Medal of Honor upgrades for 104 Asian American WWII veterans

Vol. 127, No. 9, November 6, 1998. 12 pages. View this issue

A Pentagon review panel was looking over a list of 104 Asian American World War II veterans for possible Medal of Honor upgrades, including 47 Japanese Americans and 55 Filipino Americans. Caroline Aoyagi reported on the review and, on page 7, on how veterans of the 100th Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service reacted. The same front page covered Dan Lungren’s claims about his role in redress, reported by Martha Nakagawa, and a Civil Rights Commission briefing on discrimination after the 1996 fundraising scandal.

The 12 pages also include Brian Niiya’s visit to the Gila River camp site and Harry K. Honda’s preview of the Japanese American National Museum’s new Pavilion. Senator Barbara Boxer secured funding for the Manzanar National Historic Site. JACL news covers the Arizona chapter’s honorees and the NCWNP district’s new board, and letters take up Proposition 5 and queen contests.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Army Ponders Medal of Honor Upgrades for 104 Asian American WWII Veterans, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 1. A Pentagon review panel is examining a list of 47 Japanese Americans, 55 Filipino Americans, and others for potential Medal of Honor upgrades from Distinguished Service Crosses. The 100th/442nd and MIS units were highly decorated but received a disproportionately low number of Medals of Honor compared to their DSC awards during WWII.
• 47 JA WWII Vets Up for Medal of Honor Upgrades, by Caroline Aoyagi, page 7. Veterans including Colonel Young Kim, Irving Akahoshi, and Jesse Hirata shared their reactions to being considered for Medal of Honor upgrades decades after their WWII service in the 100th/442nd and MIS. Reactions ranged from cautious hope to indifference, with some veterans more focused on securing recognition for their units than personal honors.
• A Little Known Story in WWII History: The Tankers, by Yeije (Gene) Kono, page 9. The author recounts his experience as part of a little-known integrated Nisei tanker unit that trained at Fort Knox, Kentucky in 1944, distinct from the 100th, 442nd, and MIS. The unit was the first totally integrated military unit mandated by the Pentagon, though it was disbanded after Japan’s surrender before seeing combat as a unified group.

Incarceration & Redress

• Lungren’s Redress Comment Angers JA Community, by Martha Nakagawa, page 1. Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Lungren’s claims about his role in the redress movement sparked controversy a month before elections, with supporters defending his CWRIC service and critics accusing him of opposing monetary redress payments. Former internees and activists like Jim Matsuoka and Sue Kunitomi Embrey say Lungren was the leading opponent of individual reparations in the redress bill.
• Boxer Secures Funding for Two Asian American Historic Sites, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Senator Barbara Boxer secured $273,000 in funding for the Manzanar National Historic Site and $100,000 for a feasibility study on a museum at Angel Island, a former immigration detention center. Boxer worked with Senator Daniel Akaka to include the Angel Island funding in the Interior Appropriations Bill.

National

• Commission Finds APA Discrimination in Fundraising Scandal, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights held a briefing examining discrimination against Asian Pacific Americans stemming from the 1996 campaign fundraising scandal. Witnesses including Angela Oh and academics testified about being scapegoated in the controversy.
• Asian American Public Officials on the Move, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Paul Igasaki was confirmed as vice chair of the EEOC after serving as acting chair, having led reforms to reduce the agency’s discrimination case backlog. Harold Koh was confirmed as assistant secretary of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, while Warren Furutani was appointed to direct California’s Asian Pacific American Affairs office and Doris Matsui announced her resignation from the White House public liaison office.
• Labor Department Official Discourages Rush to Judgment in Sumitomo Bank Discrimination Findings, by Martha Nakagawa, page 3. Federal officials cautioned against final conclusions in the Labor Department’s initial findings that Sumitomo Bank of California discriminated against African Americans and Latinos in pay and promotion. The case stems from a 1996 class action lawsuit filed by the Greenlining Institute, and could result in $3-10 million in back pay if resolved against the bank.
• NAPALC Challenges Clinton to Make Arts and Media “Look Like America”, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The National Asian Pacific American Legal Consortium called on President Clinton to convene a summit of arts and media leaders to address the lack of diverse representation on television, citing shows like LA Doctors and Suddenly Susan as examples. The Consortium awarded its American Courage Award to playwright Anna Deveare Smith for her work portraying diverse communities in conflict.
• AFL-CIO Appoints Finucane as Deputy Director of Civil and Human Rights Department, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Mathew Finucane, executive director of the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and a JACL national officer, was appointed deputy director of the AFL-CIO’s Civil and Human Rights Department. AFL-CIO president John Sweeney praised his work building bridges between labor and the Asian Pacific American community.
• Report Confirms APA Discrimination, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights released findings from its briefing on discrimination against Asian Pacific Americans following the campaign finance scandal, with commissioners Cruz Reynoso and Yvonne Lee noting frustration was directed at both political parties. The report did not include specific recommendations but aimed to establish that scapegoating an entire ethnic community is unacceptable.

