JACL Calls for Immediate Restoration of 100th/442nd History to the U.S. Army Website

March 14, 2025

For Immediate Release

JACL is deeply alarmed and disappointed by the removal of web pages honoring the history and accomplishments of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and the broader contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to the U.S. Army. 

The 100th and 442nd remain the most decorated military units in U.S. history for their size and length of service. Their heroism, despite the racism and incarceration their families faced at home, is a testament to their loyalty and sacrifice, as is their unit motto, “Go For Broke.” When the war ended in 1945, President Harry Truman addressed the 100th/442nd on the White House grounds and remarked, “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice--and you have won.” The removal of their history from the Army’s website is not just an administrative decision—it is an attempt to erase the legacy of thousands of soldiers who gave everything for a country that doubted them.

President Ronald Reagan, during the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, recalled remarks he had given during a memorial for 442nd member Kazuo Masuda in 1945, “Blood that has soaked into the sands of a beach is all of one color. America stands unique in the world: the only country not founded on race but on a way, an ideal. Not in spite of but because of our polyglot background, we have had all the strength in the world. That is the American way.”

These pages are part of the broader story of the Asian American and Pacific Islander participation in our military, which has also been removed. Our community's sacrifices, from the American Revolutionary War to modern conflicts, are a vital part of America’s military history and deserve to be honored. 

The JACL calls on Defense Secretary Hegseth to order the immediate return of these invaluable resources to their original state on the Army’s website. Failing to do so erases the heroic legacy and heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the armed forces and dishonors their distinguished service. 

###

The Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose ongoing mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational, and social values and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.