[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 129 (Thursday, September 23, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6955-H6960]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
GRANTING CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO JAPANESE AMERICAN BATTALION
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (S. 1055) to grant the congressional gold medal,
collectively, to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, United States Army, in recognition of their dedicated
service during World War II.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 1055
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On January 19, 1942, 6 weeks after the December 7,
1941, attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese Navy, the United
States Army discharged all Japanese-Americans in the Reserve
Officers Training Corps and changed their draft status to
``4C''--the status of ``enemy alien'' which is ineligible for
the draft.
(2) On January 23, 1942, Japanese-Americans in the military
on the mainland were segregated out of their units.
(3) Further, on May 3, 1942, General John L. DeWitt issued
Civilian Exclusion Order No. 346, ordering all people of
Japanese ancestry, whether citizens or noncitizens, to report
to assembly centers, where they would live until being moved
to permanent relocation centers.
(4) On June 5, 1942, 1,432 predominantly Nisei (second
generation Americans of Japanese ancestry) members of the
Hawaii Provisional Infantry Battalion were shipped from the
Hawaiian Islands to Oakland, CA, where the 100th Infantry
Battalion was activated on June 12, 1942, and then shipped to
train at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin.
(5) The excellent training record of the 100th Infantry
Battalion and petitions from prominent civilian and military
personnel helped convince President Roosevelt and the War
Department to reopen military service to Nisei volunteers who
were incorporated into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team after
it was activated in February of 1943.
(6) In that same month, the 100th Infantry Battalion was
transferred to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, where it continued
to train, and even though the battalion was ready to deploy
shortly thereafter, the battalion was refused by General
Eisenhower, due to concerns over the loyalty and patriotism
of the Nisei.
(7) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team later trained with the
100th Infantry Battalion at Camp Shelby in May of 1943.
(8) Eventually, the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed
to the Mediterranean and entered combat in Italy on September
26, 1943.
(9) Due to their bravery and valor, members of the
Battalion were honored with 6 awards of the Distinguished
Service Cross in the first 8 weeks of combat.
(10) The 100th Battalion fought at Cassino, Italy in
January 1944, and later accompanied the 34th Infantry
Division to Anzio, Italy.
(11) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team arrived in
Civitavecchia, Italy on June 7, 1944, and on June 15 of the
following week, the 100th Infantry Battalion was formally
made an integral part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team,
and fought for the last 11 months of the war with distinction
in Italy, southern France, and Germany.
(12) The battalion was awarded the Presidential Unit
Citation for its actions in battle on June 26-27, 1944.
(13) The 442nd Regimental became the most decorated unit in
United States military history for its size and length of
service.
(14) The 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat
Team, received 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals of
Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars,
4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15 Soldier's
Medals, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts, among numerous
additional distinctions.
(15) The United States remains forever indebted to the
bravery, valor, and dedication to country these men faced
while fighting a 2-fronted battle of discrimination at home
and fascism abroad.
(16) Their commitment and sacrifice demonstrates a highly
uncommon and commendable sense of patriotism and honor.
(17) The Military Intelligence Service (in this Act
referred to as the ``MIS'') was made up of about 6,000
Japanese American soldiers who conducted highly classified
intelligence operations that proved to be vital to United
States military successes in the Pacific Theatre.
(18) As they were discharged from the Army, MIS soldiers
were told not to discuss their wartime work, due to its
sensitive nature, and their contributions were not known
until passage of the Freedom of Information Act in 1974.
(19) MIS soldiers were attached individually or in small
groups to United States and Allied combat units, where they
intercepted radio transmissions, translated enemy documents,
interrogated enemy prisoners of war, volunteered for
reconnaissance and covert intelligence missions, and
persuaded enemy combatants to surrender.
(20) Their contributions continued during the Allied
postwar occupation of Japan, and MIS linguistic skills and
understanding of Japanese customs were invaluable to
occupation forces as they assisted Japan in a peaceful
transition to a new, democratic form of government.
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL.
(a) Award Authorized.--The Speaker of the House of
Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate
shall make appropriate arrangements for the award, on behalf
of the Congress, of a single gold medal of appropriate design
to the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat
Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United States
Army, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service
during World War II.
(b) Design and Striking.--For the purposes of the award
referred to in subsection (a), the Secretary of the Treasury
(hereafter in this Act referred to as the ``Secretary'')
shall strike the gold medal with suitable emblems, devices,
and inscriptions, to be determined by the Secretary.
(c) Smithsonian Institution.--
(1) In general.--Following the award of the gold medal in
honor of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United
States Army, under subsection (a), the gold medal shall be
given to the Smithsonian Institution, where it will be
displayed as appropriate and made available for research.
[[Page H6956]]
(2) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of the Congress
that the Smithsonian Institution should make the gold medal
received under paragraph (1) available for display elsewhere,
particularly at other appropriate locations associated with
the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat
Team, and the Military Intelligence Service, United States
Army.
SEC. 3. DUPLICATE MEDALS.
The Secretary may strike and sell duplicates in bronze of
the gold medal struck under section 2, at a price sufficient
to cover the costs of the medals, including labor, materials,
dies, use of machinery, and overhead expenses.
SEC. 4. NATIONAL MEDALS.
Medals struck pursuant to this Act are national medals for
purposes of chapter 51 of title 31, United States Code.
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY TO USE FUNDS; PROCEEDS OF SALE.
(a) Authority To Use Funds.--There is authorized to be
charged against the United States Mint Public Enterprise
Fund, an amount not to exceed $30,000 to pay for the cost of
the medal authorized under section 2.
(b) Proceeds of Sale.--Amounts received from the sale of
duplicate bronze medals under section 3 shall be deposited in
the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Carson) and the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Indiana.
General Leave
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks
on this legislation and to insert extraneous material thereon.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Indiana?
There was no objection.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Madam Speaker, 6 weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the United
States Army discharged all Japanese Americans in the Reserve Officers
Training Corps and changed their draft status to 4C or ``enemy alien,''
making them ineligible for the draft.
Japanese American military soldiers on the mainland were soon
segregated out of their units. And in a matter of months, all people of
Japanese ancestry, whether U.S. citizens or not, were ordered by the
government to report to permanent relocation centers.
In spite of this treatment at home, thousands of Japanese Americans
volunteered to serve in our military abroad--to protect our freedoms
from the threat of fascism. In 1942 over 1,400 second-generation
Japanese Americans, American troops, known as Nisei, were shipped to
Oakland, California, to join up with the 100th Infantry Battalion.
Their excellent training record convinced President Roosevelt to
reopen military services to Nisei volunteers. These were incorporated
into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The battalion was deployed to
Italy in 1943, where its members fought with valor, earning six
Distinguished Service Crosses in the first 8 weeks.
The battalion was eventually integrated into the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team where it fought with bravery for the remaining 11 months of
the war. Together, these units received seven Presidential Unit
Citations, 21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560
Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 22 Legion of Merit Medals, 15
Soldier's Medals, and over 4,000 Purple Hearts.
While these brave Japanese Americans fought for their country abroad,
another 6,000 Japanese American soldiers became part of the military
intelligence services. MIS soldiers conducted highly classified
intelligence operations that were vital to U.S. military successes in
the Pacific and in post-war Japan.
MIS soldiers intercepted radio transmissions, translated enemy
documents, interrogated enemy prisoners of war, volunteered for
reconnaissance and covert intelligence missions, and persuaded enemy
combatants to surrender. Upon discharge from the Army, MIS soldiers
were prohibited from discussing their wartime work; so their
accomplishments were not known until many years later.
It is appropriate that Congress recognize the contributions of these
brave Japanese Americans with the honor of a Congressional Gold Medal.
Earlier this Congress the House passed similar legislation introduced
by the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff). So today I urge my
colleagues to support the Senate version of this bill.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of S. 1055, sponsored by Senator Boxer and recently
passed by the Senate.
At this time I want to say to Congressman Carson that I have many
fond memories of his grandmother. Julia Carson and I served as
cochairmen of the Zoo and Aquarium Caucus. She was a real lady, and I
know she is very proud that you have taken her place representing the
good citizens of Indianapolis. I would just like to acknowledge what a
fine lady she was, and that's a heritage you can be proud of.
This legislation, as Congressman Carson said, would award a
Congressional Gold Medal collectively to the United States Army's 100th
Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in recognition
of their exemplary service during World War II.
{time} 1730
This bill makes minor additions to its House companion bill that Mr.
