Welcome to the FFNV Website
Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans (FFNV) began as an E Company-sponsored group in Northern California to preserve the proud accomplishments of the 100 Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and to honor all veterans of the RCT.
Register for the Annual Nisei Veterans' Reunion
Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans (FFNV) will host their annual reunion in Little Tokyo Los Angeles on Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2023.
Rate Code: FFNV (input under “Promo Code”)
https://www.miyakola.com/
For Room Requests/Preferences:
Please advise them that if they have any room request/preference to leave it in the “additional details” section when making their reservations.
Over 2 Guests in a Room:
If they would like to have more than 2 occupants in the room, the system will not show anything if they put more than 2 occupants when making their reservation. In those cases, they can put 2 occupants, so they make the reservation and leave note if there is an extra guest. An additional fee may be assessed for any additional guest over the age of 12.
Additional Nights:
If anyone would like to stay outside of the room block dates, they can make their reservation with the code and email us to make the date adjustment for them. Different rates may apply outside of the room block dates.
Payments may be made by check as designated on the registration form or can be paid online through the website: ffnv.org
Click on the “Donate” button, check “FFNV activities”, indicate your total fees, then you will be able to leave a memo designating registration fees.
Keep the Story Alive
Following the formal approval by the Mayor and City Council of Bruyères for the proposed Heroes of the Vosges Museum, a website was prepared that encourages cash donations and the offering of artifacts associated with both the 100th/442nd and the French Resistance. The Resistance played an important role in assisting the Nisei. Too many of these precious artifacts have already been lost to history as the children and grandchildren of the Nisei may be unaware of their historical importance.
Please go to vosgesheroes.org. There you can read the approved plan and contribute as you see fit. A form for donation artifacts can be downloaded from the site. If you have or know of others who have artifacts that can be loaned or donated to the museum, please have any questions directed to me at [email protected] or 916-233-8069.
CGM and GFB virtual events
* Join us for a 30-minute virtual presentation to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Nisei Soldier Congressional Gold Medal.
* Go For Broke National Education Center’s (GFBNEC) Living Nisei WWII Veteran Photo Tribute.
JANM Debuts Interactive ‘Talk’ With Nisei Veteran
A powerful new exhibition, “The Interactive StoryFile of Lawson Iichiro Sakai,” is now open at the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).
ISLAND CITY WATERWAYS: UPROOTED
“Island City Waterways: Uprooted” is the 3rd in a series of site-specific performances of dance, theater and music, that celebrate the history of Alameda’s unique waterfront. Uprooted will tell the story of Alameda Point, from the rise of civilian flight, to a Naval Air Station (NAS) that staged four wars, to land being repurposed to fill the promise of a community’s future.
BRIAN SHIROYAMA RECOGNIZED BY JAPANESE COUNSULATE
Morgan Hill man honored for preserving history of Japanese American soldiers.
2023 MEMORIAL DAY SERVICE AT ROBERTS PARK
A pleasant weather on Armed Forces Day, May 20, 2023, greeted us to host our 31st continuously running memorial service at Roberts Park, Oakland Hills, CA, at the site of the planting of a redwood tree by veterans of E Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd RCT), in 1992. As always, a concert in the park by US Naval Sea Cadet Corps, Band of the West, began the service with reverberating sound throughout the redwood forest. Berkeley Boy Scout Troop 24 magnificently performed the color detail.
Joanne Sakai delivered a message from Bishop Ito, Higashi Honganji Temple, Los Angeles, while Janet Ito and Tom Graves spoke of the legacy of Lawson Sakai. Brenda Montano of East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Domonique Williams of Roberts Park again helped us to ensure the success of this memorial service.
The featured speaker was EBRPD Board Director Dee Rosario. He profoundly recognized Lawson Sakai of the 442nd RCT who spearheaded the project to plant a redwood tree in memory of fellow veterans who did not come home. He eloquently concluded his speech by stating: “The cost of freedom is high. Let us use the sacrifice and courage shown and given by the members of the 442, despite their families’ hardships at home, to inspire us to stand against hate and discrimination here and into the future.”
We pledged to meet again on May 18, 2024.
Donate to FFNV
Lawson Sakai's Last Visit to France
USS Hornet Museum
The USS Hornet Museum is now open on Saturday and Sunday until further notice. The Nisei Veterans’ Exhibit aboard the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum, Alameda, CA is normally open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Questions? Please contact Brian Shiroyama at [email protected] or call (408) 896-1021 to learn of its current status.
