WASHINGTON — On Capitol Hill, U.S. Reps. Mark Takano (D-Riverside) and Jill Tokuda (D-Hawaii), White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement Kota Mizutani, and 34th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army Gen. Eric K. Shinseki (retired) joined the presentation of plans for “I Am an American,” the first traveling exhibit of the National Museum of the U.S. Army, in partnership with the National Veterans Network and The Army Historical Foundation.
The speakers shared the experience of family members who served in segregated units for Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II and the significance of the Army choosing this often-overlooked community of soldiers for its first traveling exhibit.
Tammy Call, director of the museum, highlighted that the exhibit will travel to 11 cities over its five-year tour. The exhibit will highlight 25-35 wartime objects to represent the service of the Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat team and Military Intelligence Service.
The first stop will be at the MIS Historic Learning Center at the Presidio of San Francisco in February 2026 before moving to the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, Oregon Historical Society in Portland, and Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Additional venues will be announced at a later date.
Christine Sato-Yamazaki, executive director of the National Veterans Network (NVN), which is providing the historical expertise to develop the exhibit’s content, shared the exhibit’s design plans.
The theme was inspired by a famous photo taken by Dorothea Lange of an “I Am An American” sign placed on an Oakland storefront by Tatsuro Matsuda on Dec. 8, 1941 to declare his American identity.
The exhibit will highlight the patriotism, courage and selfless service of the World War II Nisei soldiers who served courageously in the European and Pacific Theaters while their families battled discrimination at home. Exploring five thematic areas, the 1,500-square-foot exhibit will present the national perspective of the Japanese American soldier experience that includes the historical context of life in Hawaii and the Wartime Relocation Authority camps on the mainland.
“American soldiers of Japanese ancestry delivered a powerful lesson in citizenship during World War II,” said Shinseki. “Their values – loyalty, courage, patriotism – are timeless statements about being American. Rising above fear and prejudice, they wrote an unrivaled battle history that remains legendary, even today. It’s an American story for the ages.”
The Nisei soldiers enlisted from the islands of Hawaii and 10 WRA camps that forcibly detained more than 120,000 Japanese Americans during the war. An estimated 19,000 Nisei served in the European Theater as part of the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, which went on to become the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and duration of service.
Another 6,000 Japanese Americans served as translators and interpreters in the Army’s Military Intelligence Service during the Pacific War as well as the postwar occupation of Japan.
The Army Historical Foundation is supporting the production of the traveling exhibit. A special gallery on the Nisei experience will be displayed at National Museum of the U.S. Army at Fort Belvoir, Va. until 2025.
The National Museum of the U.S. Army provides the only comprehensive portrayal of Army history and traditions through the eyes of the American soldier. By preserving, interpreting, and exhibiting invaluable artifacts, the museum creates learning opportunities for all visitors and bonds the American people to their oldest military service. The Army owns and operates the museum.
The museum is open daily with free admission. For more information, visit www.theNMUSA.org.
The Army Historical Foundation establishes, assists, and promotes programs and projects that preserve the history of the American soldier and promote public understanding of and appreciation for the contributions by all components of the Army and its members. The foundation serves as the Army’s official fundraising entity for the Capital Campaign for the National Museum of the U.S. Army.
The award-winning, LEED-certified museum opened on Nov. 11, 2020, at Fort Belvoir, Va., and honors the service and sacrifice of all American soldiers who have served since the Army’s inception in 1775. For more information, visit www.armyhistory.org.
The National Veterans Network’s mission is to educate current and future generations about the extraordinary legacy of American World War II soldiers of Japanese ancestry in order to promote equality and justice. In 2010, the organization led a national campaign to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 100th, 442nd and MIS units.
Following the awarding, NVN partnered with the Smithsonian on a seven-city tour to promote the recognition of the Nisei Soldiers Congressional Gold Medal along with an online exhibition that features 12 life stories of the 100th, 442nd and MIS.
NVN continues to work with the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center to develop K-8 lessons and trains teachers to incorporate the lessons into the classrooms. Since 2017, NVN has worked with the National Museum of the U.S. Army to provide the historical expertise for “The Nisei Soldier Experience,” a special exhibit that is on display at the museum and will launch an 11-city traveling exhibition in 2026.
For more information, visit www.nationalveteransnetwork.com and follow the NVN on Facebook (NationalVeteransNetwork) or Instagram (nationalveteransnetwork).
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