Carson mentioned by adding language in the findings and the existing
Sense of Congress section that points out the contributions made by the
Military Intelligence Service, which was made up of 6,000 Japanese
American soldiers.
The House bill was cosponsored by 296 Members and agreed to by this
Chamber in May of last year. I urge my colleagues to again support this
legislation.
As we all know, the world changed instantly after the dreadful attack
on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. I think for the first time, on 9/
11, many Americans could get some sense of what it must have been like
to have lived during those times. And though its impact was felt by
every American, Japanese Americans were hit particularly hard.
Six weeks after the attack, the U.S. Army discharged all Japanese
Americans in the Reserve Officers Training Corps and changed their
draft status to ``enemy alien.'' Active military Japanese Americans
were segregated out of their units. We all know what happened
afterwards. The U.S. and Canadian Governments gathered Japanese
Americans in all the Western States and moved them to internment camps.
In June of 1942, the 1,400 members of the Hawaii Provisional Infantry
Battalion were shipped from the Islands to Oakland and formed into the
100th Infantry Battalion, and then they were shipped to Wisconsin by
train for training. Eight months later, based on the battalion's
excellent training record, the President and War Department agreed to
let second-generation Japanese Americans into the service, and they
were formed into the 442nd Regimental.
Madam Speaker, the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed the next
year to the Italian front in September 1943, and while it encountered
heavy fighting, it handled itself so well that its members earned six
Distinguished Service Crosses in their first 2 months of action. The
442nd arrived in Italy 9 months later, after which the two units joined
forces, fighting with distinction in Italy, France, and Germany to the
war's conclusion.
Together, they received seven Presidential Unit Citations, 21 Medals
of Honor, 29 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars with 28
Oak Leaf Clusters, 4,000 Bronze Stars with 1,200 Oak Leaf Clusters, and
more than 9,000 Purple Hearts.
This bill recognizes their service and appropriately provides for the
collective awarding of a Congressional Gold Medal. It would be given to
the Smithsonian Institution for display and for research purposes.
Madam Speaker, this award is long overdue. I urge its immediate
passage.
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Schiff).
Mr. SCHIFF. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in support of legislation
granting
[[Page H6957]]
the Congressional Gold Medal to the Japanese American 100th Infantry
Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, commonly known as the
``Go for Broke'' regiments, as well as veterans of the Military
Intelligence Service, for their dedicated service to our Nation during
World War II.
It is an honor and a pleasure to offer humble thanks to this storied
and inspirational group of men who answered their country's call in the
face of tremendous adversity. Today, through final passage of a bill
that will grant these regiments Congress' highest honor, we recognize
those who have served our Nation at great risk, as well especially
those who sacrificed all for our freedom.
These men served the Nation at a pivotal moment in our history,
displaying their heroism and courage on two fronts--abroad in the fight
against an absolutist fascism and at home in the face of the
intolerance of racial injustice.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor incited many doubts about the
loyalty of Japanese Americans, these men who enlisted to protect our
Nation were faced with segregated training conditions, family and
friends relocated to internment camps, and repeated questions about
their combat ability. It has been said many times about this group: to
answer the call of duty requires exceptional courage and sacrifice, but
to respond with a vigor and persistence unaffected by those who sought
to malign and impede their every achievement reveals an incredible
spirit and indomitable will.
Six weeks after Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issued Executive
Order 9066, which authorized the internment of tens of thousands of
American citizens of Japanese ancestry and resident aliens from Japan.
But even as xenophobia gripped the country, Japanese Americans were
already lining up to join the war effort.
In June of 1942, 1,432 members of the Hawaii Provisional Infantry
Battalion were shipped from the Hawaiian Islands to Oakland,
California, where the 100th Infantry Battalion was activated on June
12, 1942, and then were shipped to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, for training.
Thanks to the excellent training record of the 100th Infantry Battalion
and petitions from prominent civilians and military leaders, President
Roosevelt and the War Department reopened military service to Nisei
volunteers.
Eventually, their exemplary training record convinced the doubters,
and the 100th Infantry Battalion was deployed to the Mediterranean
where they entered combat in Italy in September of 1943. Due to their
bravery and valor, members of the Battalion were honored with six
awards of the Distinguished Service Cross in the first 8 weeks of
combat.
