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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