Oregon unveils historical marker detailing service of Japanese American WWII soldiers

A historical marker unveiled on Veterans Day along Highway 35 in Hood River documents the World War II service of Oregon’s second-generation Japanese American soldiers.

The installation presents verified figures showing that 433 Nisei from Oregon served in the U.S. military, including 58 from Hood River County. Its text also lists the 16 local Nisei whose names were removed from a county honor roll on Nov. 29, 1944, because of their Japanese ancestry.

The marker stands about one mile south of Hood River on the section of Highway 35 that the state designated in March 2022 as the Oregon Nisei Veterans WWII Memorial Highway, a route that runs from Hood River to Government Camp. The dedication took place during the morning Nov. 11 ceremony hosted by American Legion Post 22 at River of Life Assembly Church, where descendants and residents viewed the installation for the first time. The panel includes detailed information on the wartime service of Oregon Nisei, the Nov. 29 removal of names from the honor roll while several of the men were deployed overseas and the April 1945 restoration of those names after the incident drew national attention.

The project was developed by descendant groups and regional heritage organizations including the Japanese American Citizens League, the Japanese American Museum of Oregon and the History Museum of Hood River County. Their research incorporated military service records, county documents and verified archival material to ensure the accuracy of each figure and event referenced on the marker.

At the dedication, historian Linda Tamura said, “We are really very pleased that we are able to honor Nisei veterans and their service during World War II, but also do it as a way of coming together.”