Vol. 7, No. 87, June 10, 2025
JAVA sincerely appreciates all of the wonderful articles received for our special V-E Day e-Advocate. Due to the number of articles received, we were unable to publish all of them in a single e-Advocate. Therefore, we are going to publish five articles every week during June. We promise you an interesting read every week and all articles that we received will be published.
In This Issue…
- Honoring the Liberators: a monument to the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion (FAB), Mr. Howard High
- Reflections of V-E Day, Mr. Wayne Osako
- Lessons For Today, Dr. William Wright
- Reflections and Appreciations, Ms. Janet Ito
- Reflections from Club 100, Ms. Kathi Hayashi
Honoring the Liberators: A Monument to the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion
Waakirchen, Germany
Written By: Howard High, JAVA President, U.S. Army Veteran
On May 2, 2025, I had the honor of joining fellow JAVA member Mark Nakagawa in a place where history, sorrow, and courage converge—Waakirchen, Germany. We represented the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) on a momentous occasion: the inauguration of a monument honoring the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion (FAB).
For years, the site near Waakirchen has held annual commemorations of the infamous death march that passed through the area during the final days of World War II. But this year was different. For the first time, a new monument was unveiled—one that recognizes the Nisei soldiers of the 522nd FAB who helped bring that march to an end. These young Japanese American men, some of whom had families incarcerated in camps behind barbed wire in America, became liberators of death march survivors. Their story has too often gone unrecognized—until now.
Florian Völler of the German War Graves Commission led the effort to establish this monument with great dedication. His years-long advocacy helped shine long-overdue light on the role the 522nd played in liberating Holocaust survivors.
The ceremony itself was moving and deeply human. Among the attendees were Abba Naor, a survivor of the death march, and Tom Oiye, son of a 522nd soldier and one of the liberators. Their presence reminded us that this history lives on not only in stone but also in people, families, and communities.
Also present were distinguished guests, including U.S. Consul General James Miller, U.S. Congresswoman Amata (High Chief Uifa’atali Aumua Amata Coleman Radewagen), from American Samoa, and Ellen Germain, the State Department’s Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues.
For a more in-depth description of this event and background, I urge you to read Ellen Nakashima’s powerful feature in The Washington Post. Ellen—a three-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and Friend of JAVA—captured the full emotional weight of the day, and her article provides a deeply thoughtful recounting of the monument’s unveiling and the stories behind it. You can find her article here.
Scroll to the end and listen to her “Reporter’s Notebook” audio. It adds a powerful layer of depth and heart to her coverage of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion and the liberation of the death march survivors.
This event wasn’t just about remembering history. It was about affirming that truth, courage, and humanity endure—and that the sacrifices of the 522nd FAB will never be forgotten. We must not just remember but also share this history with family and friends so that atrocities like the Holocaust will never happen again.
Reflections of V-E Day
Garden Grove, California
Written by: Wayne Osako, Chair, Stamp Our Story
George was a family elder of mine I never met but who altered the course of my life. He was killed in action on July 6th,1944, in Italy while serving with G Company of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Since I was a young boy, my father told me to remember the name George Shigeru Sameshima. He said George was his cousin, and that during the war, George was killed in battle. My dad was in high school at the time, in the Jerome incarceration camp. He didn’t have a photo, nor many details, and lost touch with the Sameshimas after the war. But we would say his name whenever Memorial Day came and whenever discussing the Nisei veterans. As I became an adult and researched (George Sameshima), I eventually found a photo, and an obituary.
George was living with his parents in Salinas, California before the war. They were farmers and among the families who left California voluntarily before Executive Order 9066 was enacted. They migrated to Kersey, Colorado. In 1943, George enlisted from Colorado.
During July 3rd-8th, 1944, George’s platoon was among those ordered to take Hill140, near Castellina Marittima, Italy. The U.S. Army battle record described the great hurdles soldiers faced:
“The terrain continued mountainous and difficult to attack. The enemy was dug in and the Infantry had to go in with grenades and bayonets. Night fighting was frequent because darkness offered protection to our troops as they advanced across the open valleys.”
The Nisei faced this adversity with exemplary fortitude and determination. The 442nd eventually captured Hill 140 on July 8th. The battle record lists 43 men from the Infantry who gave their lives. On the day that George was killed, 17 from the Infantry lost their lives — eight from Company G alone.
To me, the Nisei Soldier Legacy means remembering their courage and can-do attitude in the face of great adversity.
Their legacy is also a reminder of the fragility of our Constitutional rights, and how Nisei served to preserve our rights and protect our community, fighting on battlefields against enemies overseas, and fighting against racism here at home.
