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31 Days

Asian Americans in the US Military

"I could not believe I was coming home to the same reception I received twenty-three years before, following World War II. This time I was not the enemy, but I was there saving lives, perhaps their loved ones." - Carolyn Hisako Tanaka

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No small synopsis can amount to the contributions Asian Americans have made to the US military. Asian Americans have served in the US military since the War of 1812 and continue in the American Civil War, WWI, WWII, Vietnam War, Iraq War, and every war in between. Before Executive Order 9981 in 1948, US Armed Forces were allowed to discriminate against military recruits and active soldiers by race. This led to battalions segregated by race, but despite these discriminations, many have made significant contributions to the US military. Below is a list of select individuals and battalions who have done just that. The attached sources have a trove of other stories that I encourage others to read too.

  • Carolyn Tanaka Hisako

    • Hisako was a Vietnam War veteran who served in the Army Nurse Corps. Known for her high energy and unrelenting excitement in treatment rooms, she was nicknamed “Road Runner”. She wrote an autobiography that can be read here. 

  • 442nd Infantry Regiment (100th Battalion)

    • This battalion was an army unit made up of mostly Japanese Americans who showed their loyalty to the US during WWII. It became the most decorated regiment and was best known for their work in free concentration camps like Dachau. Their legacy continues on with the Go For Broke National Education Center, which continues to share the stories of the famed battalion through teaching, exhibitions, and programs.

  • Eric Shinseki

    • A veteran of the Vietnam War, Shinseki was awarded 2 Purple Hearts and 3 Bronze Star Medals. He was the first Asian American be promoted to a four-star general. After retiring from the US Army, Shinseki continued to serve for his country, becoming the first Asian American to be the US Secretary of Veteran Affairs during Barack Obama’s presidency. 

  • Edward Day Cohota

    • Cohota was born in China and was adopted by a US ship captain, which brought him to Massachusetts. He enlisted in the Union Army as part of the Civil War. After an extended service in the US Army beyond the Civil War, he went to settle down in Nebraska. Unfortunately, due to the Chinese Exclusion Act and his skin color, he was denied naturalization and therefore homestead rights. 

  • Fita-Fita Guard

    • “Fita-Fita'' means soldier in the Somoan language. This Naval militia had a unique geographic advantage in carrying out supply lines and support, as well as anti-aircraft operations during WWII. The guard’s uniform had traditional Somoan attire, which consisted of a headdress, a wrap called a lava-lava, and no shoes. 

I can’t fathom the things every Asian American veteran had to face while serving in the military, whether it is the actual combat and operations themselves or the multi-dimensional discriminations they certainly experienced. Thank you for your service. I can do the things that I do because of your sacrifice, and I will be forever grateful.

Happy Memorial Day. 

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Sources and additional materials:

  • VA Asian American veterans fact sheet: link

  • History Asian Americans in the US Military: link

  • Select AAPI military profiles: link 

  • Profile of Carolyn Hisako Tanaka (and a link to her autobiography): link 

  • History of the Go For Broke National Education Center and the 442nd Infantry Regiment: link 

  • Biography of Edward Day Cohota: link 

  • Biography of Eric Shinseki: link

  • History of the Fita-Fita Guard: link