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Fresno-area Japanese Americans who gave their lives in World War II honored on Memorial Day

The Fresno Bee - 6/1/2021

Jun. 1—FRESNO — Clarence Suzuki, a 94-year-old Army and Navy veteran who worked in U.S. military intelligence during World War II, gathered with others Monday to honor 29 Japanese American men who died serving the country.

It was a solemn moment for Suziki and others attending the event at the Nisei War Memorial in Roeding Park.

"At my age, I may have made here for the last time," he said.

Among the fallen are World War II Medal of Honor recipients Kazuo Otani and Joe Nishimoto. Otani, a member of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, was killed in Italy. Nishimoto, part of the 100th Infantry Battalion, was killed in France.

Attended by around 100 people, Monday's service was organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hanford Nisei Liberty Post 5869 and Sierra Nisei Post 8499.

The gathering featured a reading of the honor roll, the placing of the wreaths, a flag ceremony, a rifle salute and the song "Taps."

Local Girls Scouts, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts assisted with the service.

"We're here to honor the more than 3,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry...who were part of the war effort, the military service during World War II, from Central California." said Judge Dale Ikeda, district governor of the Central California District Council Japanese American Citizens League.

"Many of them volunteered from internment centers, where their families and friends were held in American concentration camps, for nearly three years during the war. So they fought for freedom abroad and to restore the honor of Japanese Americans, who were denied freedom by their own country."

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