A remarkable Open House took place in the International District in Seattle this afternoon, March 15, 2008: the dedication of the Nisei Veterans Committee Memorial Hall. Attendees included many Washington state elected officials, Governor Chris Gregoire, Congr Jim McDermott, Congr Dave Reichert, and other luminaries.
If you are not aware of the remarkable history of the 442nd Battalion Combat and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) units, these two units were comprised of Japanese-American Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans). It saw some of the heaviest fighting anywhere during WW II, and gained a reputation among all American troops as some of the best, bravest soldiers in the field. They repeatedly demonstrated their willingness to do "the impossible jobs," earning the respect of General Mark Clark. Harry Truman invited the 442nd to the White House at the end of the war to personally thank them for their contribution to the effort.
Today in Seattle, the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee (formed after Japanese American veterans were denied membership in American VFW and American Legion posts at the end of WW II), opened their refurbished Memorial Hall in downtown Seattle. Funds came from all corners of the local community, as well as City, State, and federal sources. Senator Patti Murray (D-Washington state) was instrumental in helping arrange for federal funding support of the project. Governor Chris Gregoire (D) and Congressman Jim McDermott both attended the ceremony in person. Senator Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii), a disable WW II veteran, spoke via recorded video to the crowd.
Most of these veterans volunteered to fight while their families were still interred behind the barbed wire fences of the internment camps in Idaho, California, and Washington established by President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066. Thousands of Japanese Americans were ordered to report to these "temporary camps," giving up businesses, properties and possessions, after receiving only a few day's notice.
A good fictional account of the local climate in Washington state at the outset of the war (attitudes towards Japanese Americans in particular) can be found in the book SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS by Seattle area author David Guterson. There is also a film of the same name available at video stores. A good website for learning more about the internment years is at www.densho.org, or www.geocities.com/Athens/8420/main.html.
Many of the remaining veterans who brought home 21 Congressional Medals of Honor, 33 Distinguished Service Crosses, 559 Silver Stars, 22 Legions of Merit, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 9,486 Purple Hearts, and thousands of other medals of recognition were in attendance to see local Seattle veterans groups, including my own, pay a 60 year debt of respect to their contribution to America's victory in WW II.
The website for the Seattle NVC is www.seattlenvc.org.
The building itself was originally built in Seattle's International District in 1938 and it was abandonned in 1942 with the forced evacuation of the Japanese American community in Seattle. It has been completely restored, with artifacts and tributes to individual heroes of the 442nd, a kitchen down stairs, and plenty of space to draw in new generations of descendants of these remarkable heroes.
The program consisted of a series of speakers, all of whom were introduced by the adult grandchildren of the Nisei, with individual stories about their grandfathers told in the process of introducing the guest speaker. The emphasis on never forgetting the shame of the internment camps, while celebrating the heroism of these brave men, was especially brought to light by comments by Congressman Jim McDermott, who spoke with great feeling and emphasis on NEVER LETTING THIS HAPPEN AGAIN.
The creed of the Nisei Veterans Committee is HONOR THE PAST WHILE EDUCATING THE FUTURE.
Judging by the turnout from veterans groups, remaining veteran 442 members,local politicians, and members of the community at large, this project and program will continue to serve as a reminder of the the dishonor done to Japanese Americans in WW II, and the selfless acts of the brave men who overlooked the dishonor to fight and die for America in the war.
The Greatest Generation was comprised not only of Caucasians, but also of blacks and Native Americans and Japanese Americans and Latinos and many other ethnic groups, including the brave Filipinos who fought alongside American soldiers in the Philippines. We don't read about these great contributions as much as we should.
Rod H.