Minidoka National Historic Site replica Honor Roll
NPS
Update 2/23/23:
The application deadline for the 2023 Minidoka Honor Roll Update has closed. We will not be accepting any more application for this round of updates. For further inquiries, please reach out to our team at miin_information@nps.gov
The National Park Service is updating the replica Honor Roll located at the front entrance of Minidoka National Historic Site. If you are a WWII veteran who was unjustly incarcerated at Minidoka, or if you are a friend or relative of such a veteran, we would like to hear from you! Eligible WWII veterans include those who served in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, Women’s Army Corps, Army Nurse Corps, and Cadet Nurse Corps.
Through February 7th, 2022 we are accepting applications to add Minidoka WWII veterans onto the Honor Roll if their names have not yet been listed. We are also accepting applications to correct misspellings or make changes to an existing name.
A full list of the current names on the Minidoka replica Honor Roll can be found at the bottom of this page.
History of the Honor Roll
The Minidoka Honor Roll was originally built in 1943 by Japanese Americans who were incarcerated at the Minidoka concentration camp in Hunt, Idaho. It served to recognize the Nisei who enlisted for US military service in World War II despite the anti-Japanese racism they faced. During WWII, recognition on the Honor Roll was not limited to those who were incarcerated at Minidoka. Those who were serving and had family incarcerated at Minidoka were also recognized. After Minidoka was closed in 1945 and deconstructed for farmsteads, the original Honor Roll was lost.
In 2011, a replica was created in partnership with the Friends of Minidoka using historic images. As a living interpretative exhibit, the replica Honor Roll is periodically updated to include the names of Minidoka WWII veterans who were not listed on the 1943 original. During this 2022 update, we hope to capture as many new names as possible.
Who is Eligible?
According to the Code of Federal Regulations, 3.2 (d), World War II service is defined as “December 7, 1941, through December 31, 1946, inclusive. If the veteran was in service on December 31, 1946, continuous service before July 26, 1947, is considered [WWII] service.” Only WWII veterans (as defined above) who have direct ties to the Minidoka concentration camp are eligible for inclusion on the Minidoka Honor Roll. This includes veterans who were themselves incarcerated at Minidoka and those whose immediate family members (incl. parents, grandparents, siblings, children, or spouse) were incarcerated at Minidoka.
How to Apply
If you are interested in adding/editing a name please contact the park rangers at Minidoka National Historic Site by email, phone, or mail. We will send you an application form where you will provide your contact information and basic information about the WWII veteran. You must submit the completed form by February 7, 2022.
Phone: (208) 825-4169
Email: MIIN_information@nps.gov
Subject Line: Minidoka Honor Roll 2022 Update (Name of Veteran)
Mailing Address: Minidoka National Historic Site 1428 Hunt Rd. Jerome, Idaho 83338
Feel free to contact us at any time. If we miss your email or call, we will get back to you when we are available. If you would like to check whether a veteran’s name is already listed on the Minidoka Honor Roll (and is listed accurately), please refer to the honor roll names list at the end of this page.
Are There Any Documents Needed?
If you are applying to make changes to a name that is already listed on the Honor Roll, you need only to submit the application form. Our rangers will confirm your request. Then in Spring 2022, we will send out an updated list of all the names that will appear on the new Honor Roll. This will be your opportunity to confirm that the veteran’s name is spelled according to your request.
If you are applying to add a new name to the Honor Roll, we will need documents to confirm the veteran’s dates of service. Military personnel records (e.g. discharge papers) are preferred. For cadet nurses, a Cadet Nurse Corps membership card or other identifying record will suffice. If you do not already have a copy of these records, please let us know as soon as possible. We will help you locate those records or find an alternative option to confirm dates of service.
You do not need to have these documents before the February 7, 2022 deadline. We only need your submission form by that date. However, please be aware that it may take time to find the documents needed to confirm dates of service—especially if we need to use alternative sources.
Thank you!
A big thank you to the veterans’ organizations who are helping us find the resources needed to make this project possible—especially Keith Yamaguchi, who saw this project at its inception and who continues to provide his support. Many thanks go to you, the community, for your continued interest and investment in Minidoka National Historic Site. And finally, our deepest gratitude to the WWII veterans whose exceptional service should be recognized for generations to come. Please share the news with your friends and family, so that everyone who wishes to be included or to have their loved one commemorated on the Honor Roll will have an opportunity to do so. If you have any questions about the Honor Roll project, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Current Honor Roll Names
Current Honor Roll names are in alphabetical order by last name.