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team arrived in Italy in June 1944, where
the 100th Infantry Battalion was formally integrated as a part of the
442nd Regimental Combat Team. As a unit, these regiments fought for the
last 11 months of the war with selfless distinction in Italy, southern
France, and Germany. Their performance in combat demonstrated their
ability as remarkable soldiers; however, their poise, courage, and
patriotism showed they were also remarkable men. They looked to support
from their interned families, friends, and communities. And in turn,
their service and commitment inspired their supporters back home to
pursue aspirations of their own.
Today, we also honor the Military Intelligence Service, known as MIS,
who were made up of several thousand Japanese American soldiers who
conducted highly classified intelligence operations that proved to be
vital to U.S. military successes in the Pacific theater. These men
fought alongside U.S. and Allied combat units where they translated
radio transmissions and enemy documents, interrogated prisoners, and
completed reconnaissance and covert intelligence missions. Often they
were faced with peril from both enemy and friendly forces--unrecognized
by allies and attacked by enemies.
Their contributions continued during the Allied postwar occupation of
Japan, and MIS linguistic skills and understanding of Japanese customs
were invaluable to occupation forces as they assisted Japan in a
peaceful transition to a new, democratic form of government.
The ``Go for Broke'' regiments and the MIS were not the only
servicemen of Asian Pacific Islander descent to serve in World War II.
I also want to recognize those groups who faced similarly daunting
conditions at home and abroad--the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, the
1399th Combat Engineer Company, the Women's Army Corps, the Filipino
Scouts, and other heralded units. The ``Go for Broke,'' MIS, and other
Japanese American men and women who have served deserve our continual
rededication and appreciation. The debt we owe them is immeasurable.
Their aggregate service record speaks for itself and drove me to
introduce legislation last year--this legislation--which recognizes
these regiments with the Nation's highest and most distinguished
civilian award--the Congressional Gold Medal. My colleagues in the
House of Representatives saluted the valor of these regiments by voting
unanimously last year on my bill to honor them with a Gold Medal.
Recently, the Senate passed the bill authored by Senator Barbara Boxer
with the same unanimous approval. With this vote today, we can begin to
truly express our appreciation for a group of men who left a segregated
country to fight and defend an America with no guarantee that their own
freedom would be defended in return. Their true heroism lies in how
they fought for values of America, equality, justice, and opportunity,
even when those values were not fully extended to them.
We will continue to look towards their example to provide hope to our
communities, to look past our differences, and to unite around our
common bonds. Men and women are able to serve their country today
without regard for ethnicity, race, or nationality because of what
these men endured and accomplished.
It's an honor to be part of this moment, Madam Speaker, and I urge
you to join me in recognizing these courageous men by supporting the
granting of a Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to the U.S.
Army's 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
and the Military Intelligence Service.
{time} 1740
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may
consume to the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono).
Ms. HIRONO. I thank the gentleman from Indiana.
Madam Speaker, I rise to urge my colleagues to support S. 1055, which
honors the thousands of Japanese-American veterans who served during
World War II, and I thank my colleague, the gentleman from California
(Mr. Schiff), for introducing the legislation in the House and for his
eloquent words today in support of the Senate bill.
At a time when many of their fellow Americans questioned their
loyalty to the United States, these Japanese-American soldiers enlisted
and put their lives on the line to defend our freedoms overseas while
fighting against fear and discrimination at home. S. 1055 awards the
Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, and the Military Intelligence Service in honor
of their military service.
Many of the soldiers comprising these units were Nisei, the American-
born sons of Japanese immigrants. Some served in the University of
Hawaii's Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), which aided the
wounded, buried the fallen, and helped defend vulnerable areas in
Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In spite of these acts of loyalty and courage, the U.S. Army
discharged all Nisei in the ROTC unit, changed their draft status to
ineligible, and segregated all Japanese Americans in the military on
the mainland out of their units. During this time, more than 100,000
Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated from their homes to
internment camps.
Undaunted, members of the Hawaii Provisional Battalion joined the
100th Infantry Battalion in California to train as soldiers. The sheer
determination and pursuit of excellence displayed by this battalion in
training contributed to President Roosevelt's decision to allow Nisei
volunteers to
[[Page H6958]]
serve in the U.S. military again, leading to their incorporation into
the 442nd.
Members of the 100th and the 442nd risked their lives to fight for
our country and allies in Europe. The 442nd ``Go For Broke'' unit
became the most decorated in U.S. military history for its size and
length of service, with its component, the 100th Infantry Battalion,
earning the nickname ``The Purple Heart Battalion.''
