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FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MP//
TO MARADMIN
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UNCLAS //N05354//
MARADMIN 185/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP//
SUBJ/ANNOUNCEMENT OF 2001 ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH//
POC/J. M. NOVERAS/1STLT/CMC MPE/-/TEL:(703) 784-9371//
RMKS/1. MAY IS DESIGNATED AS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.
2. THIS YEAR'S THEME, "ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS EMERGING TOGETHER,"
ACKNOWLEDGES THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICANS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION.
3. ORIGINALLY INTRODUCED AS PACIFIC/ASIAN HERITAGE WEEK BY
REPRESENTATIVE FRANK HORTON AND NORMAN MINETA IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN JULY 1977, IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 1992 THAT MAY
WAS DESIGNATED AS ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH. THE LAW WAS
APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE
DURING THE 102ND CONGRESS ON OCTOBER 23, 1992.
4. ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF AMERICA
IN EVERY WALK OF LIFE FOR MORE THAN 150 YEARS. ALTHOUGH THE
HISTORY OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS IS NOT THOROUGHLY RECORDED IN
HISTORY BOOKS, CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF OUR NATION CAN BE TRACED ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE CIVIL
WAR. DURING THE CIVIL WAR, CHINESE AMERICAN WILLIAM AH HANG BECAME
ONE OF THE FIRST ASIAN AMERICANS TO ENLIST IN THE ARMED FORCES.
DURING WORLD WAR II, MANY JAPANESE AMERICANS SERVED IN THE ARMED
FORCES WHILE THEIR FAMILIES WERE IN INTERNMENT CAMPS. DURING THE
WAR, JAPANESE AND CHINESE AMERICAN WOMEN WERE TRAINED AS INTERPRETERS
AND TRANSLATORS, AND SOME FILIPINO AMERICAN WOMEN PUT THEIR LIVES ON
THE LINE AS MEMBERS OF THE UNDERGROUND RESISTANCE IN THE PHILIPPINES.
BETWEEN 1911 AND 2000, THE UNITED STATES HAS BESTOWED ITS HIGHEST
MILITARY MEDAL FOR BRAVERY, THE MEDAL OF HONOR, ON 32 ASIAN PACIFIC
AMERICANS.
5. THE BELIEF IN THE AMERICAN DREAM OF EQUALITY AND OPPORTUNITY
ENABLED ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS TO ACHIEVE A RECORD OF
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN ALL FIELDS, FROM ACADEMIA TO GOVERNMENT,
FROM BUSINESS TO MILITARY, AND FROM MEDICINE TO FINE ARTS.
WHILE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GIVE PROPER INDIVIDUAL CREDIT TO THE
MULTITUDE OF NATIONALITIES AND ETHNICITIES THAT COMPRISE OUR
MOST DIVERSE CULTURE, THE COMMONALITY OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE
NATION AND MILITARY CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED.
6. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS TO THE MARINE
CORPS ARE UNDENIABLE. FROM THE NEWEST MARINE GRADUATING FROM
RECRUIT TRAINING TO COLONEL BACHILLER WHO IS THE SENIOR ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICAN MARINE, THE CORPS IS INEXTRICABLY DEPENDENT UPON
THE RICH ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN CULTURE.
7. IN REMEMBERING THIS MONTH'S CELEBRATION, WE RECOGNIZE THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS TO THE
NATION AND TO OUR CORPS. WHILE THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "ASIAN
PACIFIC AMERICANS EMERGING TOGETHER," COMMANDERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO
DEVELOP LOCAL THEMES AND PROGRAMS CONSISTENT WITH THIS MONTH'S
CELEBRATION.//
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