National Veterans Network

Join Us in Supporting the “I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience” Traveling Exhibit!

We were thrilled to officially announce the I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience traveling exhibit on September 18 at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Together with our partners, the National Museum of the United States Army and the Army Historical Foundation, we were honored to share the details of the U.S. Army’s first traveling exhibit, which will highlight the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd RCT, and Military Intelligence Service. Their story and legacy will be shared in 11 cities nationwide, and we still have much to accomplish between now and the national launch in February 2026.

The National Veterans Network (NVN) is leading the development of the historical content as well as serving as the principal fundraiser for this important national exhibit. We are actively raising the remaining funds and are asking for your support to help us complete the exhibit.

Please consider making a donation (https://giving.classy.org/campaign/623067/donate) to contribute to the success of this historical national tour. Donations at any amount are welcomed as every person who donates will help us get closer to bringing this story to the American public.

Your contribution will ensure that the I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience will be shared with an estimated 1.2 million visitors.

Thank you very much for your support and for being part of this important legacy.

For more information on the "I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience" traveling exhibit, please visit: https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/ #

We are still searching for photos of 100th, 442nd and MIS soldiers in uniform, visiting their families in the incarceration camps. Deadline to submit photos is October 28, 2024 (see details below).

For more information on the traveling exhibit, please visit https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/.

Japanese American National Museum National Japanese American Memorial Foundation National Japanese American Historical Society Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium

The remarkable story of 100th Infantry Battalion veteran Takeichi Miyashiro inspired his granddaughter, Lindsay Horikoshi, to travel to France to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Japanese American soldiers whose actions liberated the towns of Bruyères and Biffontaine, and rescued the Lost Battalion.

Born in Kohala, Hawaii, in 1914, Takeichi Miyashiro was a member of the 299th Infantry Regiment, stationed on Molokai when the Japanese Imperial Navy bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

In June 1942, Miyashiro was one of over 1400 Japanese American soldiers that were shipped from Hawaii to the mainland U.S. to form the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate). In 1943, the 100th was sent to the European Theater and participated in the Naples-Foggia and Rome-Arno Campaigns in Italy.

On October 22, 1944, Miyashiro was leading his platoon into the town of Biffontaine, France. Engaging in house-to-house fighting, he captured six enemy soldiers and drove away 20 others. As a result, his company was able to take further control of the town. While Miyashiro moved forward to take a strategic area of the town, he was fired upon by a sniper. Realizing the danger to his men, he dashed towards the sniper’s position and was severely wounded by metal fragments from a projectile that hit his ammo belt.

The next morning, Miyashiro was being carried on a stretcher when his group was overtaken by a German patrol. Now a prisoner of war, Miyashiro was taken to hospitals in France and Germany, where a British doctor - also a prisoner of war – removed the fragments and gave them to Miyashiro in a German matchbox to keep as a memento of the war. He remained a prisoner until he was liberated from a Polish POW camp in January 1945.

Highly regarded by his men, Miyashiro was known for his leadership skills and ability to inspire confidence. He would later be awarded a Silver Star for his actions to liberate the town of Biffontaine, France.

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Photos of Takeichi Miyashiro courtesy of the Miyashiro Family and the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education Center.

Army Historical Foundation

Our series on the 80th Anniversary of the Rhineland Campaign begins with Lindsay Horikoshi’s journey to northeastern France, where she will be visiting the key cities of Bruyères and Biffontaine for the very first time.

Lindsay is a 4th generation Japanese American and granddaughter of Takeichi “Chicken” Miyashiro, a World War II Nisei veteran from Hawaii who served with the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), Company C.

In this series, Lindsay will be learning more about her grandfather’s service and will document key historical events, including the liberation of Bruyères and the rescue of the Lost Battalion. She will also capture stories of the bond between the French people and Japanese Americans that has continued for decades.

After discovering that her grandfather’s WWII artifacts were being displayed in the Nisei Soldier Experience exhibit at the National Museum of the United States Army, Lindsay has been on a journey to learn more about her family history and has been serving as an NVN Advisory Board member since 2023.

Don’t forget to follow our series as Lindsay reports live from Bruyères and Biffontaine!