In addition, the 6,000 or so Nisei that comprised the Military
Intelligence Service made vital contributions to wartime successes by
conducting critical classified intelligence operations. Only in recent
years has their invaluable service come to light, and it is long past
due to acknowledge and honor the MIS's critical role during the war.
In the spirit of celebrating these courageous soldiers, I would like
to share the stories of three men from Hawaii who overcame humble
beginnings and adversity to become successful scholars and community
leaders in Hawaii.
Kobe Shoji was a junior at Pomona College when he and his family
received orders to go to an internment camp in Arizona. They brought
nothing more than a suitcase with them to the camp. Kobe enlisted the
next year and went to Germany to fight as a member of the 442nd.
Although he was wounded twice, he came back to the States, never
complaining about the discrimination that he and his family had faced,
or about the wounds he suffered in the war. Kobe returned to complete
his studies as though ``nothing had happened. . . . except we were all
much more mature due to the wartime experience. We all had the feeling
we must do something to make the world a better place to live.''
Kobe earned his doctorate in plant physiology from UCLA and moved to
Hawaii thereafter to teach at the University of Hawaii and work as a
respected agricultural expert. He later enjoyed watching his oldest
son, Dave, coach the university's Rainbow Wahine volleyball team to
many national championships.
Ken Otagaki is another example of resilience and success. As the
second son of a field laborer on the island of Hawaii, Ken left home at
the age of 12 to work in Honolulu on the island of Oahu as a houseboy
before putting himself through college. After the attack on Pearl
Harbor, Ken enlisted and joined the 100th Infantry Division, serving
overseas as a litter bearer. In January 1944, Ken was near Cassino,
Italy, when he and six other litter bearers were called upon to help
soldiers in front of them. Ken and seven other soldiers faced a barrage
of mortar shells from the enemy. Three were killed. Four, including
Ken, were seriously injured and were not evacuated until nearly a day
later.
Ken recuperated at Walter Reed Hospital and later received the Combat
Infantry Badge and the Purple Heart. Ken wrote to his sweetheart,
Janet, telling her that he had lost his right leg, two fingers on his
right hand, and the sight in his right eye. Their daughter, Joy,
recalled that her mother thought that her father ``wasn't going to sit
around feeling sorry for himself.'' Ken and Janet married later that
year.
Because of his war injuries, Ken had to give up his plans to become a
medical doctor, instead earning a PhD in animal science. The Otagakis
began their life together on the mainland and had five children before
moving back to Hawaii, where Ken taught at the University of Hawaii and
later led the Hawaii State Department of Agriculture. Ken never let
what others perceived to be his physical disabilities stop him from
being active. He climbed trees to pick ripe mangoes and taught his kids
how to swim and ride a bike.
The last veteran I would like to talk about is Yoshiaki Fujitani who
Pauwela, Maui.
A second generation Japanese-American, Yoshiaki was taught ethics at
Japanese language school, where he learned about honesty and
perseverance by hearing stories about George Washington and Abraham
Lincoln. He was also taught what is known in Japanese as ``kuni no
on,'' or gratitude to one's country, America.
After serving in ROTC at the University of Hawaii, Yoshiaki rose
through the ranks in the Hawaii Territorial Guard, becoming squad
leader. Of course the guard was later disbanded without any
explanation, but they believe it was because the Japanese Americans in
the guard were viewed as potential traitors.
On December 7, 1941, while preparing to play softball, Yoshiaki saw
smoke and planes flying above Pearl Harbor before learning about the
attack on the radio. He volunteered for the civilian Varsity Victory
Volunteers but quit when he learned that his father was being held at a
Department of Justice camp for being a potentially dangerous enemy
alien.
When his friends joined the 442nd, Yoshiaki's initial anger about his
father's incarceration subsided, and he decided to join the MIS.
Yoshiaki served in Tokyo on assignment for the Pacific Military
Intelligence Research Section. After the war ended, he got married,
raised a family, returned to Maui as a minister of the Buddhist faith,
and he focused on fostering interfaith cooperation, eventually becoming
the bishop of the Hawaii Kyodan. In 1976, he established a program
called the ``Living Treasures of Hawaii'' to recognize the cultural
contributions of individuals in Hawaii.
