ALCOAST 224/08
COMDTNOTE 5354
SUBJ:  ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN (APA) HERITAGE MONTH
1. THE COAST GUARD PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE MONTH OF MAY AS APA
HERITAGE MONTH. THE THEME THIS YEAR IS "LEADERSHIP, DIVERSITY
HARMONY - GATEWAY TO SUCCESS."
2. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF APAS AS MEMBERS OF THE DIVERSE CULTURE
OF OUR NATION IN SUPPORT OF CIVIL RIGHTS AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IS
WELL DOCUMENTED AND AN IMPORTANT PART OF U. S. HISTORY. APAS PLAY
INTEGRAL ROLES IN THE ARTS AND SCIENCES, GOVERNMENT, EDUCATION,
SPORTS, BUSINESS AND THE MILITARY SERVICES.  AS TESTAMENT TO APAS,
MR. FRED KOREMATSU MADE HISTORY BY CHALLENGING A WARTIME RELOCATION
ORDER AGAINST AMERICANS OF JAPANESE DESCENT. HE WAS ARRESTED IN
1942 AND SENT TO AN INTERNMENT CAMP IN UTAH. MR. KOREMATSU FILED A
LAWSUIT ARGUING HIS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS HAD BEEN VIOLATED. THE
COURT RULED AGAINST HIM.  HE APPEALED ULTIMATELY TO THE SUPREME
COURT WHICH UPHELD HIS CONVICTION IN 1944. ALTHOUGH THE DECISION
WAS CONDEMNED BY GENERATIONS OF LEGAL SCHOLARS IT REMAINED LEGAL
PRECEDENT FOR 40 YEARS. THE 1984 RULING OVERTURNING THIS CONVICTION
PAVED THE WAY FOR AN OFFICIAL APOLOGY FROM THE US GOVERNMENT TO ALL
WHO HAD BEEN INTERNED, AND REPARATIONS TO SURVIVING INTERNEES. IN
1998 MR. KOREMATSU WAS AWARDED THE PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM.
3. IN HONOR OF ALL APAS WHO HAVE MADE CONTRIBUTIONS AND SACRIFICES
FOR A BETTER AMERICA AND ITS CITIZENS, COAST GUARD UNITS SHOULD
TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE, RECOGNIZE AND EDUCATE THE
WORKFORCE ABOUT THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF APAS WITHIN OUR SERVICE, OUR
NATION, AND THE WORLD. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE RICH, DIVERSE
HISTORY OF APAS, COMMANDS SHOULD ACCESS WWW.DEOMI.ORG OR
WWW.WOMENSMEMORIAL.ORG/EDUCATION/APA.HTML.
4. T. A. DICKERSON, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS, SENDS.
5. INTERNET RELEASE IS AUTHORIZED.