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Photo of Takeichi Miyashiro courtesy of the Miyashiro Family.

Padres’ catcher honors grandfather’s World War II achievements WASHINGTON — San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka still keeps a picture of himself and his grandfather. In the photo, Higashioka as a child stands...

In honor of Gold Star Mother’s and Family’s Day, we pay tribute to all of the mothers whose sons and daughters paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

The Gold Star is a symbol of a loved one lost in combat.

During WWI and WWII, American families displayed service flags in their homes, businesses, schools, and churches. Each flag had a Blue Star representing a family member who was serving in the military. A Gold Star was stitched over it to honor a family member who died during their military service.

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Educators from our Teacher Training Institute share their classroom experiences with us!

In 2024, our 17 teachers implemented lessons and activities from our elementary and middle school booklets: "What was life like in camp?" and "What would you have done?" in their classrooms. They also trained 146 additional teachers in their districts on how to teach this history, resulting in 2,585 students being reached in 6 states across the country.

The Teacher Training Institute was presented by the National Veterans Network and Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and sponsored by the Department of Interior, National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

Here are the results of the inspiring work completed by the educators who participated in our 2023-2024 teacher training program to teach the lessons of the Japanese American World War II experience in the classroom.

The Teacher Training Institute provided historical training, professional development, and access to curricula and educational resources for elementary and middle school teachers. The training covered the history of the Japanese American WWII soldier experience to the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in American concentration camps during WWII.

The Teacher Training Institute was presented by the National Veterans Network and Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center and was sponsored by the Department of Interior, National Park Service Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant Program.

The “I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience” Traveling Exhibit has been announced on Capitol Hill!

On September 18, 2024, the “I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience,” the first traveling exhibit of the United States Army, was announced by the National Museum of the United States Army, the National Veterans Network and The Army Historical Foundation.

The first stop will be at the Presidio MIS Historic Learning Center in San Francisco in February 2026 before moving to the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Oregon Historical Society in Portland, and Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Additional venues will be announced at a later date.

Christine Sato-Yamazaki, Executive Director of the National Veterans Network which is providing the historical expertise to develop the exhibit's content, shared the exhibit’s design plans. The theme, “I Am An American,” was inspired by a photo taken by Dorothea Lange of an "I Am An American" sign placed on an Oakland, California storefront by Tatsuro Masuda on December 8, 1941 to declare his American identity.

The exhibit will highlight the patriotism, courage and selfless service of the Japanese American World War II Nisei Soldiers who served courageously in the European and Pacific Theater, while their families battled discrimination at home. Exploring 5 thematic areas, the 1,500 square foot exhibit will present the national perspective of the Japanese American WWII Soldier experience that includes the historical context of life in Hawaii and Wartime Relocation Authority camps.

During the announcement, the rendering of the exhibit was officially unveiled for the first time.

For more information on the traveling exhibit, please visit https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/.

National Japanese American Historical Society Presidio of San Francisco Floyd Mori Jani Iwamoto Dale Watanabe Amy Hever

The National Museum of the United States Army, National Veterans Network, and The Army Historical Foundation held a special presentation at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Orange County, CA, to increase awareness about the U.S. Army’s first traveling exhibit, “I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience”.

During the evening, KABC News Anchor, David Ono, presented the moving story and legacy of local Orange County hero, 442nd RCT veteran Kazuo Masuda.

During World War II, Kazuo Masuda served in the U.S Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit of Americans of Japanese ancestry. While he served, his family spent the entirety of the war behind barbed wire in the Jerome, AR and Gila River, AZ incarceration camps.

Kazuo fought bravely in Italy during the Rome-Arno Campaign. His younger brother, Takashi, also served with the 442nd, and older brother, Masao, served as a U.S. Army linguist in the Pacific.

On August 27, 1944, Kazuo led a night patrol with two of his men in Florence, Italy. Minutes later, they came across enemy fire. Kazuo ordered his men to retreat while he advanced to take out the enemy. “Not a step back. Never!” Kazuo shouted. “You can't win by going backwards!” He was killed by enemy fire that night. For his actions, Kazuo was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Two weeks later, the Masuda family received a telegram notifying them of Kazuo’s death. Kazuo was buried at a gravesite in Vada, Italy. The family held a memorial service in his honor at the Gila River incarceration camp in Arizona.

