ANNOUNCEMENT!

I've been asked to pass on an announcement to all of you in Hawaii (like maybe the fractional portion of the one person who reads this [on occasion] here on Oahu). Kind of late, but: BLTN.

From my blurry friend (blurry like a propeller blade), Shari Tamashiro.

442nd RCT EXHIBIT - Honoring the Legacy
Kapiolani Community College Lama Library
March 24, 2008 to April 17, 2008
The sacrifice and bravery displayed by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team earned them the distinction of the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the U.S. Military. The 442nd RCT participated in "seven major campaigns in Italy and France, received seven Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations, and suffered 9,486 casualties and was awarded 18,143 individual decorations." (Selective Service System)

"The heroic exploits of the Japanese American soldier should be an inspiration to all of what courage, loyalty, honesty and devotion to America and its democratic ideals can achieve." – General Mark Clark

From March 24 to April 17, 2008, KCC Library will be presenting an exhibit honoring the 100th/442nd RCT. It also commemorates their 65th anniversary. The exhibit will feature artifacts and memorabilia from the 442nd Veterans Club Archive and Learning Center, as well as special displays on the 442nd Antitank Company, 232nd Combat Engineers, 442nd Medics, and 522nd Artillery. Additionally, the exhibit will contain a historical review and stories featuring the men of the 100th/442nd.

Lama Library Hours: March 24 – March 28: 8 am – 4 pmMarch 31 - April 17: 7:30 am – 7 pm (M-TH), 7:30 am – 4 pm (Fridays). Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Map: http://kcc.hawaii.edu/object/lamamap.html

PRESERVING AND SHARING THE LEGACY CELEBRATION
March 28, 2008, Lama Library
2 pm - 4 pm - Reception for nisei veterans. Come see the exhibit and learn how the Hawaii nisei legacy is being preserved and shared using digital storytelling.
RSVP to Shari Tamashiro at 808.734.9562 or sharit@hawaii.edu by March 24th. Parking instructions will be provided. Please indicate if handicap accommodations are required.

2:30 pm – PRESENTATION: Digital Storytelling and the HI Nisei Story web site. Shari Y. Tamashiro, Cybrarian
http://nisei.hawaii.edu

Successive generations have no framework for the stories of their grandparents; they have difficulty understanding the meaning and relevance of these personal narratives. Digital storytelling seeks to connect the past to the future, by providing a framework for successive generations to better understand the stories of the past.

The Hawaii Nisei Story, a Web-based exploration of the experiences of local Americans of Japanese Ancestry leading up to, during and following the Second World War, is an example of digital storytelling.

It comprises the life stories of Hawaii-born Nisei veterans. Some well-known, some less so, these stories – drawn from oral interviews with veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd RCT, the 1399th Engineering Construction Battalion, the Military Intelligence Service and the Varsity Victory Volunteers – are deepened, complemented and complicated by the seldom heard stories of the veterans' wives and families.
. . . Come see their stories

5 pm – PANEL DISCUSSION: Hear from the veterans themselves.
Moderator: Ted T. Tsukiyama
This panel discussion with 100th/442nd RCT veterans will cover their experiences from the attack on Pearl Harbor to their return home. Hear their stories and meet these heroes. Panelists include: Genro Kashiwa, Bert Nishimura, Ron Oba and Don Shimazu.
. . . Come hear their stories

7:30 pm – HONORING THE LEGACY: Award-winning storyteller Alton Takiyama-Chung performs a tribute to the 442nd RCT.
http://www.altonchung.com/
Coming off of his sold-out, standing room only show "Okage Sama De" (I am what I am, because of you), Alton Chung returns home to perform a tribute to the 442
nd RCT. Alton gives voice to the stories of the men of the 100th/442nd in a mesmerizing performance.
. . . Come experience the magic

** Alton will also be performing at KapiolaniCC on April 3, 2008 at 11:30 am.