The Japanese American Citizens League Proudly Celebrates the 80th Anniversary of the Day of Affirmation
July 15, 2026
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Katie Masano Hill, JACL National Mineta Fellow/Communications- DC Office, khill@jacl.org
Matthew Weisbly, JACL National Education Programs Manager - LA Office, mweisbly@jacl.org
Howard High, President, Japanese American Veterans Association, info@java-us.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) proudly commemorates the 80th anniversary of the Day of Affirmation. On July 18, 2026, the Day of Affirmation Ceremony will commence at 9:00 a.m. at the National World War II Memorial, followed by the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) Day of Affirmation Luncheon from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Washington Navy Yard Navy Museum.
Guests in attendance include Keynote Speaker Clifford Truman Daniel, grandson of President Harry S. Truman, and Anna Fierst, great-granddaughter of Eleanor Roosevelt.
United States attendees include Major General Dianne Del Rosso, Deputy Director, U.S. Army Reserve Command; Major General (Ret.) Antonio "Tony" Taguba, Chairman, PPALM; Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Ensminger, Commander, 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Infantry Regiment; and Terry Shima, World War II veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (Tentative).
Representatives of the Embassy of Japan include Major General Yusuke Kawachi, Defense Attaché, and Minister Kyoichiro Kawakami.
Representative of the Embassy of France: Colonel Noe-Noel Uchida, incoming Army Attaché.
“The Day of Affirmation is significant because the President of the United States personally honored the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for their outstanding service and sacrifice and acknowledged that they did so in the face of racism and prejudice. No other returning unit was accorded the honor of a personal review and presentation of an award by the President. My own military service and acceptance were made less difficult because of the actions of the 442nd. The ease of my advancement and obtaining security clearances was clearly influenced by the record of the 442nd”. - Larry Oda, JACL National President (2022-2026)
On July 15th, 1946, President Harry S. Truman welcomed home soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., presenting them with their seventh Presidential Distinguished Unit Citation.
The 100th Infantry Battalion, formed in late 1942 from Nisei (second-generation) soldiers in Hawai‘i’s Territorial Guard, became the first Japanese American combat unit deployed to Europe and established a distinguished record in battle. In January 1943, the U.S. War Department announced the formation of the segregated 442nd Regimental Combat Team, made up of Nisei volunteers from Hawaiʻi and the continental United States, many of whose families were incarcerated in American concentration camps. In June 1944, the 442nd joined forces with the 100th Infantry Battalion in Europe, incorporating the 100th into the 442nd while retaining its battalion designation. Following the reinstatement of the draft for Nisei in January 1944, additional Japanese American draftees joined the unit's ranks.
Despite serving in segregated military units, the soldiers of the 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team became the most highly decorated unit in U.S. military history for the size and length of their service. While soldiers part of the Military Intelligence Service were not formally recognized in the 1946 ceremony, the Day of Affirmation has come to symbolize the wider bravery and valor of all Japanese American men and women who fought in World War II, even as their families endured imprisonment and violations of their basic civil rights behind barbed wire and under the watch of armed guards.
Attendees will have the opportunity to:
Hear remarks from keynote speaker and VIP guests.
Witness the Day of Affirmation Ceremony
Meet and Greet with Veterans from the 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team
Learn about Japanese American heritage and culture
The event is open to the public. Click here to RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/java-day-of-affirmation-luncheon-tickets-1990826581898
Media: Members of the media are encouraged to attend. Interview opportunities with speakers and organizational leadership will be available upon request.
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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.