After the war, the Masudas returned to their home in Orange County, CA, where the family was awarded Kazuo’s Distinguished Service Cross for his extraordinary heroism.

In 1948, Kazuo Masuda's remains were returned to his family and buried at Westminster Memorial Park in Westminster, CA.

Kazuo Masuda’s story is just one of the many stories that will be included in the traveling exhibit. The National Veterans Network is responsible for the research and development of historical content for the exhibit.

This five-year traveling exhibit will launch in 2026 and will highlight the extraordinary service of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service.

For more information about the traveling exhibit, please visit https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/.

The National Museum of the United States Army, National Veterans Network, and The Army Historical Foundation held a special presentation about the U.S. Army’s first traveling exhibit, “I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience” at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in Orange County, California.

Emcee, actress Tamlyn Tomita, welcomed over 550 attendees from the community, including World War II Nisei veterans Ed Nakamura (MIS) and Yoshio Nakamura (442nd RCT).

Tammy Call, Director, and Paul Morando, Chief of Exhibits, of the National Museum of the U.S. Army and Christine Sato-Yamazaki, Executive Director of the National Veterans Network, introduced the traveling exhibit, which will launch in 2026. The exhibit will highlight the Japanese American World War II Nisei Soldiers who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and Military Intelligence Service.

KABC News Anchor, David Ono, had a moving presentation on a local Orange County hero, 442nd RCT Veteran Kazuo Masuda.

General Eric K. Shinseki, Retired, 34th Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, was the keynote speaker. Sharing a powerful story of Memorial Day traditions in Margraten Netherlands, he emphasized the importance of passing down the Nisei soldier legacy from generation to generation.

NVN Executive Director, Christine Sato-Yamazaki, emphasized the needed support from the community, for family artifacts and photos and donations to support the exhibit. NVN is responsible for the research and development of historical content for the exhibit.

The three partners expressed their appreciation to Jane Fujishige Yada and the Orange County community for their warm welcome and support of the Nisei Soldier Traveling Exhibit.

For more information on the traveling exhibit, please visit https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/.

In September 1945, Japanese American U.S. Army linguists Hiromu “Bill” Wada and Lawrence Mihara sailed into Northern Japan with the U.S. Pacific Fleet to assist in the surrender proceedings of Japanese military forces.

From the moment their ship set sail, the two men were constantly on-call for their duties as translators and interpreters, even preparing U.S. officers on Japanese customs and psychology in preparation to meet with members of the Japanese military.

On September 9, 1945, the formal surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Panamint at the Ominato Naval Base in Northern Honshu, Japan. Wada translated the introductory remarks of Vice Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, Commander, North Pacific Force and North Pacific Ocean Area. Mihara later reported that Wada performed his duties “with the greatest skill and finesse.”

Approximately 6,000 Japanese Americans served with the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Service in every campaign in the Pacific Theater during WWII and the Occupation of Japan. Nisei linguists such as Hiromu “Bill” Wada and Lawrence Mihara played essential roles in all of the regional surrender sites throughout the Pacific, providing a bridge of understanding and peaceful cooperation between the U.S. and Japan.

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Photos courtesy of the Hiromu "Bill" Wada Family.

The leadership teams from the National Museum of the U.S. Army, National Veterans Network, and Army Historical Foundation visited iconic landmarks in Orange County and met with organization leaders and the community to learn about the history of Japanese Americans in Orange County, California, for the upcoming 'I Am An American: the Nisei Soldier Experience' Exhibit.

To learn more about the 'I Am An American: the Nisei Soldier Experience' traveling exhibit, please visit https://nvnvets.org/nisei-soldier-traveling-exhibit/.

Please join us for a special presentation of the I Am An American: The Nisei Soldier Experience Traveling Exhibit in Southern California at the Irvine Barclay Theater on August 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM.

This is a free event. Scroll down for more details and to reserve your tickets at Irvine Barclay Theater by August 23.

