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Post-War, History

The Evolution of Post World War II Hawaii Through the 442nd Nikkei

We present the following article written by Ron Oba, originally published in 1992 and posted to our website on December 19, 2010. Ronald Masami Oba (1922-2017) served as a Technician 5th Grade in F Company, 2nd Battalion. Oba was born and died in Aiea, a suburb of Honolulu. He volunteered for the 442nd on March 23, 1943, when the initial call for volunteers was issued. He served during the 442nd campaigns in Italy and France, and during the post-war occupation duties in Italy. Oba arrived back home to Hawaii with 550 other veterans on December 16, 1945, on the troopship USAT Aconcagua. He was president of the 442nd Veterans Club 1990-1993. Oba was inurned at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific at Punchbowl.  ...

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Hawaii Herald Articles

War and Internment

Here is an article that reflects on the Japanese-American Internment. Hawaii Hochi writer Iwao Kosaka in front of an old mess hall at Tule Lake in 1988. Story and image courtesy of the Hawai`i Herald. WAR AND INTERNMENTKarleen C. ChinenThe Hawai`i Herald (October 1, 2010) The World War II exploits of the Varsity Victory Volunteers, 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service and the 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion are the stuff of legends and are even more gripping when retold because of the extra burden of race that the Nisei soldiers carried with them into battle. They fought not only fascism and totalitarianism, but hatred and prejudice in their own country. But knowing that the eyes of America were on them, the Nisei soldiers...

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Events, Past Events

Eric Saul Speaks To The Veterans

Honolulu – August 4, 2013. Eric Saul, notable WWII military historian and advocate of the Nisei veterans spoke at a luncheon hosted by the MIS veteran’s organization. A crowd of about 80 veterans, family members and friends gathered for this special presentation. Here is a copy of Eric’s speech: Nisei Soldier’s Legacy  Speech by Eric Saul You Japanese Americans had been part of the United States of America since 1885. This year marks the 128year anniversary of Japanese immigration.             It has now been 72 years since the Japanese language school was founded at the Presidio of San Francisco in November 1941.  It has been 71 years since the 100th Infantry Battalion was created here in Hawai’i.  And it has been 70 years since the 442nd was...

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442 RCT/Nisei Veteran Events, Past Events

11th Annual Joint Memorial Service, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016

Veterans, Sons & Daughters, Granddaughters and Grandsons and Family and Friends – The 11th Annual Joint Memorial Service (JMS) which is open to the public was held on Sunday, September 25, 2016, at 10 am at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. The JMS is held to honor the Japanese American Soldiers who served in WWII, specifically, those in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service, and the 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion. Thirty-three thousand Japanese Americans served in the U.S. Armed Forces during WWII and 800 lost their lives fighting for this country, which had initially classified them as “enemy aliens.” The wartime service of the Nisei Veterans was instrumental in helping to shift the racial mood of...

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442 RCT/Nisei Veteran Events, Past Events

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...

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