Gen. Paul M. Nakasone (fifth from left) at Fort Snelling National Cemetery with program planning committee members (from left) Sally Sudo, Carolyn Nayematsu, Gloria Kumagai, Steve Ozone, Cheryl Hirata-Dulas, Karen Tanaka Lucas, Victor Ohno, Lani Bennett and Peggy Doi. (Not pictured is Vinicius Taguchi.) (Photo: Randy Kirihara)
By Twin Cities JACL
After a 14-year hiatus, the JACL Twin Cities chapter reinstituted an annual tradition started in May 1999 by the Japanese American Veterans of Minnesota to honor, around Memorial Day, local Japanese American veterans who served in all wars from World War II and beyond.
This year’s theme, “Always Remembered, Forever Honored,“ expressed the community’s gratitude for the sacrifices made by Japanese American soldiers during WWII and beyond in demonstrating unparalleled courage, patriotism and loyalty despite the challenges they faced.
The tribute was held on May 16 at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minn., with about 150 family members, friends, dignitaries and veterans in attendance. The program began with the FSNC Memorial Rifle Squad posting the colors, followed by local veterans Thomas Hara and George Murakami leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
The keynote speaker was U.S. Army Gen. Paul M. Nakasone, who retired in February after a distinguished 37-year military career, with overseas tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and South Korea. He rose quickly from a one-star to four-star general in six years. In his final assignment, Gen. Nakasone served as the director of the National Security Agency and commander of the U.S. Cyber Command.
“Today, we pay tribute not only to the countless brave souls who have sacrificed their lives in service to our nation, but also to the resilience and courage of Japanese Americans who have stood tall at every conflict since World War II,” Nakasone stated.
Gen. Nakasone also recognized Minnesota’s elected leaders, particularly Gov. Harold Stassen, who “played a notably positive and proactive role in welcoming Military Intelligence Service linguists to Minnesota during World War II.” He explained that the governor’s “leadership reflected an open and progressive stance that contrasted sharply with the attitudes and policies seen in so many other states during this period.”
Steve Ozone served as the program emcee. Other speakers were Marcus Syverson, assistant director at FSNC; Col. Edwin (Bud) Nakasone (Ret.), JAVM president; and Lt. Toufong Lor, founder of the American Veterans Memorial Park in Cannon Falls, Minn. Rev. Debra Ting, interfaith minister from the Twin Cities Buddhist Sangha, delivered the invocation and benediction.
Following a moment of silence, the Honor Roll Call of the names of 131 local Japanese American veterans was read by Matt Abe, Lani Bennett, Peggy Doi, Mark Honda and Gloria Kumagai and accompanied by the ringing of the kansho ritual bell by Gail Wong. Each of their fathers served during World War II in either the Military Intelligence Service or the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team.
The program concluded with family members and volunteers placing a bouquet of flowers at each of the 99 gravesites of the Japanese American servicemen and women buried at FSNC.
Funding was provided by a grant from the Japanese American Community Foundation and contributions from the Twin Cities JACL and community donors.
To view a video link of the program, visithttps://youtu.be/LjPIFG4ecHc. For a printed program link, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/15uoOc6bSizxx0wjCuqxWVnLw3FGdeX3t/view?usp=sharing.