The life stories of these three men serve as an inspiration for all
of us, and they certainly exemplify the history and the courage and the
Americanism, the love of America, exhibited by the people we are
honoring.
This legislation also honors Senator Daniel Inouye and the late
Senator Spark Matsunaga, who served in the 442nd and 100th units, and
of course they later went on to serve the people of Hawaii for many
decades, and the people of our country.
Again, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of S. 1055. It
is long overdue.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to reclaim my
time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Alabama?
There was no objection.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Hawaii (Mr. Djou).
Mr. DJOU. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 1055 to grant
the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the
442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Madam Speaker and colleagues, I want to echo the words of my
colleague, the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono). Madam Speaker, it
is with great pride the people of Hawaii join in the recognition of the
100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
And I speak also with a bit of personal pride that we are recognizing
the 442nd today. I had served in the United States Army Reserve, and
today the 100th Battalion 442nd Infantry Division is part of the 9th
Mission Support Command based at Fort Shafter in my congressional
district. And in my previous service as an Army reservist, the 442nd
was my sister battalion, and it is with great pride I see them being
recognized today.
{time} 1750
The 442nd has a long and illustrious history having served our Nation
in Vietnam as well as most recently in Operation Iraqi Freedom,
although the most important amount of recognition for the 442nd and the
reason we are here today is for their initial service in World War II.
Madam Speaker and colleagues, when somebody asks, Where does the
strength of our Nation come from? I say to all of them, It does not
come from machines. It does not come from a regulation. It does not
come from the Halls of the United States Congress. The strength of our
Nation comes from young individuals who are willing to raise their
hands, to take an oath of office and to defend this Nation--with their
lives, if necessary.
When the 442nd was formed in 1942, it was these young men, Americans
of Japanese ancestry, who raised their hands, despite facing
discrimination from their own country in having expressed a willingness
to fight on behalf of this Nation.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield the gentleman such additional time
as he may consume.
[[Page H6959]]
Mr. DJOU. It was their willingness to go into harm's way, to risk
their lives in the fields of Italy, that has accorded the 442nd this
honor and this well-deserved respect from the United States Congress.
Therefore, Madam Speaker, on behalf of myself, my colleagues and the
people of the State of Hawaii, I strongly urge the passage of S. 1055.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I will make the offer that if additional
time is needed on the majority side, I would be willing to yield time
to Mr. McDermott or to others.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as he may
consume to the gentleman from Washington (Mr. McDermott).
(Mr. McDERMOTT asked and was given permission to revise and extend
his remarks.)
Mr. McDERMOTT. Madam Speaker, I did not come over to the floor to
speak on this issue; I came for the next issue. But I am an honorary
Nisei vet. I have been involved with the Nisei community and with the
Nisei vets of the 442nd in Seattle for a number of years.
Two weeks ago, we dedicated a wall at the Nisei vet hall on which the
names appear of all the people from Seattle. It was an extremely moving
event to have not only some of the old vets but to also have the young
sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters get up and talk
about their relatives and what they did.
I found out about the Nisei when I was in college. I had a roommate
named Dave Sukura. One day, he told me about having been in a prison
camp when he was in elementary school. I couldn't believe it. I was a
kid from Chicago, and had never heard of such a thing; 127,000 people
were rounded up for no other reason than we were panicked about the
Japanese, and we put them in concentration camps.
Now, you can imagine having a store or having a hotel or having a
farm and suddenly being told you have 1 week to get your stuff together
and get out of here. They lost all their land. They lost all their
holdings. They lost everything. They were sent to these camps. Someday,
when you're in Idaho, go out to Minidoka, and see the national monument
that we have created. We call it a ``monument'' now, but it was a
concentration camp then. There was nothing there. They came and put up
barracks very quickly and said to the people, Move in.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. BACHUS. I yield to the gentleman such time as he may consume.
Mr. McDERMOTT. In a room of 20-by-20, you had seven people living
with no running water and with no hot water for 4 months, and they were
trying to deal with babies and diapers and with all the things that go
on in ordinary living. Then the people who have put you there turn
around and say, We will accept you into our Army to go and fight for us
in Italy. Now, you can imagine among these Japanese families the
discussions that went on about whether or not they should participate
in this.
David's grandfather came from Japan and started the Japanese Baptist
Church in Seattle. He told his sons, We are Americans, and we will
support our country no matter what.
