Painful Lessons
The Eugene Japanese American Memorial
By Jake Klonoski
PROLOGUE
Navy Lieutenant Commander Jake Klonoski grew up in Eugene and celebrated his high school graduation ceremony at the Hult Center in 1998, unaware of the location’s connection to the internment story. After living through the September 11, 2001, attacks and witnessing the anti-Muslim aftermath while at school in Washington, DC., he became interested in the history of the Japanese-American internment which he saw as a parallel. He reviewed archived materials which described the wartime attitudes in Eugene and made contact with the Yasui family whose experience reflected the dislocation and deprivation that followed Executive Order 9066. As he deepened his acquaintance with the Yasui family and learned more of their story, he proposed a plan to memorialize Eugene's connection with the relocation process. He maintained an active role in the project while serving on active duty in the US Navy. His article, “Painful Lessons”, published on June 14, 2003, in the Eugene Register-Guard helped to initiate the memorial construction effort.
Navy Lieutenant Commander Jake Klonoski grew up in Eugene and celebrated his high school graduation ceremony at the Hult Center in 1998, unaware of the location’s connection to the internment story. After living through the September 11, 2001, attacks and witnessing the anti-Muslim aftermath while at school in Washington, DC., he became interested in the history of the Japanese-American internment which he saw as a parallel. He reviewed archived materials which described the wartime attitudes in Eugene and made contact with the Yasui family whose experience reflected the dislocation and deprivation that followed Executive Order 9066. As he deepened his acquaintance with the Yasui family and learned more of their story, he proposed a plan to memorialize Eugene's connection with the relocation process. He maintained an active role in the project while serving on active duty in the US Navy. His article, “Painful Lessons”, published on June 14, 2003, in the Eugene Register-Guard helped to initiate the memorial construction effort.