WASHINGTON — On July 15, the Japanese American Veterans Affiliation held the third annual Day of Affirmation wreath ceremony on the Nationwide World Battle II Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The Day of Affirmation commemorates the anniversary of President Harry S. Truman’s evaluation of the returning 442nd Regimental Fight Staff (RCT) on the White Home Ellipse on July 15, 1946.
JAVA named the occasion the “Day of Affirmation” as a result of Truman’s salute to the Japanese American troopers that “You fought not solely the enemy, however you fought prejudice – and you’ve got gained” affirms that every one the Japanese American troopers, women and men, who served throughout World Battle II are America’s heroes and removes any doubt that they’re loyal residents of america of America.
This 12 months’s members within the wreath ceremony have been traditionally significant. The navy escort for this 12 months’s occasion was LTC Robert Vokac, U.S. Army (Ret). He’s a grandson of Col. Virgil R. Miller, who was the commanding officer of the 442nd Regimental Fight Staff beginning with the battle to avoid wasting the Texas Misplaced Battalion.
One of many two wreath-bearers was Sandra Tanamachi, whose uncle, Saburo Tanamachi, was killed in motion whereas serving with the 442nd in its efforts to avoid wasting the Misplaced Battalion and was one of many first Japanese People to be buried at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery. Col. Miller was a pallbearer at Saburo Tanamachi’s burial. Sandra Tanamachi was introduced with JAVA’s Braveness, Honor Patriotism Award in 2005 for her 12-year wrestle to have a racial slur faraway from Texas avenue indicators.
The opposite wreath-bearer was Missy Higgins Abrunzo, whose father, Capt. Marty Higgins, was the commanding officer of the Misplaced Battalion on the time the 442nd rescued it. After World Battle II, Higgins labored with Mike Masaoka, the JACL Washington, D.C. consultant on the time, in help of the Immigration and Nationality Act of. 1952, which allowed Issei to use for naturalized citizenship.
JAVA needs to thank CAIC Worldwide for his or her donation of this 12 months’s Day of Affirmation wreath.
Under are JAVA President Gerald Yamada’s remarks.
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Thirty-three thousand Japanese People served within the U.S. navy throughout World Battle II. They served within the face of prejudice at residence and despite the federal government’s mistrust of their ethnicity. They served with the a hundredth Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Fight Staff in Europe, as Navy Intelligence Service educated interpreters, translators, and interrogators assigned to navy items combating within the Pacific, with the Girls’s Army Corps and Army Nurse Corps, and in rebuilding Pearl Harbor.
On this date and hour 76 years in the past, President Harry S. Truman saluted the returning 442nd Regimental Fight Staff on the White Home Ellipse, by stating that “You fought not solely the enemy, however you fought prejudice – and you’ve got gained. Sustain that struggle, and we are going to proceed to win….”
The president’s salute affirmed that the Japanese American troopers, women and men, who served throughout World Battle II are loyal residents of america of America.
The Japanese American Veterans Affiliation is proud to current this wreath to honor the legacy solid by the valor and patriotism of the Japanese American women and men who served throughout World Battle II.
The members in immediately’s ceremony honor the 442nd Regimental Fight Staff’s rescue of the Texas Misplaced Battalion, which is without doubt one of the traditionally vital battles fought by the 442nd Regimental Fight Staff. The U.S. Army considers this rescue one of many 10 most vital battles in its historical past.
On the finish of October 1944, the 442nd RCT, a segregated all Japanese American fight unit (apart from its officers), was ordered to rescue 275 members of the 1st Battalion of the 141st Texas Regiment that had change into surrounded by the German military. After a fierce 5-day battle, 211 members of the Texas Misplaced Battalion have been rescued with the 442nd RCT struggling over 800 casualties, together with 54 killed in motion.
The navy escort for this 12 months’s occasion is LTC Robert Vokac, U.S. Army (Ret). He’s a grandson of Col. Virgil R. Miller, who grew to become the commanding officer of the 442nd Regimental Fight Staff throughout the battle to avoid wasting the Texas Misplaced Battalion.
One of many two wreath-bearers is Sandra Tanamachi, whose uncle, Saburo Tanamachi, was killed in motion whereas serving with the 442nd RCT in its efforts to avoid wasting the Texas Misplaced Battalion and is without doubt one of the first Japanese People to be buried at Arlington Nationwide Cemetery.
The opposite wreath-bearer is Mary Pat Higgins Abrunzo, whose father, Capt. Martin Higgins, was the commanding officer of the Texas Misplaced Battalion on the time the 442nd RCT rescued it.
Let’s have the wreath presentation proceed.
In honor of those that served, I ask you to face the Freedom Wall, bow your heads, and observe a second of silence.
For all those that served, thanks in your service.
That concludes our program. Thanks for becoming a member of us to have fun the third annual Day of Affirmation.
