Campaign to Honor Japanese American Veterans

The Pacific Citizen in Los Angeles reports over 30,000 Japanese Americans served in the U.S. military during WWII and some feel there should be a stamp issued in their honor.

The latest proposal for a Japanese American veterans stamp was rejected according to the article. The reason: the U.S. Postal Service’s Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee’s policy against honoring separate military sub-branches, units or divisions.

Instead the committee, which works on behalf of the postmaster general to evaluate stamp proposals, suggested creating a stamp honoring the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism in Washington, D.C.

But some supporters of the Nisei vets stamp disagree with creating a stamp to honor the memorial according to the piece by reporter Nalea J. Ko.

Since the proposal for a stamp has been turned down, supporters are now focusing their efforts on changing the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) informal policy against issuing stamps for individual units, branches or divisions.

In the past stamps have been issued honoring Hispanic Americans: A Proud Heritage(1984) and Buffalo Soldiers (1994). Recently, the USPS issued the ‘Distinguished Sailors’ stamps to commemorate the service of William S. Sims, Arleigh A. Burke, John McCloy and Doris Miller.

Shown above, George Fujimori at the "Go For Broke" Memorial in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo.

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