Japanese American Vets Owe No Apologies

We Japanese American veterans wish to respond to “A Half-Century Wait for an Apology” (Community Comment, March 13).

Frank Emi, a convicted Japanese American World War II draft resister, relates his “battle for recognition.” Quoting Emi, “I just thought they (the Japanese American Citizens League) were pretty disgusting to bend over backward to accommodate the white majority.”

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, all Japanese aliens and Japanese American citizens who resided in the Sixth Army Area Western Defense Command were forced into concentration camps.

These citizens were required to take a loyalty oath, swear allegiance to the United States of America and to bear arms against all of her enemies.

Many renounced their American citizenship and returned to Japan. Mr. Emi and approximately 315 others resisted the draft after affirming their loyalty and willingness to bear arms for the United States, enabling them to remain here.

In spite of this group, 30,000 Japanese Americans served in World War II; approximately 750 were killed in action and at least 9,486 were wounded.

These comrades made the supreme sacrifice for the benefit of us all, including the right of draft resisters to have their freedom of choice protected under the Constitution of the United States. Those of us who served risked our lives so that all Americans in the United States, including the Japanese Americans, could live in a free America.

We owe no apology to World War II draft resisters and neither should the JACL.

Respectfully yours,

MATSUO NAGANO, Commander

Los Angeles Nisei Memorial

VFW Post 9938

NORIO UYEMATSU, Commander

Kazuo Masuda Memorial

VFW Post 3670

MITSUO KUNIHIRO, 6th District

Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars

JACK MATSUKAWA, Commander

Disabled American Veterans

Nisei Chapter 100

Also signed by 10 other Japanese American past and present VFW officers and World War II veterans.