Two Japanese-American World War II Bronze Star recipients who grew up in Burlington were honored Nov. 15.
About 50 community members attended the "Burlington on the Home Front of WWII" program put on by the Burlington Historical Society at the Burlington Public Library.
Displays showed medals, uniforms, personal photographs, local newspaper headlines from wartime, and records from the National Archives.
Local speakers included third-generation farmer Oscar Lagerlund, Stowe's Shoes and Clothing owner Duane Stowe, Burlington Carnegie Library Committee Chair Tim Loving, Natalie Sakuma and historian Will Stein.
Stowe and Lagerlund shared stories about experiencing the 1941 broadcast by President Franklin D. Roosevelt announcing the bombing of Pearl Harbor, blackouts in Burlington, and the need to ration fuel and harvest scrap metal while farmers worked to feed the country.
Loving shared stories about his father and members of his wife's family serving in the war.
Stein shared the history of the Port of Skagit Bay View Airport and Skagit county's role in WWII.
Sakuma shared the history of her grandfather Saturo Sakuma, a Bronze Star recipient who grew up in Burlington.
He served in a regiment completely made up of Japanese-Americans — the 442nd Infantry Regiment Combat Team — that rescued American troops behind German lines in France in 1944.
It was the most decorated regiment in U.S. military history for its size and length of service during WWII.
The combat team was discontinued in 1946, but its lineage and honors have been preserved by the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry U.S. Army Reserve.
Sons of Bronze Star recipient Robert Akita of Burlington, who fought in the 442nd regiment alongside Saturo Sakuma and his two brothers, were in the audience.
Margie Wilson, co-chair of the Burlington Historical Society said in a news release that it's a great source of pride for Burlington that the families fought for freedom and returned home as heroes.
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