On July 15, 1946, at 12 noon, the Nation paid tribute to the Nisei soldiers of the 100/442 Regimental Combat Team. President Harry Truman, at a ceremony on the Ellipse, the south lawn of the White House, presented the Regiment with its seventh Presidential Unit Citation. He praised them for fighting and winning both the battle against the enemy in Europe and the battle at home against racial prejudice, urging them to keep up the fight for racial equality.

To celebrate this event, and remind us of the Nisei Veterans legacy, on July 15, 2020, JAVA has arranged a wreath-laying ceremony at the Price of Freedom Wall, National World War II Memorial, (on the National Mall at the east end of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool). Turner Kobayashi, son of Key Kobayashi, who served in the Military Intelligence Service, and Catherine Luette, daughter of Major Orville Shirey, who served with the 100/442nd RCT, will serve as the wreath bearers. JAVA has titled this the “Day of Affirmation.”

JAVA will livestream the ceremony via JAVA’s Facebook page. Click here for details.