Hawaii’s Nisei Soldiers of WWII: Their Significance & Continued Relevance

Who were the Nisei soldiers of World War II? What did they achieve both during and after the war and why is this still relevant to modern day Hawaiʻi? In honor of Veterans Day, Byrnes Yamashita, president of the Nisei Veterans Legacy, will answer these questions and more in a presentation on the Nisei (second generation Japanese American) soldiers of World War II. Yamashita’s overview begins with background on immigration, plantation and post-plantation life, start of the war and incarceration, formation of the all-Nisei Army units, explanation of their exploits during the war, and their post-war contributions. About the presenter: Yamashita is a retired Navy engineer and the son of a Nisei soldier from Hawaiʻi. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity should contact library staff as soon as possible. Advance requests 48 hours or more before the event are encouraged, but not required. All programs are subject to change. See a schedule of upcoming events on the HSPLS Events Calendar.