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 reconstructed Honor Roll board was created in partnership with the Friends of Minidoka using historic images. As a living interpretative exhibit, the reconstructed Honor Roll is periodically updated to include the names of Minidoka WWII veterans who were not listed on the 1943 original.
2022-2023 Update Project
In July 2023, an updated version of the reconstructed Honor Roll was installed at Minidoka National Historic Site. With the help of the Japanese American community, including WWII veterans and their families, around 140 names were added to the Minidoka Honor Roll for a total of 845 names. This list includes the names of those who served in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, Women’s Army Corps, Cadet Nurse Corps, and other roles both combatant and non-combatant. A list of the current names on the reconstructed Honor Roll can be found at the bottom of this page.
Future Updates
Although the 2022-2023 Minidoka Honor Roll Update project is complete, our park rangers will continue to accept applications on a rolling basis.
Veterans, friends, and families are encouraged to submit applications if they wish to add or edit the name of a WWII veteran on the Minidoka Honor Roll. Park rangers will work with applicants to confirm each veteran’s dates of service. Confirmed veterans will then have their names added to the Minidoka Honor Roll board during the next update project.
Any further updates for the Minidoka Honor Roll will be posted on this page. To submit an application or inquire about the process, please reach out to our team via email.
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 spouses) 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 phone or email. We will send you an application form where you will provide your contact information and basic information about the WWII veteran.
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 Current 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.
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. We will help you locate those records or find an alternative option to confirm dates of service.
Thank You!
A big thank you to the veterans’ organizations who have assisted with this project by providing invaluable time, knowledge, and resources. We also express many thanks to 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.
Current Honor Roll Names
Current Honor Roll names are in alphabetical order by last name.
