MARADMINS : 278/07
UNCLAS 231733Z APR 07
CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
MARADMIN
MARADMIN 278/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA/MP//
SUBJ/2007 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH//
POC/V. G. ARMOUR/CAPT/CMC (MPE)/-/TEL:DSN 278-9371/TEL:(703)784-9371
//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. MAY IS DESIGNATED AS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN
HERITAGE MONTH. THE 2007 THEME IS "PURSUING EXCELLENCE THROUGH
LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY AND UNITY." ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE
MONTH WAS ORIGANNLLY INTRODUCED AS PACIFIC/ASIAN HERITAGE WEEK BY
CONGRESSMEN FRANK HORTON AND NORMAN MINETA IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN JUL 1977. ON 23 OCT 1992, THE 102ND CONGRESS
UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED PUBLIC LAW 102-450, DESIGNATING MAY AS ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
2. WHEN ASIAN IMMIGRANTS FIRST ARRIVED IN THE UNITED STATES, THEY
WERE WELCOMED IN SOME PLACES, AND TOLERATED IN OTHERS. IN THE LATE
1800'S, CHINESE AND OTHER ASIANS WERE LEGALLY EXCLUDED FROM
CITIZENSHIP AND QUOTAS WERE PLACED ON THEIR IMMIGRATION TO THE
UNITED STATES. THESE LAWS WERE REPEALED DURING WORLD WAR II.
FURTHER IMMIGRATION-LAW CHANGES, MADE IT EASIER FOR ASIANS TO ENTER
THE UNITED STATES.
3. ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED IMMENSELY TO OUR
NATION. UNTIL WORLD WAR II, THERE HAD BEEN LITTLE EFFORT TO
DOCUMENT THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO UNITED STATES HISTORY AND CULTURE.
THE FOLLOWING ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO DOD AND THE
NATION THAT WERE COMPILED BY ROBERT L. WORDEN OF THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS:
A. 1 MAY 1898: JAPANESE AMERICANS SERVE ON U.S. WARSHIPS IN BATTLE
OF MANILA BAY.
B. 24 SEP 1911: FILIPINO ARMY PVT. JOSE B. NISPEROS EARNS MEDAL OF
HONOR FOR HEROISM IN PHILIPPINES.
C. 19 FEB 1942: PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER 9066
PROVIDING FOR INTERNMENT OF JAPANESE AMERICANS.
D. 17 DEC 1943: PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT SIGNS REPEAL FOR CHINESE
EXCLUSION ACT; SOON THEREAFTER 14,000 CHINESE AMERICANS DRAFTED INTO
ARMED FORCES.
E. 29 JUN 1946: CONGRESS PASSES GI FIANCEES ACT, ENABLING WOMEN OR
MEN ENGAGED TO U.S. SERVICE MEMBERS TO IMMIGRATE TO UNITED STATES.
F. 15 JUL 1946: THE 442ND "GO FOR BROKE" REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM
RECEIVES THE PRESIDENTIAL DISTINGUISHED UNIT CITATION FROM PRESIDENT
TRUMAN IN WASHINGTON. THE UNIT WAS THE MOST DECORATED FOR ITS SIZE
AND LENGTH OF SERVICE IN U.S. MILITARY HISTORY. FROM 1943 TO 1945,
MEMBERS RECEIVED SEVEN PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATIONS AND MORE THAN
18,000 INDIVIDUAL AWARDS, INCLUDING ONE MEDAL OF HONOR, 52
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSSES, 560 SILVER STARS, 4,000 BRONZE STARS
AND 9,486 PURPLE HEARTS.
G. 28 JAN 1986: ASTRONAUT AIR FORCE LT. COL. ELLISON SHOJI ONIZUKA
DIES IN SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER EXPLOSION. ONIZUKA, A JAPANESE
AMERICAN, SERVED ON THE FIRST DOD SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION.
4. TODAY, THERE ARE OVER 3,700 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS PROUDLY
SERVING OUR CORPS WITH HONOR, COURAGE AND COMMITMENT. TWO OF THOSE
MARINES, MASTER GUNNERY SERGEANT ESEKIA L. MOTU, SNCOIC AND
WAREHOUSE CHIEF, BASE SUPPLY, MARINE CORPS BASE, CAMP SMEDLEY D.
BUTLER, OKINAWA, JAPAN,AND LANCE CORPORAL ELLIS I. LEE, AMMUNITION
TECHNICIAN, 2D PLATOON, DETACHMENT 1, AMMUNITION COMPANY, ROME,
GEORGIA, WERE AWARDED THE 2006 FEDERAL ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN
COUNCIL (FAPAC) MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD FOR FOSTERING AN
INNOVATIVE AND HARMONIC ENVIRONMENT BETWEEN THE MILITARY AND THE
ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CIVILIAN COMMUNITY, AND ASSISTING THE
WORKFORCE IN OVERCOMING DISCRIMINATION AND ELIMINATING BARRIERS
THAT HINDER EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS AND
OTHER MINORITIES IN THE ARMED FORCES.
5. COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO RECOGNIZE THE ACHIEVEMENTS ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE MADE TO OUR CORPS AND OUR NATION. COMMANDERS
ARE FURTHER ENCOURAGED TO CONDUCT PROGRAMS AND PROMOTE PARTICIPATION
IN OBSERVANCE EVENTS BOTH ON BASE AND IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, AND TO
DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES FOR USE AT THEIR COMMANDS.//