Community

• Double Minorities: The Forgotten Asian Americans, by Mika Tanner, page 4. Hapa Issues Forum held its first annual Southern California conference addressing the experiences of mixed-race Asian Americans who are also African American, Latino, or American Indian, groups often overlooked in discussions of Hapa identity. Panelists and attendees discussed racism within Asian communities and the challenges of navigating multiple cultural identities.
• APA Women’s Leadership Conference Shows Changing Face of Power and Ethics, by Tracy Uba, page 4. The Asian Pacific American Women’s Leadership Institute held its second annual national summit conference in Los Angeles, focusing on collaborative leadership styles among APA women. The conference featured keynote speakers Angela Oh and Puanani Burgess and highlighted the organization’s fellowship program for developing community leaders.
• Arizona JACL Recognizes Four Community Leaders, by P.C. Staff, page 5. More than 131 people attended an Arizona JACL dinner honoring four community leaders including Henry Tokumatsu Takeba, William Kajikawa, Tom Tsutomo Ikeda, and John Hirohata for their contributions to the Japanese American community. National JACL President Helen Kawagoe was the guest speaker.
• Hosokawa Inducted into AASFE Features Hall of Fame, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Bill Hosokawa of Denver, formerly of the Denver Post, was inducted into the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors’ Features Hall of Fame. The organization also awarded fellowships to four minority women journalists this year.
• Wash. Women Honored by Who’s Who, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Elsie and Michi Osaka were inducted into the 1998 edition of Who’s Who recognizing their achievements. Details of their specific accomplishments were included in the brief announcement.
• A Bridge Across the Pacific: Spotlight on the Japan Chapter, by Emily Murase, page 8. The author reflects on discovering the value of JACL through the Japan Chapter, which serves Japanese Americans living and working in Japan. The chapter fosters fellowship, educates members on JA issues, and is launching an exchange program with young members of the Japanese Diet.

JACL

• Utah Minority Bar Association Honors Three JACLers, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Utah Minority Bar Association honored JACL members Jimi Mitsunaga, Mas Yano, and Judge Raymond S. Uno for their contributions to the legal profession and community. All three have held leadership positions within JACL and the legal community in Utah.
• NCWNP District Elects New Board, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The NCWNP District Council held elections at its meeting in Gilroy, California on November 1. New board members include Edwin Endow, Joan Aoki, Alan Nishi, Fred Okimoto, Claire Omura, John Hayashi, and Alan Teruya.
• JAHSSC Honors “Kitty” Sankey, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Kathleen “Kitty” Keiko Sankey, president of the Downtown Los Angeles JACL Chapter, was one of three people honored with the 1998 Community Heritage Award from the Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California. She was recognized alongside writer Wakako Yamauchi and teacher Kathy Nishimoto Masaoka.
• Former PSWD Regional Director Wins 1998 John Anson Ford Award, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Albert Y. Muratsuchi, former JACL Pacific Southwest District regional director, received the 1998 John Anson Ford Award from the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations for his outreach and coalition-building work. He was recognized for fostering cross-ethnic collaborations and fighting to retain affirmative action.

In-Depth

• Landmark Book Sees Fifth Printing, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Mei Nakano’s 1990 book Japanese American Women: Three Generations 1890-1990 has reached its fifth printing, continuing to serve as a landmark history of Japanese American women. The book tells the story of three generations of Japanese American women overcoming hardships and thriving despite difficult circumstances.

