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Photo courtesy Shane Sato
The National World War II Museum held an opening reception to unveil The Go for Broke Spirit: Legacy in Portraits exhibit on June 29, presented in The Joe W. and Dorothy D. Brown Foundation Special Exhibit Gallery.
The exhibit commemorates the strength and patriotism of second-generation Nisei World War II Japanese American veterans, men and women known for their courageous sacrifices made during World War II to progress the allied force to victory while facing prejudice and imprisonment.
The exhibit includes a collection of portraits taken by Japanese American photographer Shane Sato, along with an assortment of oral records and artifacts from the Museum. Sato took the opportunity to frame the unique events that occurred during that time into this exhibit as an honorary way to “carry the torch” for his predecessors by highlighting their essence in the portraits.
Sato’s imagery showcases the Nisei WWII veterans who served as translators with the Military Intelligence Service in the Women’s Army Corps, which included the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of segregated servicemembers along with the 100th Infantry Battalion. It also emphasizes the captivity of these Japanese descendants in the United States following Pearl Harbor through Executive Order 9066.
“During World War II, ‘Go for Broke’ served as the motto for the 100th/442nd. The regiment lived up to those words and remains the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in US Army history,” said Chase Tomlin, Associate Curator, in a news release. “Sato has captured the Nisei veterans ‘Go for Broke’ spirit of compassion, dedication and resilience with his meaningful photography.”
Sato began capturing the Nisei depictions within the last two decades and concluded the project with a set of publications, The Go For Broke Spirit: Portraits of Courage and The Go For Broke Spirit: Portraits of Legacy.
Included in his publication The Go For Broke Spirit: Legacy in Portraits, Sato magnifies the lives of the Japanese American veterans postwar, illustrating awards presented to members of the 100th/442nd unit comprised of Medals of Honor and the Congressional Gold Medal. The Medal of Honor awarded to 100th Infantry Battalion Second Lieutenant Yeiki Kobashigawa is displayed in the current exhibit.
“The National World War II Museum is proud to display these portraits and explore the stories of these Japanese American veterans who, once deemed second-class citizens, risked everything to fight for their country and collectively changed how many viewed the Japanese American community,” said Tomlin.
The exhibit has the support of Catherine and David Edwards and will be displayed from June 30 to March 31, 2024.
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