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Blackanthem Military News
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Last Updated:
Aug 21, 2008 - 7:13:55 AM |
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Leadership, diversity, and harmony: the spirit of Asian Pacific Americans
By Maj. Christopher E. West, 316th ESC Public Affairs Office
May 20, 2008 - 10:56:17 AM
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Blackanthem Military News
LSA ANACONDA, Iraq - During the month of May, we honor and celebrate the millions of Asian Pacific Americans whose contributions have helped make our nation a strong, vibrant, and free society. Asian Pacific Americans represent many nations and ethnicities spanning all of the Asian continent and the Pacific islands of Melanesia (New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji and the Solomon Islands), Micronesia (Marianas, Guam, Wake Island, Palau, Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Nauru and the Federated States of Micronesia) and Polynesia (New Zealand, Hawaiian Islands, Rotuma, Midway Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Cook Islands, French Polynesia and Easter Island). Each has its own culture, heritage, language, and experience.
More than 15 million Americans claim Asian or Pacific ancestry.
Asians are the third largest minority group-and the second fastest-growing group-in America, according to the United States Census Bureau. The largest population of Asians is in California, with nearly 5 million, followed by New York, Texas and Hawaii. Hawaii has the highest percentage of Asians in its population, 56 percent, followed by California with 14 percent.
Asian Pacific Americans were the last group of immigrants to flood the shores of America with the first group (i.e., Japanese) arriving in 1843. Regardless of their point of entry, Asian Pacific Americans have excelled in all occupations, from business to academia to the arts.
Until World War II, there had been little effort to document the contributions of Asian Pacific Americans to our collective history and culture. However, prominent individuals were evident from their arrival here and continue to surface to this very day. Notable figures include martial arts icon and cinema actor Bruce Lee, the infantrymen of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) who fought in World War II, and author Maxine Hong Kingston, a National Book Critics Circle Award winner.
From a military perspective, the accomplishments of Pacific Asian Americans are countless and legendary. A classic example would be the extraordinary feats of the 442nd RCT of World War II, the most highly decorated military unit in the history of the United States Armed Forces. The gallant Soldiers of this outfit were the recipients of 21 Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars, and 9,486 Purple Hearts.
Despite the prejudicial treatment and forced internment camps they endured because of their ethnicity, the unit, composed mostly of
Japanese Americans, proved a self-sufficient fighting force, which fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, southern France, and Germany.
People of Asian Pacific ancestry have held numerous command and staff positions of increased responsibility in every branch of our nation's armed services, to include Chief of Staff of the United States Army. In each instance, they have served with utmost notoriety and achievement. Without question, their efforts have helped shape our nation's character and have added to our success and prosperity as well as has helped to make us a leader in the world.
Asian Pacific Americans continue to courageously answer the call to defend freedom as members of our Armed Forces. Their selfless service, whether here in war-ravaged Iraq, Afghanistan, or wherever duty may call, continues to help preserve the ideals of our country's founding fathers as well as to assist all oppressed people who yearn to experience a form of government and a way of life, which is truly of the people, for the people, and by the people.
Like most commemorative months, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month originated in a congressional bill. In June 1977, Representatives Frank Horton of New York and Norman Y. Mineta of California introduced a House resolution that called upon the president to proclaim the first ten days of May as Asian Pacific Heritage Week. The following month, Senators Daniel Inouye and Spark Matsunaga, both from the state of Hawaii, introduced a similar bill in the Senate. Both were passed.
On October 5, 1978, President Jimmy Carter signed a Joint Resolution designating the annual celebration. Twelve years later, President George H.W. Bush signed an extension making the weeklong celebration into a month-long celebration. In 1992, the official designation of May as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was signed into law.
The month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants.
This year's theme, "Leadership, Diversity and Harmony-Gateway to Success," honors the many contributions citizens of Asian and Pacific Island ancestry have made to our nation. Through their patriotism, entrepreneurship, creative expressions, and strong values of love and family, they have helped to strengthen our social institutions and enrich our communities for the better.
ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:
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| The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, hiking up a muddy French road in the Chambois Sector, France, in late 1944. |
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| Martial actor and icon Bruce Lee. |
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| 34th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army (1999-2003), Gen. Eric K. Shinseki. |
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| Medal of Honor recipient and United States Senator (Hawaii) Daniel Inouye. |
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Comments
subrata mukherji
21 May 2008, 10:32
I am interested to know further in this matter of Pacific Asian Americans.
Please keep me posted.
Thanks..
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