The Army on Saturday moved to dampen public outrage over removing online content about Asian American and Pacific Islander contributions to the military branch, including a descriptive history of the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Army officials reposted the material describing the 442nd as a news item highlighted on its homepage, www.army.mil Opens in a new tab, along with other Army news items that on Saturday included a feature story about Army Secretary Dan Driscoll visiting a base in Washington state, a feature photo showing a brigade of soldiers running on a Wheeler Army Airfield runway in Wahiawa, and a reminder that June 14 marks the Army’s 250th birthday.
In a statement Saturday, the Army said: “The 442nd Regimental Combat team holds an honored place in Army History and we are pleased to republish an article that highlights the brave Soldiers who served in the ‘Go-for-Broke’ brigade.”
Earlier this month, the Army eliminated a section of its website about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Army as part of a Defense Department “digital content refresh” targeting what the Trump administration deems to be “woke” or promoting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.
“In accordance with a Presidential Executive Order and guidance from the Secretary of Defense, the Army recently took down the Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders Heritage webpage that featured content about the 442nd Infantry Regiment and Nisei Soldiers,” the Army said in its statement. “The Army is tirelessly working through content on that site and articles related to the 442nd Infantry Regiment and Nisei Soldiers will be republished to better align with current guidance. There are still many stories available on Army websites that celebrate the bravery of the 442nd Infantry regiment that were not impacted by the Heritage webpage. The Army remains committed to sharing the stories of our Soldiers, their units, and their sacrifice.”
Other material removed from the website about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the Army was not restored, including profiles of medal of honor recipients and other distinguished personnel, including Hawaii’s Tulsi Gabbard, Eric Shinseki and the late Sen. Daniel Inouye.
Army officials previously insisted there is no intent to dishonor veterans and that they will continue to honor the legacy of the 442nd, a World War II unit made up of Japanese American servicemen who fought the Nazis in Europe and is among the most decorated combat units in American history. Roughly two-thirds of the unit was made up of soldiers from Hawaii, and many of the others enlisted from West Coast internment camps.
