I Am a Real American

Bob Kan is a third generation Japanese-American (JA). The chapters in this book were originally written for family and close friends for their information and entertainment. After Bob joined the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) in 2007 he began to realize that his career would not have been possible without the heroism of those second generation veterans. They demonstrated their patriotism and loyalty in battles across Europe and Asia proving that they were REAL AMERICANS. Their sacrifices enabled Bob to be accepted and integrated years later into the elite world of Air Force combat fighter pilots. Realizing that he was part of this evolution Bob decided to publish these chapters. In WW II the highest-ranking JA officer was Major. Since the Vietnam War over 35 JAs have attained the rank of general or admiral. There were no JA pilots or navigators in WW II and there were relatively few in the Korean War. All military units were desegregated by the time Bob entered the Air Force in 1955. He writes that he did not experience any racial discrimination in his fifty or so years in the USAF working with our defense industry or in any private business. This is not a racial protest but there are stories about ethnic misconceptions often humorous. The Japanese Americans' story is part of American History. Only in America......