Commentary

• Preview of Japanese American National Museum’s New Pavilion, by Harry K. Honda, page 8. Harry Honda previews the JANM’s new $45-million Pavilion and its upcoming Common Ground exhibit, which will showcase historic artifacts including Larry Tajiri’s typewriter and an original 1942 P.C. issue. The column also recounts historical anti-Nisei voter registration challenges from WWII and describes meeting author Rinjiro Sodei about his book on American Hiroshima survivors.
• Wish I’d Said That: Visiting Gila, by Brian Niiya, page 8. The author recounts a visit to the former Gila River Relocation Center site in Arizona, guided by a colleague familiar with the camp’s history. He describes remnants including fish ponds, barrack foundations, a dog’s grave, and the former Zenimura baseball field, reflecting on the enduring power of these sites for Japanese Americans.
• Letters to the Editor: Proposition 5, by Gerald T. Moriuchi, page 9. A reader criticizes the national JACL board’s endorsement of California’s Proposition 5, arguing it grants special privileges to tribal authorities rather than addressing civil rights. The writer requests that board voting records be made public.
• Letters to the Editor: Queen Contests, by William Wetherall, page 9. A reader responds to an article on ethnic queen contests, questioning whether racial qualifications for participation align with legal principles of equality in Japan and the United States. The writer suggests separating the celebration of cultural heritage from beauty contests based on physical attractiveness.
• Letters to the Editor: Asian Invasion, page 9. A high school student responds to an article on affirmative action and Asian American college admissions, expressing that acceptance should be based on merit rather than racial quotas. The writer argues students should embrace their identity and work hard rather than feel pushed out of opportunities.
• Letters to the Editor: Speaking “Japlish”, page 9. A reader responds humorously to Bill Marutani’s column about Japanese-English malapropisms, sharing examples of “Japlish” and offering corrections regarding Japanese geographic and linguistic terminology. The writer, a longtime resident with Japanese language familiarity, notes distinctions in dictionary terminology.

Arts & Entertainment

• Ozeki’s My Year of Meats Wins 1998 Kiriyama Book Prize, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Ruth L. Ozeki won the third annual Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize for her novel My Year of Meats, which follows two women connected through a Japanese television cooking show. The $30,000 prize is shared with her publisher, Viking, and was announced during a live radio broadcast in San Francisco.
• Films, Videos Sought for AA Film Festival, by P.C. Staff, page 10. The 1999 Chicago Asian American Film Showcase is seeking submissions of features, shorts, documentaries, and experimental works by or about Asian Americans, with a deadline of December 31, 1998. The showcase, now in its fourth year, has featured premieres of numerous acclaimed Asian American films and includes art exhibits, concerts, and readings.
• Controversial Writer Yamanaka Wins $75,000 Lannan Foundation Award, by P.C. Staff, page 10. Author Lois-Ann Yamanaka received a $75,000 award from the Lannan Foundation, one of 11 recipients selected by a panel of writers and scholars. The recognition follows controversy over her book Blu’s Hanging, which led the University of Hawaii’s Association of Asian American Studies to rescind a prior book award due to its portrayal of a Filipino American character.

Obituaries

• Alice T. Hosokawa, Wife of P.C. Columnist, 81, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Alice T. Hosokawa, wife of longtime Pacific Citizen columnist Bill Hosokawa, died October 14 at age 81 after a battle with cancer. She and her husband were incarcerated at Heart Mountain during WWII before settling in Denver in 1946, and she is survived by her husband, four children, and eight grandchildren.
• Tom Kawaguchi, 81, 442 Veteran, NJAHS Founder, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Tom Kawaguchi, a 442nd combat veteran and founding board member of the National Japanese American Historical Society, died October 15 in San Pablo, California at age 81. Despite being incarcerated at Topaz during WWII, he volunteered for the Army, later serving in Vietnam as a military advisor before retiring as a major in 1964.
• Kinu Hirashima Hirose, 80, Washington, D.C., JACLer, by P.C. Staff, page 11. Kinu Hirashima Hirose, a longtime member of the Washington D.C. Chapter of JACL, died October 3 at age 80. She met her husband Jack while interned at Manzanar and later worked for the U.S. government in Washington while raising her family and participating in JACL activities.

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