[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 107 (Wednesday, September 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING ART FURUYA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 13, 2000

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Art Furuya, 
formerly of Nashville, Illinois. While he may no longer reside in my 
district, there is a valuable lesson we can learn from his story.
  When most 17 year olds think of cars, proms and graduation, Art's 
thoughts turned to defending his country. You see, December 7, 1941, 
the day Pearl Harbor was attacked, was Art's birthday. The following 
Monday, Art, who is of Japanese descent, went to enlist in the war 
effort. He tried to enlist in the Army, Navy and Marines, but none 
would take him because of his Japanese heritage.
  He and his family were separated and were victims of the internment 
camps. Surprisingly, after suffering that great injustice, the one 
thing that never left his heart was his love of America.
  After leaving the camp, he was finally allowed to enter the Army in 
1943 as part of the heavy weapons battalion of the 442nd Regimental 
Combat Team along with many Japanese Americans. The fact that he had 
little training and did not know how to put up a tent made little 
difference to Art. He was eager to serve and fight for the land he 
loved.
  The 442nd may be best known for their ``Go For Broke'' mantra when 
they were rescuing about 200 fellow soldiers of the 141st Regiment of 
the 36th Division. Eight hundred men died in that rescue effort. His 
company started with 150 men and ended up with 16 after that fateful 
battle. Art won 2 Purple Hearts for his service.
  The 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Combat team, in which Art 
served, gained a total of 18,143 individual decorations, 9,486 Purple 
Hearts, and 560 Silver Stars and 7 Presidential Unit Citations. Not a 
bad record for a group of men that were originally unwanted and deemed 
suspicious by others.
  There has been much written about the ``Greatest Generation''--those 
World War II vets who set forth and saved the world. I don't know if we 
as a nation can adequately give thanks for their blood, sweat and 
sacrifice. In many respects, Art and his comrades symbolize the 
unyielding human spirit--overcoming any obstacle, no matter how 
difficult, without the expressed purpose of gaining fame or glory. They 
were just doing their duty. No more. No less.
  To Art Furuya, his comrades in his battalion and to those that never 
made it home from this great war, you have earned this soldier's 
respect. Thank you for all your service.

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