BOISE, Idaho — Boise State University is kicking off Veterans Day celebrations early this year by opening a new exhibit focusing on Japanese-American veterans from World War II.
The Go for Broke Spirit: Portraits of Legacy by Shane Sato is a project that centers around Japanese-American veterans who fought in World War II as members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service, which were segregated units.
This project started off as a passion project for Sato about 20 years ago.
"I really want to present and show these men in a different way,” Sato said. “There's a lot of historical texts out there, but I want to humanize the men. I want to share their stories about the war, not talk about the war that they were in."
Sato said he traveled to Hawaii, to the East Coast, Utah, Seattle, and many other places across the country to listen to the remarkable stories only a handful of people ever heard, even within their families.
"I was lucky enough to start this project, early enough,” Sato said. “I was able to photograph over 160 veterans, which many of them have passed on."
Through this project, Sato was able to learn more about his family and explore his heritage.
"My uncles fought in the 100th coming out of Maui,” Sato said. “My mom and her family went to Poston Internment Camp."
Sato added getting this project off the ground wasn't easy.
“If anyone knew Japanese American Nisei men, let alone veterans, they don't want to be the center of attention," Sato said. "They don't want to be in the spotlight, they don't want their picture taken."
The story of these men is important to be told because of what they had to go through, Sato said, which is why he named the exhibit Go for Broke Spirit.
“It’s a gambling term. A lot of the guys from Hawaii are rambunctious, they like to gamble,” Sato said. “Basically, it's something where you're down to your last dime, you don't have anything else left, let's go for broke."
Despite the segregation and discrimination these men had to go through, they accomplished a lot. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team became the most highly decorated unit for their size and length of service in U.S. Military history.
So, through these photos and stories, Sato hopes to keep the memories of these veterans alive.
“They can also learn about what they did in World War II, as well as what happened into the Japanese Americans and internment,” Sato said. “All these things are something that I really want the next generations to keep on remembering."
The exhibit will be on display at the Boise State’s Albertsons Library from Wednesday through Feb. 18, 2024. There will be an artist reception at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 2, where Sato will talk about the exhibit and do a book signing.
You can purchase his two books at the library or you can buy a book on Sato’s website, thegoforbrokespirit.com.
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