Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood in the mid-1970s was a melting pot. This Japanese American man lived at 922 West Leland.
World War II seems distant now. Few veterans of that war are still alive. But in 1976 when I took this picture, most WWII veterans were still in the prime of life. Japanese Americans had fought bravely for their country in WWII. They joined the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat team, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). These units were among the most decorated in the war. They played crucial roles in European combat and decoding Japanese communications. But it would take 66 years before Congress recognized their valor with Gold Medal.
