EUGENE, Ore. — In Eugene, people had the opportunity to learn about a special battalion from World War II.
Veterans and their loved ones gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building on Willamette Sunday at the eleventh hour for a special presentation on the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Europe. The group was made primarily of second generation Japanese-Americans.
The ceremony was dedicated to the late Sgt. Roy Maeda.
Maeda’s daughter Marilyn Sprick said, “In our schooling and our children’s schooling, the story of the nisei is a very small blip in terms of the history that’s shared with us. So for us, I think it was a nice thing to be able to hear.”
Sgt. Maeda was presented a congressional gold medal earlier this year by Senator Ron Wyden before passing several weeks later.