This was long before the war, so he was dead when that happened. They
were then taken off to the camps.
The mother--her name was Misa Sukura--had four sons. She said to her
boys, You must go.
The camp people were mad at her. How can you send all of your sons to
this?
She said, They are Americans. We are proud and we will serve.
Now, you have to understand what it took then to be thrown into the
toughest part of the war. They didn't become the most decorated unit in
United States Army history because they were sent out to some easy
deal. They were sent into the toughest fighting in Italy. They are the
ones who went in when they couldn't find the lost battalion. They said,
Send in the 442nd--and they found them. A simple medal hardly speaks to
what they did for us, but what they did beyond that is to say, if
you're in America and if you're an American, we treat you all the same.
We are at a time now when their example needs to be carefully looked
at because panic among the American people says suddenly, Oh, those
people are to be feared. We can't stand those people. They're not like
us. What happened in 1941 can happen again if we do not honor those
Nisei vets and their families who stayed at home. They lived through
without fathers, without mothers, with all the people who got killed,
and everything else.
Several years ago, it was my honor to name the courthouse in Seattle,
Washington, after a young man named William Nakamura. He went at 19
years old, out of Garfield High School, and won the Medal of Honor. The
family never got the medal because the medals were buried. Nobody
wanted to demonstrate and distribute them until President Clinton went
back and reviewed the records and found these Medals of Honor. They
were then given to the families of the fallen.
We have much to be proud of in this country, but the Nisei vets have
more than most of us because they overcame the racism and the attitudes
that put them in concentration camps, and they came out and stood tall.
For that reason, I am very proud to be here today. I commend Mr. Schiff
and the other members of the committee who brought this gold medal.
It's about time.
Mr. BACHUS. Madam Speaker, I yield 9 minutes to the gentleman from
Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).
Mr. KENNEDY. I do not plan to take that time except that, because I
am retiring this year, I will take every bit of time I can get as an
outgoing Member to still speak on anything. It's just an inside joke
for those of us who have been accustomed to being listened to for a
long time. I am sure it's not going to hold true once I leave Congress.
Madam Speaker, one thing we all need to listen to is our hearts when
it comes to treating each other as we, ourselves, would want to be
treated. When we think of something like this resolution and what it
means to record history, we record history so that we learn from those
aspects of history we do not want to repeat and by acknowledging the
people who need to be acknowledged as amazing Americans, as this bill
does.
They had the fortitude to fight, as all brave Americans have who
serve our Armed Forces, whether in peacetime or wartime, never knowing
whether their lives are going to be called to be donated to this
country. Every single servicemember may be called to make the ultimate
sacrifice in the service of their country when they sign up and serve
our country, never knowing.
{time} 1800
But in this case, we had a group of Americans who signed up to fight
for freedom when their own was being challenged here at home.
It's reminiscent of the stories of the Buffalo Soldiers in World War
II, African Americans who were being denied the very rights that they
were fighting to protect and uphold around the world, and they were
doing so on behalf of a country that had refused to treat them as
coequals.
In this case, Asian Americans, Japanese Americans who, because of the
perception of who they were as Americans simply by what they look like,
were being judged as whether they were American enough. Why is that
important for us to remember today? Well, because last time I checked,
we have Arab Americans right now making the ultimate sacrifice in the
war against terrorism, Arab Americans who are being stigmatized,
stereotyped, and wholesale bigotry against anybody of a different faith
or ethnicity, somehow they are judged to be less American in their
opportunities. And basically the requirement that they be treated the
same as every other American, those rights are being challenged. And in
spite of that, they are still out there defending our country.
Native Americans, who have been denied in one of the great shames on
this country's history of the way our country treated its indigenous
peoples who serve at greater numbers on behalf of this country than any
other group in this country, Native Americans, and it is quite
extraordinary when we think about heroes to think about those who are
not only willing to lay their life on the line for freedom and this
country, but are willing to do so in spite of the fact that they are
being denied the very same rights that they are fighting
[[Page H6960]]
for here in America. That is why they deserve gold medals, because they
fought two fights. They fought the fight for liberty around the world,
and they fought the fight against bigotry that is denying them those
same freedoms here at home.
And why else do we remember this? Because we're talking about the
fact that no matter what you look like, we are all Americans, because
that's America. We're the greatest country on the face of the Earth.
