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Tuesday, March 10.1961 JAPANESE AMERICAN DAILY •Go For Broke' Exhibit... Many 100th/442nd Veterans Attend Army Museum Opening Programs The "Go For Broke" exhibit honoring the 100th battalion and 442nd regimental combat team was dedicated Saturday with large numbers of proud veterans of the two units attending. More than 1500 gathered outside the Army Museum in the Presidio of San Francisco.to witness the opening program in the afternoon in one of the largest reunions of Japanese American veterans ever held on the mainland. Veterans came from sfl parts of Northern. Central and Southern California and were joined by several scores who came from New York, Chicago, Texas, Denver and other areas. The afternoon ceremony was marked with suitable military pomp as howitzers fired a 17- gun salute appropriate to honor the two nisei U.S^ senators present, the 6th army bead played stirring marches and the national anthem, a spit-and- poliso firing squad fired a precision volley of three shots and units of troops msrrhed m Then'Taps" was played by a bugler with the poignant call echoed by soother bugler across the field in honor of those com- EXfflSTT DEDICATED — Over 1500 attended the gram Saturday at the Presidio Burking the fyrntrg of the "Go For Broke** exhibit at the Army Museum. A 6th amy unit and band, at right, faced the crowd fat the sseaeem park- next to the two senators trees Hawaii, Spark M. sod DanJeJ K. lao. tades in diedm MisT Masaoka of Washington, D.C, as master of ceremonies, declared it was ironic that the program was being held only • a snort distance away from the head- luarters of Tuesday, March 10.1981 19 qusi eg the war. in the fight- , he was in- . John L. DeWitt, then commanding general of die 4th army and the Western Defense Command who said in 1941 "A Jap is a Jap regardless of his citizenship. He also recalled that Col. Karl Bendetsen, who was in charge of the 1942 Evacuation said, *rIf Eu're l/16th Japanese you ve to move away from your home and work and go to ?1; mam caocnes ruatteu up u> nusue nrm away. Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who also participated ia the ribbon- cutting ceremony later inside the museum, observed that it is important to hear about the evacuation of the Japanese Americans to concentration camps ''because to forget such things is to make it possible for them to happen again." She said she had called on Sea. Daniel K. Inouye, a fellow Democrat, many times on her trips to Washington, D.C, far assistance and advice. The msyor was followed by Supervisor Lee Dotsoa, who presented s certificate of co lgrstu- latioas from the board of supervisors of the city and county of San Francisco. Doisoa said he was a Republican and reminded that the other nisei in the U.S. senate is also a Republican. In introducing Spark M. Ma- tsuaaga, junior senator from Hewaii, and one of the keynote speakers, Masaoka noted he was oac of the few nisei soldiers who served with both the 100th and the army military satei- tven Hitler, with what be did to the Jews, only took it to l/8th Jewish blood. "We had to purchase the right to live as Americans, not only for ourselves, bat for our children's children... "We had to prove that the blood of Japanese Americans flows as red as that of any other Americans, and that when we're shot, we die." Masaoka said, "Many of us had to fight our way into the army. And then they took us to Camp Shelby, Miss., and for the first time in our lives we saw separate washrooms, one for the whites and one for the blacks, and we didn't know which one to use." He added mat as the troop trains pulled into stations in the South the soldiers went hungry at many of the stations because food vendors would refuse to (Continued on page 2) meet to an bii*uiumc« *•»»•*, »»«•» stepped forward and risked their careers and the jeers of their fellow officers." "No army unit is better than officers. These white officers trained and led the 100th/442nd to become the most decorated unit in U.S. army history, for its sue and length of service," he said. The two units combined piled 2 seven unit cttatkm*. one ngressional Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses 560 Silver Stars with 28 Oak Leaf Ousters signifying second awards. 15 Soldier's Medals for saving life. 4000 Bronze Stars with 1200 Oak Leaf Clusters and 9486 Purple Heart Medals for Sen. Inouye then introduced Cok James HanJey, ret., of Mountain View, the only sur- %viving senior officer of the 100th/442nd. and the widow of Col. Charles W. Pence, com- mender of the unit at the time of the "Rescue of the 36th Texas Division's 'lost battalion'." An indoor ribbon-cutting ceremony followed with the two senators. Mayor Feinstein and top army officers participating. Only a few of the large crowd was able to squeeze inside the museum and many impromptu reunion gatherings were held outside before queuing at the door to see the exhibit. According to Harry Iwsfuchi, chairman for the evening banquet at the Fait moot hotel's Grand Ballroom, the final total of tickets sold for the event was 1113. Eric Saul, curator of the Presidio Army Museum, who s year ago came up with the idea of an exhibit honoring the 100th/ 442nd, was recognized at the banquet for his efforts. Saul said he came