442nd Map
On June 3, 2021, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released the Go For Broke stamp. In addition, a Collectable Set, a booklet that explains various Nisei units during World War II, was published. The USPS used FFNV’s campaign map displayed at the USS Hornet Museum in Alameda in the booklet.
Due to size limitations, the map in the booklet needed to be modified. The FFNV’s map was developed by Lawson Sakai, E Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and thus it is copyright protected.
MEMORIES OF LAWSON SAKAI
It is hard to believe that I have been Lawson’s friend for only 20 years. I feel as if I had known him for many decades.
In 2001, Morgan Hill Buddhist Community Center recognized and honored local Nisei veterans during its spring festival called Haru Matsuri. I was fortunate to meet Lawson, a well-respected veteran of the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd RCT). Immediately, his distinguished appearance and demeanor impressed me.
Some men aren’t tall but we all look up to in great respect. Some men can deliver inspirational speeches totally from memory. Some men are so positive about life that their “let’s do it” attitude becomes contagious. Lawson had all those qualities.
By the time I met him, he had already established and led Northern California Chapter of his Company (Company E) of the 442nd RCT and organized reunions. In 1992, he spearheaded a project to honor the 442nd RCT by working with the East Bay Regional Park Commission, Oakland, CA, to plant a redwood tree in Oakland Hills in memory of fellow soldiers who did not return home. In addition, he erected a permanent monument adjacent to the redwood tree that explained the legendary exploits of the 442nd RCT. His name is not on the monument. But we all know that Lawson was there and will continue to be there. This is now the site of the annual memorial service for veterans of all wars on Armed Forces Day. Lawson’s uplifting speech at each memorial always captivated the appreciative audience.
In 2005, Lawson founded Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans (FFNV) by transforming his E Company group into a newly expanded role by inviting veterans of other Company veterans to join. Additionally, he invited the veterans of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) who fought in the Pacific. It was natural that he would become President of FFNV and hold that position forever. He did.
His meteoric rise in popularity caused him to speak at many events, film documentaries, and accept awards for his accomplishments. That’s when he hired me as his chauffeur and I was absolutely delighted. We both laughed that in my previous military life, I always had a sergeant who drove me everywhere. Now I was driving a sergeant.
I was able to vicariously enjoy his glory by just being everywhere with Lawson. I lost my count, but I know I have heard him speak a million times. Even though his speeches were almost always the same, I truly enjoyed every speech as if I heard it for the first time. His speeches were always genuinely inspiring. He so eloquently communicated his fundamental message – he and his fellow Nisei veterans fought to prove their loyalty to this country even while their families were still in internment camps.
In 2005, FFNV faced an interesting but a daunting challenge. We were asked to display an exhibit of the 442nd RCT and the MIS aboard the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum in Alameda, CA. I was skeptical from the start as I told Lawson that this Air Force retiree could not possibly create an Army exhibit aboard a Navy ship. Lawson’s response was immediate and simple: “Let’s do it.” His “can do” attitude ruled. And we did. It is now one of the most unique and very popular exhibit honoring our Nisei veterans.
Appropriately, Lawson’s accomplishments have resulted in many recognition and awards which are too many to mention here. Particularly noteworthy, however, was that his reputation led to two prestigious awards bestowed by the Government of Japan – from the Emperor and from the Foreign Minister for his role in promoting the welfare and reputation of Japanese-Americans in the United States. As a humble chauffer for Lawson, I felt deep satisfaction in seeing that my “ghost writing” for Japan’s Consulate General’s office, without Lawson’s knowledge, helped with these recognitions. Lawson laughed when I commented that since his ancestors came from the Prefecture of Kumamoto in Japan from which many notable samurai warriors came, he was clearly destined to be recognized with such prestigious awards.
Lawson’s life was a magnificent story of a “kid” from a small town scoring big in America. Montebello was so proud to have recognized Lawson as one of its outstanding alumni. His “enemy alien” draft status kept him from serving this country immediately after Pearl Harbor. When Lawson tried to join the Navy with his friends, he was rejected. But he did not hesitated to volunteer when the 442nd RCT was formed. He fought in all major campaigns. He was wounded four times. He emerged as a genuine American hero from World War II and dedicated the remainder of his life to tell the stories of his fellow veterans and to preserve their proud legacy.
We will dearly miss him.
Brian Shiroyama
