Thursday, September 21, 2017

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HONORED TO HOST FRENCH LEGION OF HONOR PRESENTATION TO WORLD WAR II 442ND VETERANS




Rep. Mark M. Nakashima (from left), Futao Terashima, Vice Speaker Della Au Belatti, Dale Tateishi holding a photo of his father Tetsuo Tateishi, Harold Zenyei Afuso, and Rep. Scott Y. Nishimoto.


The Hawaii House of Representatives was honored today to host the presentation of the French Legion of Honor decoration to three Nisei veterans of US Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team for their service during World War II.

The veterans: Harold Aenyei Afuso, 442nd RCT, 2nd Battalion, H Company; Tetsuo Tateishi (posthumously) 442nd RCT, 100th Battalion, A Company; and Futao Terashima, 442nd RCT, 3rd Battalion, I Company; were presented their medals by Guillaume Manan, Honorary Consul of France in Hawaii.

“The House of Representatives and Speaker Scott K. Saiki are so happy that our chamber could serve as the venue to honor these brave men,” said Vice Speaker Della Au Belatti. “The Legion of Honor is France’s highest award and it recognizes the bravery and sacrifice that these men made to protect the freedoms that we enjoy today.”

The 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team was comprised of Japanese Americans, most of them from Hawaii. The men volunteered and fought in Europe during the war, becoming the most highly decorated unit in the history of the United States for its size and length of service.

Representatives Scott Y. Nishimoto and Mark M. Nakashima also attended the event and presented lei to the honorees.

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