Bainbridge Island Japanese American Memorial: Part 12

After another remarkable meal, we were privileged to share a moving conversation with ten of the eldest Japanese-American exiles remaining on the island. Articulate and resilient, they conveyed to us lessons about racism and forgiveness.

Some of the questions were direct in an attempt to explore how it must have felt to lose one's freedom and farm or fishing boat in the patriotic fervor of World War II. We elected not to explore the contemporary parallels and instead focus on the remarkable resilience of our hosts.

The irony of the location for this conversation (the VFW hall) was not lost on the Guild members, although it seemed unremarkable to our hosts, who spoke repeatedly and movingly about how well they and their properties were, for the most part, looked after by their neighbors during and after the exile to America's World War II concentration camps.

Many Bainbridge Island Japanese-Americans enlisted in the military from the camps, forming the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team. They saw much-decorated service in the European theater, and earned the designation of "Purple Heart Battalion."

In the photo at right, we are putting the finishing touches on all of the thank you notes that we needed to send. Our deepest gratitude is reserved for the survivors, who have quietly taught us a lesson in forgiveness, walking away from anger and bitterness.