I think of the family and friends of the Nisei Soldiers who have been working to preserve their legacy through community endeavors. Inspired by George and the Nisei veterans, I worked with others for fifteen years to convince the U.S. Postal Service to issue the Go For Broke Forever commemorative postage stamp, which was finally dedicated in 2021. Similarly, others have created tributes through the Congressional Gold Medal campaign and through public storytelling, such as the Defining Courage show and the US Army Museum’s upcoming traveling exhibit.
We work in honor of our Nisei elders, recalling their inspiring efforts, their service, and their sacrifice. May we continue telling their story from generation to generation forever.
We stand on the shoulders of our community’s Nisei giants.
Lessons For Today
| Washington, D.C. Written by: Dr. William Wright, Sons and Daughters of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team The question is posed, what were the lessons learned by the Nisei World War II experiences that are relevant to the young adults of today? Interestingly, in the oral interviews, letters home during the war, post-war books, memoirs, oral histories — this question is almost absent. And few were the veterans who talked wartime stories with their children or taught them lessons learned from the war. This silence cannot infer there were no lessons learned. Every Nisei who went to war and experienced the horrors of destruction, dismemberment, and deaths of friend, foe, and innocents alike, returned a changed man from his experiences in the chaos of war. For a survivor there were many lessons learned, guiding them even if they could not articulate them. So we must consider the paths in life they took and causes they devoted themselves to — their actions and deeds speak for them. In this brief paper we will be described but a few. Post-war many Nisei veterans took advantage of every educational benefit that was offered. They became scientists in many fields beneficial to the basics of human life, they studied law and became lawyers, judges, society leaders, embraced medical services to their communities and educators for the new generations. They volunteered in organizations with a social mission to aid those who needed a helping hand. Their balance in life was weighted toward service to others rather than service to self. Learning this lesson began very early in the war and was a key element of their success as warriors. They amazed the doubters and broke records for their performance in training to be warriors by dedicating themselves to learning every aspect of their weapons, tactics, operating as a cohesive fighting unit from squad, platoon, company, battalion and regiment. They went beyond the army norms of that era, training privates to fill the boots of their sergeants if lost in combat, and sergeants to replace their officers fallen in the heat of battle. They relearned the eternal lesson that marked our birth as a nation, “united we stand, divided we fall.” As a cohesive unit fighting with a focused objective, they won in spite of the odds against them. Prime examples are the Gothic Line breakthrough in Italy and the rescue of the Lost Battalion in France, the latter having significant influence on winning Hawaii statehood in 1959. Post-war their lessons learned led to uniting many ethnic communities to break the control of major commercial corporations, ending the plantation era and ushering in democracy by the people. The lesson for the young of today is that those who would divide us, will control us. Finally, there is the enduring aspect of humanity, the desire for a life of liberty and pursuit of happiness. The Katonks and Buddhaheads learned to listen to and understand one another. They were shocked by the treatment of Black Americans in Mississippi and charmed by the warm reception of the Caucasians of Wisconsin; honored by the respect and trust of the soldiers who fought alongside them, and the Generals who led them; made lasting friends of children and families in Italy, France and even Germany. The simple words of Yuzura Morita, one of three brothers who fought in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, convey an important lesson for the young Americans of today: |
“We were lucky that we are living in America. That these are the opportunities are for all of us, you know, regardless of your racial background. And right here in Waipahu, and the rest of Oahu, and the rest of Hawaiʻi, opportunities are open. And people makes the difference. And people care for the fellow man. Whether you’re Filipino, or you’re Portuguese, or Chinese, or Puerto Rican, or Hawaiians, we try to get along together. And I find that during my war experience in Italy, France, and Germany, people are the same. They have many good people. Just like the people in Hawaii, but unfortunately, they didn’t have the leadership. Or they were spooked into the way Hitler and Mussolini tried to run the county for them”
– Days of Remembrance: Hawaiʻi Witnesses to the Holocaust, Vol II. Hawaiʻi Holocaust Project: Honolulu, 1991, page 537. Oral Interview of Yuzuru Morita
Reflections and Appreciation
Mill Valley, California
Written by: Janet Sakai Ito, Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans (FFNV) President and daughter of Lawson Sakai, 442nd Veteran
Eighty years is a long life, eighty years is a long time to remember the past, but few can forget the events of eighty years, especially if one is of Japanese American descent.
I had the good fortune of being able to visit Bruyères, France with my father, Lawson Sakai in 2009 and again in 2019. In 2009 he was one of 5 veterans who was on the tour to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Bruyères. I was overwhelmed with pride as we walked through the streets of this small town, the residents showering us with cheers and waving American flags. The level of gratitude these citizens had toward our Nisei soldiers was so heartfelt, it was the beginning of my understanding of what our Nisei soldiers had accomplished so far away from home. Though I had attended a few veterans’ events at home, I was not prepared for the show of appreciation from the locals of the Vosges region.