across several books mentioning the nisei units and was surprised to find that their deeds were being forgotten and even families and friends of the veterans had little knowledge of their exploits and the powerful after-effects of their deeds. "I came to realize that some 150 million Americans born after World War II knew little or nothing about the 100th/442nd and a permanent exhibit telling about the units and their fight for equality was definitely needed." In his speech at the dinner. Sen. Matsunaga repeated his earlier statement on the purpose of the 100th/442nd fighting men and added "this is the story that has to be told" by the new army exhibit. Sen. Inouye, who became Hawaii's first congressman after Hawaii gained statehood in 1952 and served two terms before being elected U.S. senator in 19S6, said the Islands became the 50th state in a large measure due to the exploits of the 100th/ 442nd. He also stated Japanese Americans can be considered to be ia the forefront in the civil rights movement that benefit sfl He concluded, "though we (Continued on last page) Page 4 Museum Dedicated (Continued from page 2) wefe hostages in 1942, we now enjoy a status we never dreamed possible only a tew decades ago." Rev. George Aki, former 442nd chaplain, now retired in Claremont, near Los Angeles, in giving the benediction for the banquet said "We are not here to glorify war but to pay homage to those who made the 100th/ 442nd meaningful.'' Among the many messages of congratulations read by Masaoka, toastmaster for the banquet, was one from the U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. He also introduced many persons attending the banquet, including Dr. George Kiyoshi Togasaki of Tokyo, San Franrisco- born World War I veteran with the American Expeditionsry Forces in France in 1918, later named world president of Rotary International. Also present was Florence Yoshiwara of San Mateo, director of the Japanese American Curriculum Project at 414 E. Third St., San Mateo 94401, who is handling orders for "Go For . Broke," a pictorial study being published in conjunction with this Army Museum exhibit. Pre- publication price of the book is S27.95, plus $1.50 postage, through Tuesday, March 31.
Object Description
Title | JACL Newspaper |
Description | A collection of articles from the JACL (Japanese American Citizens League) Newspaper. |
Subjects | Community activities -- Associations and organizations -- Japanese American Citizens League |
Type | image |
Genre | News reports |
Language | eng |
Collection | Hirasuna Family Papers |
Collection Description | 34 items |
Project Name | California State University Japanese American Digitization Project |
Rights | Rights not yet transferred |
Description
Local ID | csufr_hfp_0445 |
Project ID | csufr_hfp_0445 |
Title | Page 4 |
Creator | Unknown |
Date Created | 1981 - 03 - 10 |
Subjects | Community activities -- Associations and organizations -- Japanese American Citizens League |
Type | image |
Genre | News reports |
Language | eng |
Collection | Hirasuna Family Papers |
Collection Description | 8.50 x 10.91in |
Rights | Rights not yet transferred |
Transcript | Tuesday, March 10.1961 JAPANESE AMERICAN DAILY •Go For Broke' Exhibit... Many 100th/442nd Veterans Attend Army Museum Opening Programs The "Go For Broke" exhibit honoring the 100th battalion and 442nd regimental combat team was dedicated Saturday with large numbers of proud veterans of the two units attending. More than 1500 gathered outside the Army Museum in the Presidio of San Francisco.to witness the opening program in the afternoon in one of the largest reunions of Japanese American veterans ever held on the mainland. Veterans came from sfl parts of Northern. Central and Southern California and were joined by several scores who came from New York, Chicago, Texas, Denver and other areas. The afternoon ceremony was marked with suitable military pomp as howitzers fired a 17- gun salute appropriate to honor the two nisei U.S^ senators present, the 6th army bead played stirring marches and the national anthem, a spit-and- poliso firing squad fired a precision volley of three shots and units of troops msrrhed m Then'Taps" was played by a bugler with the poignant call echoed by soother bugler across the field in honor of those com- EXfflSTT DEDICATED — Over 1500 attended the gram Saturday at the Presidio Burking the fyrntrg of the "Go For Broke** exhibit at the Army Museum. A 6th amy unit and band, at right, faced the crowd fat the sseaeem park- next to the two senators trees Hawaii, Spark M. sod DanJeJ K. lao. tades in diedm MisT Masaoka of Washington, D.C, as master of ceremonies, declared it was ironic that the program was being held only • a snort distance away from the head- luarters of Tuesday, March 10.1981 19 qusi eg the war. in the fight- , he was in- . John L. DeWitt, then commanding general of die 4th army and the Western Defense Command who said in 1941 "A Jap is a Jap regardless of his citizenship. He also recalled that Col. Karl Bendetsen, who was in charge of the 1942 Evacuation said, *rIf Eu're l/16th Japanese you ve to move away from your home and work and go to ?1; mam caocnes ruatteu up u> nusue nrm away. Mayor Dianne Feinstein, who also participated ia the ribbon- cutting ceremony later inside the museum, observed