Kea`au, the town I live near, is a small plantation town. Although most of the old plantation buildings are gone, the plantation people are still here. This area was a Japanese camp. Most of the plantation workers in old Hawai`i were separated by race. One of the oldest churches in the area is the Buddhist temple. That temple has hosted an interdenominational, inter-cultural Memorial Day service since 1946. This year I attended.
I find that the two holidays set aside for our veterans are honored more here than in other place that I have lived. Maybe because so many of the people here are immigrants themselves or the children of immigrants. I was told by one of the Japanese Americans that on December 7, 1941, many citizens of Hawai`i but especially the Japanese had only minutes to decide where their loyalties lay. Think of it – your mother, your father, maybe your wife and children were in Japan and you must decide in an instant how you are going to live out this war. And most of them threw their future with their new land. The 100th Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was made up of Japanese Americans from Hawai`i. Because they were not trusted, they were sent to the European war where they became the most decorated battalion who fought in WW II. And some of them did not come home. (Check out this web site for more history on these remarkable young men - http://www.katonk.com/442nd/442/page1.html )
These were the names first read in the roll call of honor at the service. The roll call progressed through the fallen from Puna, our district, for the Korean Conflict, the Vietnam War, and the current conflict in Iraq. With bagpipes playing Amazing Grace in the background, each name was read and a member of the family, or the community representing the family, took a bouquet of antheriums to the Veterans Memorial which was already decorated with large bouquets placed by many Veterans organizations. It was a stirring moment that for me was the center of the whole service.
Yes there were patriotic songs and speeches but having those names read and seeing the families come forth really spoke to me of what this and every Memorial Day is about – a time to remember our history and honor those who walked that lonesome road for all of us. My father was a veteran from WWII, the Korean conflict and Vietnam, but we were lucky. He died peacefully in his sleep at the ripe old age of 82. I pray that will be the fate of our men and women in uniform today.
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