• This is a multi-generational event. We welcome families, students, and veterans to attend this special presentation to learn about the legacy of the Japanese American WWII Nisei Soldiers.

• The National Museum of the U.S. Army and National Veterans Network will share details about the U.S Army's first traveling exhibit which will honor the Japanese American WWII Nisei Soldiers who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd RCT and Military Intelligence Service.

• Keynote speaker will be General Eric Shinseki, former 34th Chief of Staff, United States Army, who will speak on the theme of "Legacy".

• Emmy Award Winning News Anchor, David Ono, will share the life history and legacy of Orange County's local hero, Kazuo Masuda, 442nd RCT soldier.

• Performance by Harold Payne who will sing "Quiet Heroes," a song dedicated to the WWII Nisei Soldiers.

Reserve your free tickets here:
https://www.thebarclay.org/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=niseisoldiers&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].

“Somebody said, ‘You’re in a flying coffin’ because it’s so flimsy – it’s just two beams for the frame, a thin plywood floor, and fabric covering the whole glider. So it’s real fragile.”
- Dave Kawagoye, 442nd RCT, Antitank Company veteran, recalling his participation in the glider-borne invasion of Southern France

In the summer of 1944, Japanese American soldiers of Antitank Company were detached from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to take part in the airborne invasion of Southern France, a mission with the codename, Operation Dragoon.

Attached to the 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 1st Airborne Task Force, members of Antitank Co. began training for their assigned mission: To land in the gliders and support the 517th PIR by defending the area from enemy troops.

The body of each Waco CG-4A glider was 48 ft. long and 12 ft. high, with an outer covering made of canvas. The members of Antitank Co. were to fly in 44 gliders, each manned by two pilots from the Task Force. Each glider would carry an antitank gun, jeep, or trailer filled with ammunition, and 3-6 soldiers of Antitank Co.

On August 15, 1944, the C-47 planes flew across the Mediterranean Sea to the coast of France, each towing two gliders. As the planes approached the landing zones, the gliders were suddenly released while at 3000 ft. instead of the planned 300 ft. Adding to the confusion was the terrain below – it was considerably different than shown in the aerial reconnaissance photos. Smaller landing areas, vineyards and hedgerows forced the gliders to circle and land abruptly, resulting in many crash landings and some fatalities. Ten Antitank soldiers were injured during the landings; six of these men had to be evacuated.

During the next two months, Antitank Co. supported the battalions of the 517th PIR, clearing minefields, capturing German soldiers and guarding roads and tunnels.

“Many people even within our own Combat Team do not know about the Antitank Company's unique history both within and outside the Combat Team,” Tak Hattori stated. “We are proud of our record and what we have accomplished to help the war effort during WWII.”

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Photos courtesy of the Dave Kawagoye Family.

“We weren’t very tall – our average height was 5’ 7”. We were playing teams who were 6’ and taller. We lost the first game by two points and then we won ten straight.” - Veteran Conrad Kurahara, 100th Infantry Battalion and member of the 442nd RCT’s winning basketball team

As the men’s and women’s Olympic basketball teams make their bid for Olympic medals, we highlight the Nisei soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team who played basketball while serving in the U.S. Army.

After World War II ended in Europe, the 442nd RCT continued its assignment at the U.S. Army’s Peninsular Base Section in Italy during the Allied occupation of Europe.

Many of the men took part in organized sports at the Base, representing the 442nd in a myriad of sports, including boxing, swimming, volleyball, baseball and basketball. The Nisei soldiers on the 442nd basketball team became well-known for their athleticism and dynamic play. As a result, the team was invited to compete in a series of exhibition games in Northern Italy and Bremen, Germany, creating a lasting impression everywhere it played.

“The speed, the smooth performance, and the dogged fighting spirit that carried the 442nd basketball team to victory over towering opponents won it a reputation among U.S. Army personnel throughout Europe.” - U.S. Army Monthly Report, April-May 1946

As the Olympics come to a close this Sunday, we salute all of the athletes for their inspiring commitment to excellence, sportsmanship, and tremendous pride of country.

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Photos courtesy of Jane Kurahara and the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education Center.

In 2011, the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, was presented to the units of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Military Intelligence Service by the United States Congress.