that it is important to hear about the evacuation of the Japanese Americans to concentration camps ''because to forget such things is to make it possible for them to happen again." She said she had called on Sea. Daniel K. Inouye, a fellow Democrat, many times on her trips to Washington, D.C, far assistance and advice. The msyor was followed by Supervisor Lee Dotsoa, who presented s certificate of co lgrstu- latioas from the board of supervisors of the city and county of San Francisco. Doisoa said he was a Republican and reminded that the other nisei in the U.S. senate is also a Republican. In introducing Spark M. Ma- tsuaaga, junior senator from Hewaii, and one of the keynote speakers, Masaoka noted he was oac of the few nisei soldiers who served with both the 100th and the army military satei- tven Hitler, with what be did to the Jews, only took it to l/8th Jewish blood. "We had to purchase the right to live as Americans, not only for ourselves, bat for our children's children... "We had to prove that the blood of Japanese Americans flows as red as that of any other Americans, and that when we're shot, we die." Masaoka said, "Many of us had to fight our way into the army. And then they took us to Camp Shelby, Miss., and for the first time in our lives we saw separate washrooms, one for the whites and one for the blacks, and we didn't know which one to use." He added mat as the troop trains pulled into stations in the South the soldiers went hungry at many of the stations because food vendors would refuse to (Continued on page 2) meet to an bii*uiumc« *•»»•*, »»«•» stepped forward and risked their careers and the jeers of their fellow officers." "No army unit is better than officers. These white officers trained and led the 100th/442nd to become the most decorated unit in U.S. army history, for its sue and length of service," he said. The two units combined piled 2 seven unit cttatkm*. one ngressional Medal of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses 560 Silver Stars with 28 Oak Leaf Ousters signifying second awards. 15 Soldier's Medals for saving life. 4000 Bronze Stars with 1200 Oak Leaf Clusters and 9486 Purple Heart Medals for Sen. Inouye then introduced Cok James HanJey, ret., of Mountain View, the only sur- %viving senior officer of the 100th/442nd. and the widow of Col. Charles W. Pence, com- mender of the unit at the time of the "Rescue of the 36th Texas Division's 'lost battalion'." An indoor ribbon-cutting ceremony followed with the two senators. Mayor Feinstein and top army officers participating. Only a few of the large crowd was able to squeeze inside the museum and many impromptu reunion gatherings were held outside before queuing at the door to see the exhibit. According to Harry Iwsfuchi, chairman for the evening banquet at the Fait moot hotel's Grand Ballroom, the final total of tickets sold for the event was 1113. Eric Saul, curator of the Presidio Army Museum, who s year ago came up with the idea of an exhibit honoring the 100th/ 442nd, was recognized at the banquet for his efforts. Saul said he came across several books mentioning the nisei units and was surprised to find that their deeds were being forgotten and even families and friends of the veterans had little knowledge of their exploits and the powerful after-effects of their deeds. "I came to realize that some 150 million Americans born after World War II knew little or nothing about the 100th/442nd and a permanent exhibit telling about the units and their fight for equality was definitely needed." In his speech at the dinner. Sen. Matsunaga repeated his earlier statement on the purpose of the 100th/442nd fighting men and added "this is the story that has to be told" by the new army exhibit. Sen. Inouye, who became Hawaii's first congressman after Hawaii gained statehood in 1952 and served two terms before being elected U.S. senator in 19S6, said the Islands became the 50th state in a large measure due to the exploits of the 100th/ 442nd. He also stated Japanese Americans can be considered to be ia the forefront in the civil rights movement that benefit sfl He concluded, "though we (Continued on last page) Page 4 Museum Dedicated (Continued from page 2) wefe hostages in 1942, we now enjoy a status we never dreamed possible only a tew decades ago." Rev. George Aki, former 442nd chaplain, now retired in Claremont, near Los Angeles, in giving the benediction for the banquet said "We are not here to glorify war but to pay homage to those who made the 100th/ 442nd meaningful.'' Among the many messages of congratulations read by Masaoka, toastmaster for the banquet, was one from the U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. He also introduced many persons attending the banquet, including Dr. George Kiyoshi Togasaki of Tokyo, San Franrisco- born World War I veteran with the American Expeditionsry Forces in France in 1918, later named world president of Rotary International. Also present was Florence Yoshiwara of San Mateo, director of the Japanese American Curriculum Project at 414 E. Third St., San Mateo 94401, who is handling orders for "Go For . Broke," a pictorial study being published in conjunction with this Army Museum exhibit. Pre- publication price of the book is S27.95, plus $1.50 postage, through Tuesday, March 31. |