Members of Salt Lake City’s Boy Scout Troop 442 wore brown, wide-brim hats originally worn by members of the original Troop 440 in the 1920s on Sunday as they honored Japanese American World War II veterans at a Memorial Day service.
Organized by the Utah chapters of the Japanese American Citizen League, the service is held annually at the World War II Japanese American veterans monument in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Its purpose is to commemorate the sacrifices and honor the services of all Japanese American veterans but particularly the members of the U.S. Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service.
COVID-19 interrupted the tradition last year. Instead of a ceremony, the three chapters of the JACL placed flowers at the base of the monument. Able to gather again this year, the event drew several dozen people.
(Ed Kosmicki | Special to The Tribune) Boy Scout leader Fred Kidston works with members of Boy Scout Troup 442 members with US flags to be used at memorial service for Japanese American deceased veterans, Sunday May 30, 2021 at the Salt Lake City Cemetery above the city. The Boy Scouts in Troup 442 are wearing Boy Scout hats from the original Utah Troup 440 from the 1920's as part of their uniform for the ceremony. The Japanese American Citizen League sponsored the annual memorial service for the Japanes American servicemen from Utah.