The original Congressional Gold Medal is currently on display at the National Museum of the United States Army. On loan from the Smithsonian Institution, the medal will be on display until fall of 2025 when the Nisei Soldier Experience exhibit closes. The Nisei Soldier Experience is included with the Museum’s free, timed-entry tickets, which are available by request through the Museum’s website at theNMUSA.org.

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

The Olympic Games are here!

As the world’s finest athletes compete in Paris this year, we revisit the story of Takashi ‘Halo’ Hirose, an American of Japanese ancestry from Hawaii who qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games in 1940.

Hirose (pictured, far right) learned to swim in the sugar plantation irrigation ditches near his home in Maui, Hawaii, in the 1930's. In 1937, Soichi Sakamoto, a local elementary school teacher, established the "Three-Year Swim Club” for the children of sugar plantation workers and became their coach.

Hirose began competing in swim meets throughout Hawaii and mainland U.S., eventually earning a spot on the U.S. National team. In 1938, while on tour with the team in Berlin, Germany, Hirose swam as part of the 4x100-meter freestyle relay team that went on to set a world record. He was 15 years old.

Slated to compete in the 1940 Tokyo Olympics, the games were cancelled due to World War II. Answering the call for U.S. Army volunteers, Hirose joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and was later assigned to the 100th Infantry Battalion (the 442nd’s 1st Battalion).

After the war, he attended Ohio State University, where he was a 3x All-American, an NCAA champion in the 100 freestyle event and helped OSU win Big Ten, NCAA, and AAU team titles. He passed away in 2002, and was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2017.

Photo courtesy of Dorothy Kometani and the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education Center. [Pictured second from the left is Katsumi Kometani, the 100th Infantry Battalion's morale officer during WWII.]

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

“I am incredibly honored to accept the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of my grandfather. Learning more about his heroism, especially in light of the injustice faced by many Nisei families, is humbling and inspiring, and has influenced my own charitable work with veterans. I’d encourage all Americans to talk to the veterans in your lives, listen to their stories, and consider all they have endured on our behalf.”
- Kyle Higashioka, grandson of 100th/442nd veteran, G. Shigeru Higashioka

On July 22, 2024, MLB San Diego Padres catcher Kyle Higashioka accepted the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his grandfather, G. Shigeru Higashioka, a Nisei veteran who was a member of the 100th/442nd RCT during WWII.

Retired General Eric Shinseki, Chair of The Army Historical Foundation, 34th Chief of Staff, US Army, presided over the ceremony, held at the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The presentation was a joint effort between the National Veterans Network (NVN), the MLB Players Trust, The Army Historical Foundation and the National Museum of the United States Army.

As Higashioka toured the Nisei Soldier Experience exhibit at the Museum, General Eric K. Shinseki shared G. Shigeru Higashioka’s military service that spanned five campaigns, from his arrival in Anzio to his participation in the Rome-Arno, North Apennines, Rhineland and Po Valley Campaigns. Gen. Shinseki then recounted the actions that awarded Higashioka’s grandfather the Bronze Star during the Liberation of Biffontaine.

Christine Sato-Yamazaki, Executive Director of NVN, spoke with Higashioka about the WWII camp experience and how his two great-uncles played baseball in camp. Playing sports was one of the ways Japanese Americans maintained a semblance of normalcy living in the incarceration camps.

“Perseverance was a big character quality for Japanese Americans,” Sato-Yamazaki shared with the Washington Post. “They just wanted to do the best they could under the circumstances. When they went into the camps, the Nisei formed the teams.”

Higashioka, who was familiar with his other grandfather’s talent for baseball while serving for the U.S. in the Pacific Theater, had not heard about his great-uncles playing baseball while living at the Poston incarceration camp in Arizona.

“I had no idea,” Higashioka said. “I guess everybody in my family was a baseball player.”

The Washington Post’s sports writer attended to report on the event. To read the entire Washington Post article, please visit https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/07/23/kyle-higashioka-family-grandfather/

To learn more about American WWII soldiers of Japanese ancestry, please visit us at https://nvnvets.org.

Family photos courtesy of the Higashioka Family.