Local residents are raising funds for a memorial to be installed outside the Morgan Hill Library for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, of which local resident Lawson Sakai—who died in June 2020—was a member.
The 442nd RCT served in combat during World War II, and was composed entirely of Japanese-American soldiers.
The memorial outside the library, proposed by Morgan Hill resident and business owner Jon Hatakeyama, will be modeled on a postage stamp to be issued later this year in honor of the Japanese-American soldiers of World War II. The postage stamp is entitled “Go for Broke,” the motto of the 442nd RCT, according to Hatakeyama’s proposal.
In less than two years in combat, the 442nd became the most highly decorated unit of its size in U.S. military history, according to Hatakeyama. The unit earned more than 18,000 military honors, including 9,486 Purple Hearts, 4,000 Bronze Stars and 21 Congressional Medals of Honor—the highest military award a service member can earn.
“Initially, Americans of Japanese descent were not allowed to enter military service during the initial phases of World War II. However, as the need for soldiers increased, their value as interpreters and their dedication to their country proved invaluable,” reads Hatakeyama’s proposal. “The irony for these Japanese-Americans was, as they were giving their lives fighting (for) their country, their government had placed the families of these soldiers into internment camps…without any due legal process.”
Local resident Lawson Sakai, who died in June at the age of 97, fought in World War II with the 442nd RCT. Sakai was born in Los Angeles in 1923 and graduated from Montebello High School in 1941. He tried to enlist in the Army the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor Dec. 7, 1941. However, he was rejected as an “enemy alien,” he told this newspaper in a 2016 interview.
“They called me an ‘enemy alien’ and said I wasn’t an American anymore,” Sakai said in 2016. “It was just that blunt.”
In 2016, at a meeting in Morgan Hill of the Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans, the Consul-General of Japan presented Sakai with the prestigious Japan Foreign Ministry Award. In 2014, Sakai served as the Grand Marshal for the Morgan Hill Independence Day parade.
Hatakeyama said in an email that Sakai was an “acquaintance” and he had known about his service in the renowned 442nd RCT for many years. Hatakeyama’s proposal is largely inspired by Sakai and his service.
Hatakeyama had initially wanted the memorial for the 442nd to be placed at a new traffic roundabout to be constructed near West Dunne and Peak avenues, for the future Hale Avenue extension. However, he later determined a suggested installation at the Morgan Hill Civic Center, near the public library entrance, would more safely accommodate gatherings and visitors who might be attracted to the installation. The Morgan Hill City Council unanimously approved the location at the March 17 meeting.
Now, Hatakeyama and the Morgan Hill Community Foundation are aiming to raise about $3,000 to design and construct the memorial. The installation would include a bronze plaque recognizing the 442nd RCT, a concrete monument and signage thanking the donors.
“This is going to be an amazing tribute to what our Japanese-American neighbors have done for our community, our country and for the world,” Pamala Meador, who is leading the fundraising effort for MHCF, told the council March 17.
Hatakeyama owned a family dentistry business near West Dunne and Peak avenues for more than 40 years. He said in an email that a memorial to Japanese-American combat veterans is particularly important at the present time, when incidents of prejudice and racism toward Asian-Americans are on the rise.
“I believe this project will show other communities an intelligent, thoughtful and unique approach to counter racism,” Hatakeyama said. “Surely, this would add a measure of pride for our local citizens, community organizations and to our local and regional elected officials.”
How to donate
Anyone who would like to donate to the memorial for the 442nd RCT to be installed at the Morgan Hill Civic Center, can send donations to Morgan Hill Community Foundation, P. O. Box 1974, Morgan Hill, CA 95038. Checks should be made out to Morgan Hill Community Foundation, and include “442nd Memorial” on the memo line.