Why? Because there's no other country in the world that has peoples
from every other part of the world, and yet we're still divided by
race, by color, and by creed by those who would like to foment fear and
prejudice and use that as electoral victories, using the oldest wedge
issue that we have ever known, and that's fear of difference, when
actually the strength of our country is our diversity as a Nation.
My uncle, President Kennedy, in giving the National Civil Rights
Address, first of any American President in American history, said it's
a moral question at its base. Who amongst us would be willing to change
the color of their skin? Who amongst us would be willing to change the
color of their skin and abide by the counsels of patience and delay in
terms of civil rights? Well, you know, if you're white and you're
accepted as looking like an American, this might not seem like a big
issue to you. But think about trading the color of your skin for a day
and living like Americans who are Latino in a culture like today that
stigmatizes people with brown skin as somehow less than Americans
because maybe they got here illegally just because of the perception of
the color of their skin. Set aside the fact that in my area of the
country the biggest illegal immigration are people that look like me,
with red hair and freckles on their face; that's the biggest illegal
immigration, Irish overstays. It's an interesting battle that's been
the battle for the heart and the soul of America since the beginning of
time.
I propose that the final question of our time for our veterans is
whether we are going to abide by the counsels of patience and delay in
setting our veterans free from their war injuries. Because how many of
us suffering at home now from traumatic brain injury and PTSD would be
willing, because the Congress is not ready to put the money into
biomedical research that it needs to because they say that's not
government's job to do medical research; that's someone else's. I don't
know whose job it is, but if I'm a veteran coming back from fighting
for this country and I'm trapped behind the enemy lines of stigma and
shame, trapped behind the enemy lines of indifference because you can't
see my wound--my wound is an invisible wound; it's brain injury--think
about what it must be like for them to know that our country has the
wherewithal to save those with TBI and rescue them from being prisoners
of their war injury if we put the money behind it, if we match our
action with our rhetoric. We're not going to leave those veterans
behind, okay. Then let's do something that makes sure we don't. Let's
invest in the kinds of stem cell research, the kinds of genetic
biomarkers that are going to allow us to make sure that they are going
to be saved from enemy territory, prisoners of their war injuries.
You could say, oh, well, it's going to take 10 years before we are
able to repair spinal cord tissue and allow those veterans to stand up
out of their wheelchair because they were paralyzed. Well, if you're 25
years old, I should hope that they get an indication from this
Congress, from this country, from this President that we are in it to
win it when it comes to saving them, because you know what? We would
put our full might of military power to go get them if they were held
by al Qaeda. Why aren't we doing the same when it comes to them being
held hostage by their TBI and PTSD?
If we think of each other as human beings and advancing the great
cause, or the fact that we all breathe the same air, drink the same
water, live on the same planet, want the same things for all of our
families, why would we ever treat each other differently, discriminate
against one another, when it's the very strength of our country?
These Japanese Americans, they fought the roughest fights. They were
put in the biggest harm's way, just like the Buffalo Soldiers were in
the European theater as well. Why? They wanted to take it on to
demonstrate they weren't about to be cowering in the fear of those with
bigotry in their hearts.
Let's pass this legislation and set all Americans free, because we're
all human beings, all Americans, irrespective of color, creed, or the
way we look.
Mr. SABLAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1055, a bill to
grant the Congressional gold medal, collectively, to the 100th Infantry
Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, United States Army, in
recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.
The grant of the Congressional gold medal to this very distinguished
``Go for Broke'' unit is well deserved and the award is long overdue.
The unit is the most decorated military unit in our Nation's history.
In World War II this was known as the ``Purple Heart Battalion.''
I must admit that I have a personal attachment to the ``Go for
Broke'' unit. Company E, 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team, is now stationed in the Northern Mariana
Islands and I was once a member. A further point of pride is that Echo
Company was once under the command of the distinguished Senator from
Hawaii, Senator Daniel K. Inouye.
I support passage of S. 1055 and I say again that the grant of the
Congressional gold medal to the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd
Regimental Combat Team is long overdue and well deserved.
I encourage my colleagues to support S. 1055 and I thank Senator
Barbara Boxer for bringing this legislation forth.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Dahlkepmer). All time for debate has
expired.
The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Indiana
(Mr. Carson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S.
1055.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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