(From left) Junji Sarashima, JANM’s Greg Kimura, Bob Miyasaki and Tohru Isobe at the donation ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum.
By P.C. Staff
The Korean War Military Intelligence Security (MIS) Veterans presented their remaining $510 reunion funds to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles on Jan 26. MIS representatives Bob Miyasaki, Tohru Isobe and Junji Sarashina formally handed the MIS Reunion Groups check to museum president Greg Kimura.
After 16 years of reunions, the MIS Veterans Group decided last November to discontinue its annual luncheons due to a decrease in attendees and voted to donate the remaining funds to JANM.
“It’ll be for a good cause,” Miyasaki said at the last reunion. “Not many of us are still around and no one left to continue these reunions. I think it’s best.”
Like Miyasaki, Sarashina and Isobe, thousands of Japanese American linguists served during the Korean War as interrogators, translators, message inceptors and interpreters throughout the Armed Forces. It was at these reunions like he and others were able to reconnect with old colleagues, fellow veterans and lifetime friends.
Miyasaki believed that Kimura “was very pleased with the donation, and we had a good time discussing various subjects on veteran affairs.”
