November 30, 2012 | by Staff Writer

An Untold Story of World War II (Photos)

The Montgomery County Council on Nov. 27 honored Japanese-American veterans of World War II, many of whom chose to live in the county over the past seven decades.

Many of the soldiers volunteered for military service after being among the 117,000 Japanese-Americans placed in internment camps after the war started. The segregated 442nd Regimental Combat Team fought fiercely, such that 93 percent of its members were either wounded or killed in action. The 442nd holds the distinguished honor of being the most decorated unit in U.S. military history.

Among those at the ceremonies in Rockville were, left to right: Kendall Griffith, Principal Judy Brubaker and Anaiya Rice of Spark Matsunaga Elementary School in Germantown; County Executive Isiah Leggett; Leilani Meyers and Lauren Penn of Spark Matsunaga; Terry Shima, a member of the 442nd; Council President Roger Berliner; Gordon Aoyagi, former director of Montgomery County’s Department of Homeland Security; Calvin Ninomiya; and Raymond Murakami.