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The grandchildren of Nisei World War II veterans and resisters of conscience reflect on their ancestors’ past.
By Nalea J. Ko, Reporter
Published March 19, 2010
World War II stories were not a popular topic of discussion between Stacy Toyota and her grandfather who served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Toyota, 26, said her grandfather Minoru received the Purple Heart when he returned from the war, but in later years he rarely talked about his service.
It was not until his funeral service in the summer of 2009 that Toyota saw his military awards again.
“It’s really sad. A lot of people didn’t even know he had them except our very close family,” Toyota said recalling her 89-year-old grandfather’s funeral service. “People who attended said, ‘I didn’t know he had a Purple Heart.’”
Approximately 14,000 Japanese Americans like Minoru served in the 442nd RCT and 100th Battalion while their families were incarcerated in internment camps. They earned 9,486 Purple Hearts, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses and 21 Medals of Honor.
Others fought for their freedom in another way.
Over 300 Nisei protested the United States draft during WWII. For this, many were imprisoned and ostracized.
The JACL derided the resisters’ efforts at the time, calling them “cowards” and “hooligans.” Years later at the 2000 JACL national convention in Monterey, Calif. the resisters apology resolution passed with 64 ayes, 32 nos and four split votes. The decision angered many, especially veterans — some quit the JACL.
This July marks the 10th anniversary of JACL’s apology to Nisei draft resisters of conscience. For some JAs, the apology is still a contentious subject. Officials from veteran’s groups like the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) and Go For Broke declined to comment.
For some descendants of veterans, however, sentiments about WWII are from a bygone era.
“I think it’s hard, and in some ways, not really my place to say since it was a different time then, and I can never truly understand the context without living it,” said Kristin Fukushima, whose grandfather Paul Shigeyuki served in the Military Intelligence Service.
“As both a grandchild of a veteran and a staff member at JACL, I’m glad JACL issued an apology. Issuing an apology should not be seen as a sign of disrespect to veterans, but rather be a step towards healing the divide in our community,” said Fukushima, JACL PSW public policy coordinator.
Crusaders of World War II
When filling out the U.S. loyalty questionnaire, Nisei draft resisters of conscience said they were loyal to the U.S. and would serve in the military.
They would only serve in the military, however, with two stipulations: if their full constitutional rights were restored and their families were released from internment camps.
Resisters of conscience are sometimes confused with “No–No” boys, who said they were not loyal to the U.S. and would not serve in the military.
Three hundred and fifteen resisters of conscience were tried and 282 were sentenced to prison. The Fair Play Committee led resistance to the draft at Heart Mountain. There, about 85 were imprisoned for refusing the draft.
“I was one of the organizers of the Fair Play Committee at Heart Mountain,” said 93-year-old Frank Emi. “I felt just as strongly. I knew I was in danger of being prosecuted, but I felt the government was so wrong that I had to speak up.”
With a wife and two children, Emi was not eligible for the draft. But he said he felt strongly about fighting the injustices committed against JAs. For his work as a resister, Emi was sentenced to four years in prison and served 15 months.
Emi’s children are aware of his work as a resister, but he has “never sat down and talked about camp life” with his grandchildren.
Children and grandchildren of Nisei resisters said that is common.
“My dad was not a quiet person,” said Dan Kubo, 61, whose father Yoshi was a draft resister at the Amache internment camp. “And he didn’t say all that much about it openly because it was a very contentious subject in the community in general — in the Nikkei community.”
Kubo’s daughter, Etsuko, said she hopes the JA community can discuss the sacrifices made by veterans and resisters without causing a rift.
“There was an underlying thing about our family being a little bit different, and I never quite understood what that was until we found this out about him,” Etsuko, 32, said. “I would hope that we could figure out a way to not make this divisive. It seems like there are plenty of other things going on to be divisive about and this would not be one of them.”
The Apology
In 1947 President Harry Truman pardoned the resisters of conscience. JACL’s apology followed decades later, opening old wounds.
“The U.S. government’s oppressive treatment, the unfair choices forced upon Japanese Americans, and the tremendous sacrifices left many scars on our community,” explained Andy Noguchi, a Florin JACL member who helped organize the 2000 national JACL resolution.
At that convention, veterans lined up at the microphone to air out their feelings about apologizing to the resisters of conscience. But since there was a time limit set on the debate, many did not get to speak.
“It was clear the veterans were angry about the presentation of the resolution. In 1943, they were offended that they were willing to sacrifice their lives to prove a point about JAs and the resisters, regardless of their principled stand, were not, according to the vets,” said John Tateishi, who was the JACL national director at the time.
“Had someone on their side understood parliamentary procedures, they easily could have extended the debate and voiced their opinions,” Tateishi said. He added that veterans tore off their nametags and left the convention.
In letters to the editor that appeared in the Pacific Citizen following the convention, many alleged that resisters were merely camp bullies. Some left JACL as a result or set out to reverse the mandates of the resolution.
Two years after the JACL resolution passed in 2000, a ceremony was held for the resisters of conscience. It was a ceremony that was mandated by the resolution. Over 300 people gathered for the May 11 ceremony at the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.
Many who sacrificed their lives to serve in WWII did not agree with JACL’s apology to resisters.
“We were put into internment camps for one reason: the U.S. military and the U.S. government did not trust us, believing we would be sympathetic to Japan, our enemy during WWII,” said Grant Ichikawa, a WWII veteran. “I will ask: What did the draft resisters accomplish by resisting draft? What was the reason for JACL apologizing to the draft resisters?”
Other veterans agreed.
Junwo “Jim” Yamashita, who served with the 442nd RCT, said he hoped the anniversary of JACL’s apology does not eclipse the fact the over 100 JAs sacrificed their lives so the “JACL, Pacific Citizen, the Nisei resisters and the rest of us can live in America today with our heads held high.”
Ten years after the JACL issued an apology to resisters feelings are just as strong as they were then. Some veterans say their opinions about the resisters and JACL’s apology would likely never change.
“It’s kind of a never ending situation and it will probably die with those of us who are in our late 70s,” said Sam Shimoguchi, a JACL member and Korean War veteran. “When we pass away then the whole thing will just [laughs] fade away, I think.”
Toyota said as the grandchild of a Nisei veteran she is proud of grandfather, but also understands the resisters’ efforts.
“As a descendant [of a veteran] I don’t feel like I have to choose sides. My grandpa was always like, ‘Whatever you think.’ He always encouraged us to do what we want,” said Toyota.
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