American Valor Quarterly Issue 2 - Spring 2008 | Page 21

“Shoot you?” I said. “I don’t have the bullets to waste on you. But I do have a sword. You can commit Hara-kiri and demonstrate how it is done before the enlisted men.” And I left. When I came back, he said to me, “Mr. Interpretor, I have had a change of thought. Please get me out of here.” From that point, he became much more cooperative. Terry Shima: On July 15, 1946, President Harry Truman reviewed the 442 nd RCT on the Ellipse after they marched down Constitution Avenue. This was the first time in history that the U.S. President reviewed a unit as small as a regiment. He told the Nisei soldiers, “You fought the enemy abroad and you fought prejudice at home—and you won.” The members of the Japanese American veterans panel at the 10th Annual Conference meet with high school students following their presentation. Afterward, the veterans met with the students individually to be interviewed for their school projects. loyal Japanese soldier fighting for your country. If you were to cut our veins, the same blood would flow. But don’t you call me a traitor.” AVQ American Veterans Center Well, he called me a traitor again, and I had him placed in the center of the stockade. When I arrived, he pulled me aside and said, “Mr. Interpretor, I’d like to die.” I asked how he would like to die, and he said that he wanted me to shoot him. The Nisei who served on the European and Pacific fronts in World War II solved, once and for all, the question of loyalty. Discrimination and prejudice were no longer an issue. Positions in all branches of the service began opening up, and by the time of the Vietnam War, Japanese Americans served in the most sensitive war planning positions. There have been 35 Japanese Americans promoted to the rank of general and admiral since Vietnam—a remarkable record when compared to World War II when the highest rank held by a Japanese American was that of major. This demonstrates the greatness of America—a nation that recognized it had made mistakes, corrected them, and moved on to become a stronger country. And we are proud to defend the freedoms and ideals that this country represents. You’ve Read Their Stories, Now Hear Them First Hand! As you know, the mission of the American Veterans Center is to preserve and promote the legacy of America’s uniformed men and women from the Greatest Generation to the latest generation. For the last decade, the AVC, the World War II Veterans Committee, and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee have had the panels from each of the annual conferences recorded to share with the public, and with future generations. Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole, co-pilot of Jimmy Doolittle on the legendary raid on Japan in 1942, speaks at the American Veterans Center’s conference. Now, you are able to watch video of the conference panels from the comfort of your own home! The AVC has posted video from the conference, as well as its many other events, on our webpage at www.americanveteranscenter.org. If you are not able to attend the conference yourself, this is your opportunity to learn about American military history from the men and women who made it. Panels Include: The Doolittle Raiders - The Band of Brothers - We Were Soldiers: The Battle of Ia Drang - Valor: The Medal of Honor - The Heroes of Today AND MUCH MORE!!! To watch video of America’s greatest heroes telling their stories, visit: www.americanveteranscenter.org/avcvideos American Valor Quarterly - Spring 2008 - 21