Japanese Americans and World War II Japanese Americans in the Army during World War II faced discrimination and racism, they fought not only for freedom at home and abroad abroad, but also to demonstrate their loyalty to the United States. They were repudiated by the Japanese government and the American people, simultaneously fighting two internal wars, trying to defeat aggression abroad and discrimination in the United States. Many Japanese Americans served in the U.S. military in unbalanced numbers, despite their loyalty being questioned after the attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. Most served in the segregated 442nd Regimental Combat Team and in the 100th Infantry Battalion, as well as others filled key roles such as translators and interpreters. Before the war, Japanese Issei immigrants – or first-generation immigrants from Hawaii and Japan – migrated to the Pacific Northwest in the 1880s, when federal legislation required new immigrant labor after barring further Chinese immigration, also known as “ Yellow Peril”. Thousands of Issei participated in the construction of the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Oregon Short Line, and other railroads in the Columbia River Basin in 1900. Immigrants made up nearly half of Oregon's railroad industry's workforce. New irrigation projects sprang up as sugar beet production exploded in the West. The owners of the Utah and Idaho Company recruited the Issei as workers on their farms, exchanging seasonal labor with the railroads. Soon, Japanese immigrants spread throughout the Pacific Northwest to provide agricultural labor, but they saw the industry as an opportunity to one day own their own farms. The Issei were initially accepted because they were a source of .... .. middle of paper ......The Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA), is dedicated to supporting and strengthening camaraderie among its members, continuing the memory and the history of his departed comrades, preserving true allegiance to the United States Government of America, and upholding its Constitution and laws, and maintaining and extending the institutions of American liberty. The legacy of the Issei and Nisei is legendary, beyond their military successes, it has earned full respect along with opportunities for future races, religion and culture in all aspects. For many years, their devotion to their country went unnoticed, until they overcame the dual challenge of prejudice through their fearless service and astonishing acts of courage, even against their own race. Their impact was revolutionary and opened doors for those seeking opportunity and freedom. This is their living legacy.