Go For Broke National Education Center

Happy belated 101st birthday to Shigeo Iwamasa!?Mr. Iwamasa was born in Waihee-Waiehu, Maui, Hawai'i to an Issei father and a Hawai'i-born mother. He grew up working on a plantation with his father helping with the growth and harvest of the crops. Although Mr. Iwamasa's family did not have much money, they lived a happy and fulfilling life. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, he enlisted in the Army and was sent to Camp Shelby for basic training under the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Mr. Iwamasa was eventually sent to France and was assigned to be a driver for a Major General. As he drove through Berlin every morning, he witnessed first-hand the devastation that engulfed the city. On December 18, 1945, Mr. Iwamasa was discharged from the Army and returned home to Maui. Times were still difficult, so he reenlisted in the Army and served in the Korean War as a Battalion Mechanic. When he was discharged, he returned with two combat badges, two good conduct medals, and one bronze star medal. As an agent of change, Mr. Iwamasa emphasizes the importance of voting, being vocal to politicians, and always honoring those killed in the fight for freedom. Go For Broke National Education Center honors Mr. Iwamasa’s commitment to his country, and wishes him an amazing birthday!

Happy belated 103rd birthday to?Tetsuo?“Ted" Yasunaga, born in Los Angeles, CA on November 12, 1921!?During WWII, he served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's 522nd Field Artillery Battalion. He earned three?overseas service stars, European-African-Middle Eastern campaign medals, four Bronze Battle stars, a Good Conduct Medal, and a WWII - Victory Medal.??After the war, he was a graphic artist for makeup boxes and packages in Chicago. Mr. Yasunaga is diligent in keeping his health and mobility, and he says a carefree heart is the secret to reaching 103.?We thank him for his service and sacrifice, and wish him a bright year!

A big thank you to Hawaii News Now for this heartwarming and inspiring profile on Nisei veteran hero, Roy Fujii, one of the last remaining members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The military group, made up of mostly Japanese Americans, was known for its fierce fighting and heroism during WWII. https://lnkd.in/g25szGjj

Thank you to reporter Rina Nakano for doing such a fine job on telling the story of the 100th Battalion/442nd RCT. Thank you to Yosh Nakamura for being such a wonderful, living spokesperson for the WWII Japanese American soldiers. https://lnkd.in/gD_mvqHG

Today, on Veterans Day, we honor the character and valor of the 33,000 Japanese American veterans of WWII, and all veterans, who bravely served to ensure the freedoms and liberties of all Americans. We remain humbled and grateful for the opportunity to share the Japanese American soldiers' Go For Broke spirit and legacy of selfless sacrifice, remarkable courage, service to others, and a vision for a more perfect union. Okage sama de... because of all of our veterans, we are! To learn more about the history of the Japanese American soldiers of WWII and our educational programming and outreach, visit goforbroke.org.

On this Veterans Day weekend, the Go For Broke Torchbearers honored our Nisei veterans by cleaning up their resting place at Evergreen Cemetery in the East Side neighborhood of Boyle Heights in Los Angeles. As did all of our military veterans, the Nisei soldiers fought for the future of those they loved and those they would never know. ? ? Okage sama de…Because of them, we are. Because of them, we will continue to be.

Have you had a chance to visit our interpretive public exhibition, Defining Courage, yet? If not, come on in, we would love to have you! ? ? This hands-on participatory learning center in the heart of Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo historic district explores the concept of courage through the lives of the young Japanese Americans of World War II, and asks modern visitors to act with similar courage in their own lives.? ? The exhibition is one-of-a-kind in its dynamic, hands-on, and experience-based approach, engaging visitors through participatory learning experiences. These experiences teach the history of the Japanese American World War II story and its relevance to our lives today. This isn’t your typical history museum!? ? Visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and we are located at 355 E. 1st Street, Suite 200, Los Angeles, right next door to the Japanese American National Museum. Hope to see you soon!?

#Repost: NextShark ???? ?? On Oct. 30, 1944, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of Japanese Americans made history, rescuing 200+ soldiers and cementing their legacy as the most decorated unit of their size. Against insane odds and heavy losses, they showed the world what resilience looks like. ?? Remember their name.??

A big thank you to David Ono, ABC7 News Anchor and member of GFBNEC Board of Directors, for traveling so far to capture and illuminate the courage and bravery of our Nisei soldiers during an intense battle in Eastern France. ? ? In World War II, the "Lost Battalion,” a unit from the 1st Battalion of the 141st Texas Infantry Regiment, was rescued by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit primarily composed of Japanese American soldiers, during the Vosges Mountains campaign in France in October 1944. ? ? This rescue is considered one of the most famous acts of valor in the unit's history, where they fought through heavy German resistance to reach and save the trapped American soldiers, suffering significant casualties themselves.?? ? This rescue is notable because of the extreme combat conditions the 442nd faced to reach the trapped soldiers, highlighting their bravery and resilience despite facing discrimination at home.? ? ???? Gathering beautiful and incredible stories in Eastern France exactly 80 years after one of the most storied battles in US military history. It’s a moment in history that will forever connect this beautiful place in the Vosges Forest with so many Americans. In particular, the families of the Nisei Soldier. Many captivating stories to follow.?

Thank you to LAist for this great piece highlighting the rebuilding of the baseball field at Manzanar National Historic, a former incarceration camp for Japanese Americans. Assisting on the initiative are volunteers and the National Park Service. GFBNEC President, Mitchell T. Maki was also interviewed for the piece. “People Dan's age and my age, so often we would hear our parents talking about camp, not realizing they were talking about a concentration camp … it just wasn't openly discussed,” said Mitch Maki, president and CEO of Go For Broke, an L.A.-based organization that commemorates Japanese American World War II veterans." For decades, the Manzanar National Historic Site has educated visitors on a painful chapter of United States history, the incarceration of thousands of Japanese and Americans of Japanese descent during World War II, and hopes the rebuilding of the baseball field brings more healing. The site has already rebuilt a large garden as well as parts of the orphanage that operated in the camp. https://lnkd.in/gkQEAnEd