That War

On February 19, 1942, soon after the beginning of World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066. This was an evacuation order that commenced the round-up of Americans of Japanese heritage. These people were transported to one of ten internment camps in California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado, and Arkansas. They lost all of their possessions. My grandfather, Henry Ebihara, was one of these Japanese Americans, relocated to Topaz, Utah.

Roosevelt's executive order was fueled by anti-Japanese sentiment among farmers who competed against Japanese labor, politicians who sided with anti-Japanese constituencies, and the general public, whose frenzy was heightened by the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor. More than two thirds of the Japanese who were interned in the spring of 1942 were citizens of the United States. Within these camps leadership positions were only offered to the American-born Japanese people.

Some people, like my grandpa, refused to accept these unconstitutional actions. On February 4, 1943 my grandpa wrote a letter to the Secretary of War (Mr. Stimson) and President Roosevelt. In his letter he expressed his gratitude that Nisei (American born Japanese) were offered leadership positions in the camp. However, he did not immigrate to the United States until he was two years old and therefore was not considered American. He wrote, "I was sad-sad because under your present laws I am an enemy alien. I am a 22-year old boy, American in thought, American in act, as American as any other citizen...I only ask that I be given a chance to fight to preserve the principles that I have been brought up on and which I will not sacrifice at any cost. Please give me a chance to serve in your armed forces."

He wanted to volunteer for combat duty so "[he] could proudly say to [him]self that [he] wasn't sitting around, doing nothing when the fate of the free people was at stake." This letter he wrote brought about an incredible change during the course of Japanese internment. As a result, the government allowed internees to leave the concentration camps if they enlisted in the U.S. Army. This offer was not well received. Only 1,200 internees chose to do so. The 442nd battalion was formed-a group of all Japanese men fighting within the American army. My grandpa and the other Japanese men felt like they had to prove themselves; they often went on very risky missions and as a consequence