr. Yamashita fought back, enlisting the help of, among others, Senator Daniel K. Inouye, an influential Democrat from Hawaii and a highly decorated World War II Army veteran who is also a Japanese-American. Rejected a Compromise

The Marines initially offered to let Mr. Yamashita take the program again, but he refused, choosing to fight to clear his name. A year ago this month, the Marines offered to commission him as a second lieutenant, but only if he agreed to attend six months of additional officer training and nine weeks of military legal training. Again, Mr. Yamashita refused.