In 2019 Dad was the lone veteran on our tour group, sadly reflecting the aging issues of our Nisei’s, many of whom had either passed on or were living in fragile health conditions preventing them from traveling far from home. Dad was determined to make one final trip to France to visit a place that changed his life in so many ways. It was not an easy trip, but was truly rewarding for our family members who were able to join as well as many of the other tour participants. To be able to witness the gratitude the French have for our Nisei heroes is memorable. We do not see that level of appreciation here in the United States for the Japanese American soldiers who still hold the honor of being the most highly decorated military unit for its size and length of service. It is gratifying to see that the French continue to teach their offspring generation after generation of the great sacrifices the 100th BN/442nd RCT made in their determination to liberate the Vosges region.
I only wish my dad was able to know that I finally made the trip to Italy where he also fought alongside his comrades. And, again, where the local residents hold our Nisei soldiers in high esteem. Monuments and plaques along the Gothic line battlefields are evidence of the Nisei soldiers’ much appreciated accomplishments. Dad also would have been beaming with pride knowing that citizens of Waakirchen, Germany just also recognized the 552nd for their part in liberating victims of the Death March as well as taking part in the liberation of the Dachau death camp.
Dad has been gone for nearly five years now, as we are encroaching on the 80th anniversaries of many WWII moments. His family was fortunate enough not to be imprisoned in a camp (his parents’ church arranged for the family to be sponsored by church members in Colorado), but he would never forget he was not allowed to enlist when the war first broke out because he was considered an “enemy alien.” Those scars remained deeper than the ones he collected in battle. Dad knew his story was not widely known and not being taught openly in schools. He would still be telling us, please keep passing on the stories, don’t give up. Don’t let the Nisei soldier story die in vain. Remember what we fought for – peace and freedom for all. Thanks, Dad, for doing your part.
Reflections of V-E Day from Club 100
Honolulu, Hawai`i
Written by: Kathi Hayashi, 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans President and Education Chair and daughter of Tokuichi Hayashi, Co. A, 100th Inf. Bn.
Thank you to JAVA for giving the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (AKA Club 100), located in Honolulu, HI, the opportunity to share what we are doing to remember the 100th Infantry Battalion (the 100th) and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd RCT). We hope these ideas will inspire others to remember these units as the “most decorated” in U.S. Military History for size and length of service and how we can learn from their sacrifices.
A Joint Memorial Service is held every year at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific to commemorate those killed in the WWII battles in Italy and France and those that have since passed. The service is held in September on the Sunday closest to the death of Sgt. Shigeo “Joe” Takata of the 100th, the first American of Japanese ancestry (AJA) to die in combat on European battlefields. Representatives of the 100th, 442nd, MIS and 1399th participate in this service.
Every year, Club 100 organizes a banquet to honor the 100th men and this year we celebrate the 83rd anniversary of their formation in 1942. Most of the 1,432 men were Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA), born in Hawai`i and were serving in the U.S. Army, federalized Hawai`i National Guard. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they were segregated into the 100th Infantry Battalion for “looking like” the enemy and the hysteria of war. Since the 1,432 AJA were already in the U.S. Army, they could not be deemed “enemy alien” as the other almost 300,000 Japanese immigrants and Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA) in the U.S. This small group, less that .5%, of the affected people, would take a stand to prove their loyalty to the USA, not just for themselves but for the approximately 127,000 on the mainland and the 158,000 in Hawai`i facing discrimination and scorn.
We engage students in the 100th’s Legacy2Action Educational Program to identify a problem facing Hawai`i and to develop a creative solution using values as Giri- obligation, Gaman- quiet endurance, Ganbari – giving it your all. Club 100 works in partnership with `Iolani school, the University of Hawai`i Center on Aging and Central Pacific Bank to offer students the opportunity to express their passion while learning to be high performance thinkers, giving back to the community and keeping the memory of these Hawai`i heroes alive for generations to come.
Club 100 produces a monthly newsletter called the “Puka Puka Parade” where we share the history of the 100th, the success values, the positive impact they made on the villagers they liberated and how they continued to make positive change post war. One example is President Truman’s Executive Order 9981 issued in 1948, which desegregated the U.S. Military due to the outstanding performance of the segregated units. It is one of the first acts of civil rights in America.
Club 100 is thankful to all that help keep the 100th legacy alive. Most recently, Producer Steve Sue of Project Shaka announced a movie of the 100th/442nd starting with the vanguard 100th, called, “The 100TH: Seeds of Aloha.”
Mahalo
Upcoming JAVA Events
Saturday, June 28, 3:00 PM ET. 17th Annual JAVA Memorial Scholarship Awards Ceremony. Facebook Live.
Tuesday, July 15, 9:00 AM ET. 6th Annual Day of Affirmation Ceremony, WWII Memorial, Washington, D.C. Luncheon to follow at The Army and Navy Club, 901 Seventeenth St, NW, Washington, D.C., 20006.