A monument to the Nisei soldiers of World War II, four years in the making, was formally dedicated on June 2 outside the Bill Santucci Justice Center in Roseville, Placer County. The most prominent feature is a larger-than-life-size bronze statue, “The Rescue of the Lost Battalion,” which depicts a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team helping a Texas soldier after a famous battle in France’s Vosges Mountains in 1944. The 442nd suffered heavy casualties saving the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry, 36th Infantry Division, which was surrounded by German forces. The statue was unveiled in October 2012, when this photo was taken. (Photo by Michael Kirby)
An enthusiastic crowd of more than 350 attended the dedication despite the extreme heat. (Photo by Michael Kirby)
Among those present were (seated, from left) veterans Shig (Shigeo) Yokote, Mac Tsujimoto, Leo Hosoda, Norman Kamada and Jim Iso; (standing, from left) Assemblymember Mariko Yamada of the 4th District (Yolo County); E. Ken Tokutomi, chair of the JACL Memorial Project; keynote speaker Carol Sato-Yamazaki, chair of the National Veterans Network. Behind them, in a suit with red tie, is Robert Nakamoto of the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA), another featured speaker. (Photo by Michael Kirby)
A wide view of the memorial, which includes plaques that were dedicated in December 2009. For more information on the project, which is still seeking donations, visit www.placerjacl.org. (Photo by Stewart Feldman)

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *