Estrella WarBirds Museum

Monthly Dinner
January 4th, 2012
Wednesday

Jason Chang

Templeton resident Jason Chang, director of business development for Twin Cities Community Hospital and national vice president for the Japanese-American Citizens League (JACL), recently accepted the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor in Washington D. C. on behalf of his grandfather, John Kashiki, at the congressional celebration of Japanese-Americans who served in World War II.

Kashiki was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, the highest civilian honor that can be given to a United States citizen — fewer than 180 of these medals have been awarded — (the most recent was last month to Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Mike Collins for their historic trip to the Moon in 1969) -- for his service in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. One of the most decorated Army battalions of all time for its size and length of service, the 442nd was made up of 3,000 Japanese-American internment camp prisoners who volunteered to serve in the U.S. Army to prove that they were not American enemies.

Battalion 442’s most notable feat was the rescue of “The Lost Battalion of WWII” (1st Battalion, 141st Infantry), which was surrounded by German forces in the Vosges Mountains on Oct. 24, 1944. After two failed attempts by other U.S. troops to rescue the battalion, the 442nd broke through German defenses and rescued about 230 men, suffering more than 800 casualties in the process.

The event celebrating the valor of the 442nd Battalion and other Japanese-American soldiers in World War II was the result of legislation that California Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Adam Schiff co-sponsored and which was signed into law last year. Speaker of the House John Boehner emceed the ceremony held for 1,200 guests in Emancipation Hall in Washington, D.C.

“I was very proud to attend this historic event and accept the medal for my grandfather who fought so valiantly for his country at a time when the patriotism of Japanese-Americans was called into question,” said Chang, referencing the period after Pearl Harbor was bombed, in which Japanese-Americans were viewed with suspicion.

Nearly 110,000 were sent to internment camps, including Chang’s grandparents.

“It meant so much to my family — and I imagine to all Japanese-American families with members who lived through that period — to see the government recognize the bravery and loyalty of these men,” Chang said.

Chang and his wife, Losa, attended the ceremony and dinner that followed. Joined at their dinner table was NBC Correspondent Ann Curry, Sen. Daniel Inouye, Executive Director of the JACL Floyd Mori and Secretary of Transportation Norm Mineta.