Tule Lake Concentration Camp Pilgrimage

They just have to discriminate in one way or another, at every turn.

Andy, Your mention of the Vosges mountains in France has a post report.
When I did the Rhine and Mozel cruise last year, we had the option to visit Luxembourg. I introduced our guide during the cruise to the history of the 442 and the Vosges mountains, and why I was interested. She told me she would tell all of her future customers about their story.

The tour included the American cemetery in Luxembourg which was my fourth in a foreign country. The docent, Scott, was excellent, and shared the story about the war and the fallen. George Patton is also in that cemetery.

When we drove through the Vosges mountains, I came understand and appreciate more the accomplishments of the 442.

And, thanks again, for sharing the info on the 442. I still find so many during my travels that have never heard of the 442.

Aside from everything else, there was a danger that the Japanese might invade the West coast and if they did, the assumption was that one of their first objective would be to capture as many Nisei as possible to torture information out of for the simple reason that the Nisei spoke Japanese. Terribly hard to torture info out of somebody who doesn't speak your language and you don't speak theirs....

In my opinion, Japanese-Americans, on the west coast, had no information of value to any invading Imperial Japanese. Continuing in my own opinion, the internment might have been to prevent Imperial Japanese SPIES to have a safe haven in a Japanese neighborhood to hide, while doing their work. Let's not forget that the Japanese were perfecting biological weapons in Manchuria. A spy on the west coast could have raised havoc with such weapons. I understand that many a non-Japanese-American was treated to a lot of bigotry during this time; so were other ethnic groups on the Axis side. Many German-Americans, I've heard, stopped eating saurkraut during WWII, since anti-German feelings were so prevalent. And, on the east coast, I've heard that some German-Americans were investigated, to be assured that they were not on the enemy's side.

I would prefer Japanese-Americans to have emotional closure on the internment history. Jews don't enmasse bemoan the ship that was sent back to Europe, nor the fact that few European Jews that were allowed to come to the U.S. then. Just my opinion of course.

You wrote,

That history has been left behind although not forgotten. Most Japanese Americans have done well in the states - somewhat similar to the accomplishments of the Jews. The biggest irony for me was that I worked for Florsheim Shoes after I graduated from college, and that was the beginning of a very successful career - having worked in management positions for 88% of my working career. I had two more Jewish bosses after I left Florsheim, and they treated me fairly with good raises and promotions.

I'm now able to travel the world after my retirement in 1998.

My travel blog seems to be picking up viewers lately, and have reached over 36,000 views during its four year existence. If interested, you can visit at www.travelpod.com/members/c.i.222. I returned from Cambodia and Vietnam last week, and now in the process of working on it.