Vol. 55, No. 6, August 10, 1962. 4 pages. View this issue
Nisei Week returned to Los Angeles in this four-page issue, with ten candidates hoping to be crowned 1962 Miss Nisei Week at the coronation ball at the Beverly Hilton. Bill Hosokawa reported from the national JACL convention in Seattle, where Minoru Yamasaki of Detroit accepted the Nisei of the Biennium scroll. Frank F. Chuman wrote that free debate is essential to democracy and to the reason JACL exists. JACL also worried that a bill on Japanese American evacuation property-loss claims might be pigeonholed in Congress.
Elsewhere, Sergeant First Class Oki of Maui received the Legion of Merit for rescue work that saved 162 persons. Tamotsu Murata reported on a memorial service in Japan to enshrine about 3,000 war dead of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Henry Mori’s newsletter covered chapter news, the coming JACL dues increase and History Project fundraising.
What’s in this issue
Community
- Nisei Week Queen Hopefuls to Be Crowned at Coronation Ball, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ten candidates vie for the 1962 Miss Nisei Week title in the Los Angeles festival, which returns after a wartime hiatus. The coronation ball at the Beverly Hilton kicks off a schedule of events including the Nisei Week Parade.
- Bank of Tokyo Manager Promoted, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A Los Angeles bank manager has been promoted to a post in Tokyo. The brief notes his career advancement within the institution.
- Newsletter: Chapter Activities Across the Districts, by Henry Mori, page 4. Henry Mori’s Los Angeles newsletter reports on chapter news, including Nisei Week activities, youth programs, and housing appointments. It also covers the upcoming JACL dues increase and fundraising for the History Project.
Military & Veterans
- Nisei Non-Com Awarded Legion of Merit for Rescue Efforts, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sergeant First Class Oki of Maui received the Legion of Merit, second highest peacetime award, for leading rescue operations that saved 162 persons over a ten-year period. His team’s most notable mission involved a dangerous cliff rescue in the Koolau range.
- Memorial Service to Enshrine 3,000 War Dead of 100th Infantry in Japan, by Tamotsu Murata, page 4. A memorial service is planned in Japan to enshrine the names of approximately 3,000 war dead of the 100th Infantry Battalion. The service honors Nisei soldiers who fought in Europe during World War II.
National
- JACL Fears Claims Bill May Be Pigeonholed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A bill to exempt certain Japanese American evacuation property-loss claims from taxation is pending in Congress, but JACL worries it may stall. Congressional leaders in both parties have shown interest, though Ways and Means jurisdiction remains a hurdle.
Commentary
- Free Debate Essential to Democracy, by Frank F. Chuman, page 2. The writer argues that open debate and a free press are central reasons JACL exists, responding to criticism of the Chicago chapter’s stance. He urges the organization to remain a vigorous voice in the democratic process.
- To Bridge and to Build, by Youth Speaks, page 2. A young Nisei writer urges Japanese Americans to step forward in community leadership rather than retreating into comfortable anonymity. The piece calls for bridging generational gaps and using their experience to serve a changing society.
- From the Frying Pan, by Bill Hosokawa, page 3. Hosokawa reports from the national JACL convention in Seattle, finding Nisei connections in the space race and catching up with old friends. He also praises the convention queen and her court, and comments on the presidential campaign of Pat Okura.
JACL
- Yamasaki Accepts Nisei of Biennium Scroll, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Minoru Yamasaki of Detroit received the Nisei of the Biennium award at the national JACL convention. He was honored for his architectural achievements.
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