Another D.C. Memorial - National Japanese American Memorial

Names of the fallen

A month or so ago, I was walking from the Metro stop at Union Station north of the Capitol, to a meeting a few streets over to the west when I walked by the National Japanese American Memorial on Louisiana Avenue NW. I had briefly noticed the name and location of the memorial on the Google Map I printed off in my office earlier in the day, but that was enough for me turn around and walk back for a look as I walked by on the way to my meeting. I had no idea that this was war memorial - another to service in World War II, only remembering those Japanese Americans who gave their lives. The stone placards with the names of the fallen has some resemblance to those at the Vietnam Memorial, only these are mostly all Japanese names, many of whom their families worried and then mourned for them from behind barbed wire.

Senator Daniel Inouye, April 2010

Last year I made four trips to Hawaii that involved scoping out and then initiating a new research project on Maui. The work is in cooperation with the Navy, and the first meeting was on Ford Island near Honolulu - at Pearl Harbor. During the third trip there were speeches commemorating the launch of
the effort, with remarks made by Senator Inouye. It was back in 2007 while watching one of the episodes of The War on PBS, that I learned the senator had been wounded in Italy while serving in the 442 Regimental Combat Team. As the narrative progressed, and the actions he took were described, I thought to myself, "this is the kind of stuff that Congressional Metals of Honor are awarded." It was, but presented 55 years after his heroic actions - prejudices take a long time to overcome.

A familiar California place

This past Wednesday was the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The All Things Considered news program I listen to on the drive home from work ran an interview with the Senator recapping his memories that Sunday morning in 1941. What struck me the most was the way he graciously transitioned from telling how he first learned while serving in the Army in Mississippi that Japanese Americans were being held in "concentration" camps, to saying what makes the United States different from other countries is that we admit when we are wrong and make restitution.

442 Regiment

The names and places and words on the stone placards were what held my attention the few minutes I spent at the memorial - I didn't even notice the Golden Cranes sculpture that towers over the plaza - it wasn't until I looked up the street name where the memorial is located on Google Maps again tonight that I realized it was there - I hadn't even seen it. When I first walked by the engraved names at the Vietnam Memorial in 1982, the Hispanic names stood out as I walked down the paved walkway and the names piled higher and higher above me - the gravity of the losses visually comprehended. In this place, the Japanese names stand out together - uniform, as uniform as the military attire they wore as they fought and died for freedom - abroad and at home. Looking up the 442's service patch, it also struck me that Liberty's torch was the symbol of their regiment - unconditional service given, regardless of the wrongs received.
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Addendum, September 6, 2015
The Washington Post reported today the death of a World War II veteran, Ben Kuroki. I also found a Veterans memorial video about his life - a Most Honorable Son.