The Congressional Gold Medal

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                  Gold Medal Presentation Ceremony:
Speaker of the House Boehner presents Grant Ichikawa with the Congressional Gold Medal, which
was awarded to the members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th Battalion, and the
Military Intelligence Service (MIS) for their courage and sacrifices during World War II.
  Full Story  |  Photos | NBC News article of the ceremony | Video of ceremony Pt 1  | Video of ceremony Pt 2
 

EVENTS
Tuesday, Nov 1


10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. WWII Nisei Veterans Program, Washington Hilton, Columbia Hall
Program | Christine Sato-Yamazaki Speech | Gerald Yamada Speech | George Sakato Speech | Video of Ceremony

2:15 p.m. Laying of the Wreaths at the Freedom Wall of the National World War II Memorial, The Mall
Photos | Video of Ceremony (courtesy Matt Moul)
Wednesday, Nov 2


11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Award of the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT, and MIS, Emancipation Hall, US Congress
Program | Photos | Speech | Video pt 1 | Video pt 2

4:00 p.m. Presentation of the replica CGM to Senator Daniel Inouye, Washington Hilton, Columbia Hall
Photos | Video of Ceremony (courtesy Matt Moul)

6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. Gala Dinner Washington Hilton, International Hall
Photos | Rep Honda's Speech | Secretary Shinseki's Speech | Program | CGM Booklet
Thursday, Nov 3


10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Memorial Service for the Next of Kin of KIAs, National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism
Photos | Hon. Norm Mineta Speech
 

Highest honor for St. Pete WWII vet: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

 

Arrival Album
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Bronze Star Ceremony Album
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 Gold Medal Album
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NVN Facebook Photos

Japanese American Veterans Reflect on WWII "Terry Shima, a veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, stands beside the World War II memorial on V-J Day 2011.  He and other Japanese-American veterans will receive Congressional Gold Medals for their actions during the war."  (Photo Credit:  J.D. Leipold)"  Full Story Sound South Soldiers Among Japanese American Soldiers Honored
 "World War II veteran Turk Tokita of Lihue, Hawaii, sits in the audience during a ceremony Tuesday honoring Japanese American veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Nearly seven decades after Pearl Harbor, Congress honored Japanese American military units that helped the United States win World War II despite the hardships endured by many troops’ families back home. "
(Carolyn Caster/Associated Press)
Full Story		 World War II veterans join hands at the Go For Broke memorial in Los Angeles.
"From left, Tuskegee Airmen Ted Lumpkin and Levi H. Thornhill both served in Italy. Marines Samuel Tso and Bill Toledo, both Najavo Code Talkers, were at Iwo Jima. Japanese American soldier Don Seki lost an arm in France and soldier Kenjiro Akune served as a POW interrogator in Burma." (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times / November 4, 2011) Full Story		 Special Honors for Japanese-American WWII Veterans' Two-Fronted Battle Against Discrimination
"James Yamane, 88, right, assists Medal of Honor recipient George Joe Sakato, 90, at last week's ceremony."  (Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post )
Full Story
 

World War II Vets Honored
"During a Capitol Hill ceremony honoring Japanese-American veterans of World War II, House Speaker John Boehner, second from left, presents the Congressional Gold Medal on Wednesday to Susumu Ito of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Mitsuo Hamasu of Oahu, far left, from the 100th Infantry Battalion, and Grant Ichikawa, far right, from the Military Intelligence Service, also received medals. Hamasu's daughter, Gail, is a Big Island resident. Applauding the honorees is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi." -- Associated Press  Full Story		 Harvard Professor Among Veterans to Get Congressional Gold Medal
"Susumu Ito displays the large number of photos he took in Europe during his US Army service in WWII" (CNN article)  Full Story		 Japanese-American WWII Vets To Receive Long Overdue Honor
"Almost 70 years after serving in World War II, 88 year-old Lawson Sakai will be bestowed with America’s highest civilian honor." (CBS article)
Full Story
 


Grant Ichikawa, a former military intelligence officer with the Army and CIA, sits in his living room in Vienna, Va. He and other Japanese-American veterans will receive Congressional Gold Medals this week for their contributions during World War II.  Full Story
 
 

Nisei Veterans from Hawaii Depart for Gold Medal Ceremony Events
"Hawaii News Now" News Article

  

Story Image

TAPS

Death came just as U.S. was about
 to honor Morton Grove man

Akira “Casey” Hoshizaki, 88, was excited about traveling to Washington, D.C., this month to attend a ceremony honoring him and other Japanese Americans who served the United States in World War II, even after the U.S. treated them like traitors, holding them behind barbed wire because of their heritage.  Full Story

 

 

Broomfield WWII Veteran Given Congressional Gold Medal for Service
Congressional Gold Medal recipient Joe Maruyama chats with Stratford Executive Director Tina Dickhoff, at left, during a Sunday reception held in his honor at his residence, the Stratford in Broomfield. Maruyama was honored last week in Washington, D.C., for his service in Military Intelligence during World War II. Colorado where he is a resident on Sunday afternoon November 6th, 2011. ( Jonathan Castner )
Full Story

Munster vet to be honored today with Congressional Gold Medal
 Like millions of other Americans, George Okamoto served in the U.S. military during World War II.

Wounded severely in both legs during an Army combat mission in northern Italy, the decorated soldier spent the last two years of his service in military hospitals enduring nearly 20 operations. After his discharge in 1945, he returned to Chicago, worked as an illustrator, married and raised a family.
Full Story



 


 

 They Went For Broke
 Former members of the historic 442nd, 100th and MIS just received the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, D.C., recognizing their heroism and sacrifice in World War II. (Midweek) Full Story
 

Congress honors WWII veteran, an Army interrogator living in Vallejo

Dye Ogata talks about using a light to spot a passing plane during World War II. The plane dropped a bomb on Ogata's bunker. He was buried alive and rescued the next day. Ogata recently received the Congressional Gold Medal. (Chris Riley/Times-Herald)  Full Story 

Homer WWII Veteran Honored with Others
 Mike Nakada holds the Congressional Gold Medal awarded posthumously to his father, Isao Henry Nakada, and other Japanese-American soldiers who served in World War II in Homer, Alaska on Nov. 7, 2011. In ceremonies last week at the U.S. Capitol, Congress honored all members of Nakada's battalion as well as Japanese-Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service. (AP Photo/Homer News, Michael Armstrong)  Full Story



 		 Springfield WWII Vets Receive Congressional Gold Medal
George Nakamura, left, and Yukio Kawamoto pose with the Congressional Gold Medal that both were awarded last month for their service as Japanese-American soldiers in World War II. Both now live in the same retirement community in Springfield. (Jessica McKay - Erickson Living; Washington Post)  Full Story		 WWII Vet Receives Replica 442 Sculpture
 Auburn attorney Mark presents the miniature bronze sculpture, “Rescue of the Lost Battalion,” to Rocklin resident Frank Kageta, a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Infantry Team during World War II.  Full Story

Nisei Veterans honored with Congressional Gold Medal in Seattle

Nisei Veterans at the Seattle Regional Congressional Gold Medal Celebration at Meany Hall on the University of Washington campus in Seattle on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012. (seattlepi.com)  Full Story 

President Obama Congratulates Four Congressional Gold Medal Awardees at White House

President Barack Obama offered his personal congratulations to four Nisei World War II veterans for the award of the Congressional Gold Medal at a White House breakfast on November 11, 2011.  Full Story 		    

 

      
       

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