Utah 100th/442nd/MIS Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony

09/04/2019

Please join us on Thursday, September 5th, for a discussion with the artist followed by a reception.

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"I have been photographing Japanese American Nisei veterans for the past eighteen years. I started this project because I wanted to photograph veterans in an artistic way and share the stories that needed to be remembered for the next generation. The Nisei almost universally never talked about their war experiences, so I felt it was necessary to share what they could not." - Shane Sato
Please join Shane Sato for the reception and artist talk this Thursday Sept. 5, 2019 at the downtown Salt Lake City Main Library from 7-8:30 pm. Scheduled to talk are two of the veterans Wat Misaka and Nelson Akagi. His exhibition "Portraits of Courage" will be up until September 20 at the Main Library, Lower Urban Room Gallery.
Special thanks to for making this event possible.

09/18/2017

A message from the National Veterans Network:


Starting this month, we will provide quarterly updates on the progress of the Nisei Soldier exhibits at the new National Museum of US Army. The National Veterans Network (NVN) is presently involved in working on the following four exhibit areas that will highlight the military service of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd RCT and Military Intelligence Service:

· Soldier Pylons: Nisei Soldiers will be part of the Soldier Pylons Gallery that features steel pylons, lined in formation, with a soldier's image and information about his service.
· Army and Society Gallery: the Army and Society Gallery’s Reflecting and Changing Timeline will include the 100th/442nd/MIS to show the societal changes and issues that the Army has responded to related to segregated units, gender equality and other issues that mirror our nation's history.
· Medal of Honor: The names of the 21 Japanese American Medal of Honor recipients will be engraved on a Wall of Honor located in the Medal of Honor Memorial Garden.
· Congressional Gold Medal Nisei Soldier Exhibit: A 600 square foot exhibit space will be dedicated for a special exhibit to tell the story of the Congressional Gold Medal and the Nisei Soldiers

For the upcoming year, our focus is research and content development as we work with organizations throughout the country to identify and develop the Nisei Soldier stories for the above exhibits. While we do this, we are faced with an urgent priority to collect objects/artifacts for the National Army Museum that has a very limited Nisei Soldier collection. There are two display cases that must be filled. If you have objects to donate for consideration, please see the article below for more information.

What compels us to do the work we do is in memory of our Nisei Soldiers. Although many are no longer with us, it is our obligation to ensure that their extraordinary service to country is preserved, perpetuated and shared for generations to come. We look forward to sharing our progress in the months to come.


Nisei Soldier Exhibit Sponsorship Available

Exhibit sponsorship is available starting at $5,000 and higher. All exhibit sponsors will be recognized in the Nisei Soldier Congressional Gold Medal Exhibit at the new National Museum of US Army. Consider a sponsorship in memory or in honor of a Nisei veteran/soldier today. Pooled family donations are welcomed. For a limited time, we will honor a two year pledge with an installment plan in 2017 and 2018. For more information, please email Christine Sato-Yamazaki at [email protected].

To support this project with a donation, please send a check payable to "National Veterans Network/Tides Center" at P.O .Box 1221, Torrance, CA 90505, or visit Donate Now. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

National Museum of US Army is seeking Objects/Artifacts for inclusion in Nisei Soldier exhibits
The National Museum of US Army is seeking objects/artifacts of Japanese American WWII soldiers to build their Nisei Soldier collection for their exhibits and long term plans. To be considered for the Nisei Soldier exhibits, donations are being sought by October 1, 2017. If you are interested in donating object/artifact(s), please email us at [email protected] for detailed information.

Photo: The National Museum of US Army gratefully accepted a jacket worn by Art Iwasaki, 442nd RCT from Portland Oregon. Christi Iwasaki on behalf of the Art Iwasaki family stated: "'This is a wonderful opportunity to honor our Dad who worked to help preserve the story of the 442nd RCT's role in the history of America, and the sacrifices they made to shape our generation and generations to come. A lesson that should not be forgotten.'

07/17/2016

At the Military Intelligence Historic Learning Center at the Presidio in San Francisco. Building 640 was the original site of the language school for the Military Intelligence Service during World War II.

05/14/2014

WWII Museum in New Orleans - special exhibit until October 2014.

06/30/2013

Mr. Terry Schow, steadfast champion of the Utah 100th/442nd/MIS and other veterans groups, has retired. We wish him all our best.

Ogden • Self-deprecating humor is a tool the portly Terry Schow uses to disarm audiences. “I’m not tall, thin or smart,” is a favorite quip, which he typically follows up with some emphatic statement about his next plan to help Utah’s veterans. There were plenty of laughs and tears Friday as the bea...

01/31/2013

Listen: KUER's January 30 radio broadcast "Topaz Internee Fred Korematsu Remembered in Utah"

Utah’s Governor has declared today, January 30th, Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties. Korematsu was a Japanese American who was interned against his

01/16/2013

Fred Korematsu lived under a cloud of suspicion as an internee at the Topaz internment camp in central Utah and when he left the camp to work in Salt Lake City during World War II. ...

01/11/2013

There will be a Fred Korematsu Proclamation ceremony held on January 18, 2013 at the Utah State Capitol Gold Room at 1:15 p.m. We would like to see a big turnout and support like we had for the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony last year. The ceremony will be brief, so please be on time. As you may know, Mr. Fred Korematsu was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII. His case was denied initially. After the war the case was again reviewed and his initial case decision was overturned. Mr. Korematsu exercised his rights as an American citizen and finally won. We honor him for his persistence and courage to seek justice in his case. Representatives from the Topaz Board, the Korematsu Institute, JACL members and other local dignitaries will be present to commemorate this occasion. All three Utah JACL chapters give full support for Governor Herbert’s proclamation.

11/21/2012

Internment camp letters found in Denver building

DENVER • Some letters arriving from Japanese-American internment camps during World War II were very specific, asking for a certain brand of bath powder, cold cream or cough drops — but only the red ones.

11/10/2012

http://www.nationalveteransnetwork.com/medaltour.shtml

In January, 2013, the National Veterans Network and Smithsonian Asian PacificAmerican Program will launch a web site dedicated to the Congressional Gold Medal.They will also release an iPad application. Check back here for additional detailsand links when they become available.

07/26/2012

Congratulations Raymond!

"Mr. Raymond Uno, a prestigious leader of Japanese American Community in the U.S., has served the president of Japanese American Citizens League-Salt Lake Chapter, and of the National Japanese American Citizens League. His long standing contributions toward promoting the status of the Japanese American Community, as well toward conservation of the history of Japanese immigrants in Utah, have left a lasting impact. Mr. Uno also played a pivotal role in promoting Japanese culture and enhancing Japan-U.S. exchanges in Utah, like contributing greatly to conservation of　"Japan Town Street" in downtown Salt Lake City, where an annual Nihon Matsuri is now held every spring."

"The Foreign Minister's Commendations are awarded to individuals and groups of outstanding achievements in international fields, to acknowledge their contribution to the promotion of friendship between Japan and other countries. The Commendation also aims to promote the understanding and support of the Japanese public for their activities."

On July 12th, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan announced the recipients of the Foreign Minister's Commendation for fiscal year 2012.