Tag Archive: Lynn Heirakuji

11th Annual Joint Memorial Service

Distinguished guests and Barbara Tanabe, mistress of ceremony for this year’s JMS 11th Annual Joint Memorial Service – sponsored by the Nisei Veterans Legacy (NVLC) The 11th Annual Joint Memorial Service (JMS) was held at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl on Sunday, September 25, 2016. The JMS honors the soldiers who served in World War II in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, and 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion. It is held annually on the last Sunday of September to commemorate September 29, 1943, the day that Shigeo “Joe” Takata of the 100th Infantry Battalion became the first AJA killed in action in World War II. This year’s service adopted the theme of the 75th anniversary commemoration...

The 442nd RCT 74th Anniversary Banquet

By Lynn Heirakuji, S&D member The 442nd Regimental Combat Team 74th Anniversary Banquet was held at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel on Sunday, March 26, 2017. The 442nd Veterans Club sponsored the annual affair, which was attended by about 440 people – 49 Nisei veterans also signed up for the event. Ken Inouye, son of the late Senator Daniel K. Inouye, served as the Master of Ceremonies and Governor David Y. Ige rendered the moving keynote address. The Governor, son of a 100th Infantry Battalion veteran, reminded the audience of the climate of racial hysteria that gripped the Nation in the aftermath of the 1941 Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. This fear and prejudice led the U.S. President to issue Executive Order 9066, which directed the forced...

442nd Veterans and the National Museum of the U.S. Army

Aloha Hawaii 442nd RCT Veterans, Families, and Supporters The U.S. Army plans to open a new National Museum of the U.S. Army (NMUSA) near Washington D.C. in 2019. NMUSA will include sections recognizing the WWII Nisei Soldiers of the 442nd RCT, 100th Infantry Battalion and Military Intelligence Service. It is seeking individual Nisei Soldier stories, as well as objects and artifacts that will be made part of the exhibit. See the NMUSA website at: thenmusa.org. The Sons & Daughters Chapter is working with the National Veterans Network to coordinate the submission of 442nd Soldier stories for consideration for use in the museum. S&D member Lynn Heirakuji is the point of contact for this project and is providing detailed information on how interested parties can submit...

75th Anniversary Banquet “Diamond Jubilee” of the 100th Infantry Battalion

The Sons and Daughters of the 442nd were well represented at the 100th Battalion’s 75th Anniversary Banquet, which was held on Sunday, July 23, 10am-2pm, at the Pomaikai Ballroom at Dole Cannery. We had two full tables – including officers Grace Fujii, Juanita Allen and Shirley Igarashi, and members Gwen and Clayton Fujie, Glenn and Edean Goya, Lynn Heirakuji, Phyllis Hironaka, Anita Nihei and Ken Akinaka. Wes Deguchi, representing the NVL, was also present. (Sorry if we missed anyone.) Also our guests Mr. and Mrs. King Lit Ching sat with us. He is the son of Hung Wai Ching, who in 1940 was part of the Hawaii Council for Interracial Unity that helped prepare the local Issei community for the impending war. King Lit is...

Volunteer Project between the S&D and the Archives & Manuscripts Dept of Hamilton Library, University of Hawaii at Manoa

Bonne Fete Nationale!

La Légion d’honneur medal conferment ceremony by the French government for six American Japanese veterans of World War II on June 1, 2019 was trés magnifique! The audience, Governor David Ige, Mrs. Dawn Amano-Ige, both, whose fathers served with the 100th Infantry Battalion, many members of the Consular Corps of Hawaii and a large contingent of family and friends of the veterans, was very pleased to witness the rare historic knighthood and medal pinning, by Consul General Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens of San Francisco, bestowed on our six courageous heroes seated on stage. The new Chevaliers are:Mr. Royce Eiko Higa, 98, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, A Battery, Mr. Hidenobu Hiyane, 100, Headquarters Company, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), Mr. George Kenichi Oide, 96, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, Headquarters Battery, Mr. Clinton Ikuzo...

“Go For Broke” Nisei Soldiers Commemorative Stamp

The United States Postal Service, USPS, issued the “Go For Broke” Nisei Soldiers Commemorative Stamp honoring the legacy of Nisei Soldiers of World War II on Thursday, June 3, 2021 – the First Date of Issue (FDOI). The City of Los Angeles is the First City of Issue.  It has been a long journey for the Stamp Our Story Founders and their supporters, but the stamp is finally a reality! Stamp Our Story was founded in 2005 by three Nisei women, all of whom were incarcerated during the war.  They are Californians, Fusa Takahashi, 93, Aiko O. King, 93, and the late Chizuko Ohira. Mrs. Takahashi’s husband, Kazuo, served in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).  Mrs. Ohira’s husband, Ted, served with the 442nd Regimental Combat...