Rep. Jacobsen honors Japanese-Americans on Remembrance Day
Rep. Cyndy Jacobsen, R-Puyallup, spoke on the House floor for Remembrance Day, which annually observes the unjust forced removal and incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II.
Jacobsen recounted what happened in Washington state after President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, designating that Japanese-Americans be placed in “exclusion areas,” on Feb. 19, 1942.
- In Puyallup, the euphemistically named Camp Harmony was hastily constructed. Jacobsen read a quote from one young adult who was detained there: “Of one thing I was sure – The wire fence was real. I no longer had the right to walk out of it.”
- Although some were against the Roosevelt policy and tried to help their Japanese-American sisters and brothers, too many others turned a blind eye to their plight.
- The 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed almost completely of Japanese-Americans, was a heroic force and the most decorated unit in U.S. military history.
“The next time you visit the Puyallup Fairgrounds, take time to view the remembrance gallery honoring those who were held in Puyallup by sharing their stories,” said Jacobsen. “Let us never forget.”
