Courtesy Photo | 100th Battalion Legacy Honored During 80th Day of Affirmation Ceremony (Courtesy...... read more read more
LOS ANGELES — Veterans, Soldiers, families and community leaders gathered July 15 to commemorate the 80th Day of Affirmation, honoring the historic return of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to the White House in 1946, where President Harry S. Truman recognized the unit’s extraordinary wartime service and declared, “You fought not only the enemy, but you fought prejudice—and you won.”
Eighty years later, Soldiers of today’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, joined veterans and community partners in remembering that defining moment while reaffirming their commitment to carrying forward the legacy of one of the U.S. Army’s most decorated units. The battalion, assigned to the 9th Mission Support Command, participated in the ceremony hosted by the Japanese American Veterans Association alongside the U.S. Army, U.S. Army Pacific, U.S. Army Reserve Command and several military and community partners.
The Day of Affirmation commemorates July 15, 1946, when President Harry S. Truman reviewed the returning Soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team on the Ellipse of the White House and presented the unit with its seventh Presidential Unit Citation in recognition of extraordinary heroism during World War II. His remarks became one of the defining moments in American military history, recognizing not only the Soldiers’ battlefield accomplishments but also their perseverance in overcoming discrimination while serving their country.
The ceremony honored the more than 33,000 Japanese American men and women who served during World War II, including the Soldiers of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Together, they became the most decorated unit of their size and length of service in U.S. Army history, earning 21 Medals of Honor, more than 4,000 Purple Hearts and thousands of individual awards for valor.
Representing the battalion during the ceremony, Maj. Luis B. Sanchez, operations officer for the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, reflected on the significance of the anniversary.
“Today, 80 years later, we gather not only to reaffirm this historic moment, but also to honor the extraordinary Soldiers whose names are inscribed here in this Courtyard and the Soldiers whose service forever changed the course of American history,” Sanchez said.
While many World War II units were deactivated after the war, the 100th Battalion continued its service as part of the Army Reserve. Through the decades, its Soldiers have answered the nation’s call from Vietnam to Operation Iraqi Freedom, and today continue serving throughout the Indo-Pacific as part of the 9th Mission Support Command.
For today’s Soldiers, preserving the battalion’s legacy is both a privilege and a responsibility.
“As Soldiers of today’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, we understand that we are not merely inheritors of a distinguished lineage—we are stewards of it,” Sanchez said. “Every mission we undertake, every Soldier we develop, and every standard we uphold reflects the sacrifice of those who came before us.”
The ceremony concluded by honoring the veterans, families and supporters who have preserved the history of the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team for future generations. Eighty years after President Truman’s historic remarks, the legacy of the 100th Battalion continues to inspire Soldiers across the Army, ensuring that its story—and its values of courage, loyalty and selfless service—endure for generations to come.
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| Date Taken: | 07.15.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 07.17.2026 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 570202 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
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