When The Human Community Saved the World - MWLUG 2014 - Part I

Too often in our technology focused world we become no more than bits of data.  We become less and less social and feel lost within our technology. Communities for Generation X, Y is all about Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media.  However, a community in the past was all about people and individuals.  Technology is just a vehicle to connect individuals, no different than hundreds if not thousands of year ago when stories and our history was told by the bonfire.  Our goal each year at MWLUG is to bring everyone together in person to share our knowledge and experience so that we can grow our community as people have done in the past.

Only through the test of time, will we know the impact of our ICS community in the fabric of technology.  However, there was one amazing community of men and women despite all odds save our world as we know it.

Over 70 years ago, the human race was tested to its greatest extend and our freedom, our democracy that we as Americans fought so hard to achieve was endangered of being lost.  

Abraham Lincoln stated in his Gettysburg Address over 150 years ago,

"—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

It was the cooperation and the sacrifice of millions and millions of Americans that allow the values of what we American hold dear to continue to exist. An entire generation of Americans met the call to action and made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure what Abraham Lincoln stated in his Gettysburg Address remained true. As with all communities they were bonded by a common cause. Everyone focused on one singular goal that made victory possible along with the will power of America and its Allies. This generation had already endured the hardship the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl, and many diseases. This generation, is "The Greatest Generation" as coined by journalist Tom Brokaw.

As The Greatest Generation fade into the sunset,  it is important that we connect to this community of veterans and learn as much as we can from their experience.  This lends directly to this year's conference theme, "Connecting the Human Community".

In the American Civil War, many of the soldiers were immigrants from countries like Ireland and Norway whom came to the United States to escape the tyranny of the European monarchs and dictators.  To them America was the one last chance for democracy and opportunity.  Despite being recent immigrants, many make the ultimate sacrifice and died for a country that they recently adopted.

During World War II, there were many ethic groups who were immigrants and American citizens whom despite the vase amount of discrimination they suffered made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure America and what it represented remain and prospered including African-Americans and Japanese Americans.  Even German-Americans and Italian-Americans suffered during the War. 

The Japanese-American population whom were extremely loyal to the United States suffered extremely and lost all their rights, possessions, and were interred in internment camps through out most of the war. This is one of the biggest injustices of our American history.  Despite all this injustices, there were many Japanese-Americans who served in the American military during the War to help save America against the Axis powers.

One American regiments known as the 442nd Combat Regiment was comprised mostly of Japanese-Americans and is the most decorated regiments in the history of the United States military. 

 

• 21 Medal of Honor
• 8 Presidential Citations
• 52 Distinguished Service Cross
• 1 Distinguished Service Medal
• 560 Silver Stars
• 22 Legion of Merit Medals
• 15 Soldier's Medals
• 4,000 Bronze Stars
• 9,486 Purple Hearts
• Congressional Gold Medal

This regiment played a critical role during the War in many locations throughout the War including rescuing the "Lost Battalion", and freeing the Jewish prisoners from the Dachau concentration camp.

As you already know this year is not only the 70 anniversary of D-Day but in October it is the 70th anniversary of the sacrifice made by the 442nd Combat Regiment is rescuing the Lost Battalion.  As part of honoring the Greatest Generation and the sacrifice that they made, MWLUG is connecting you to the Greatest Generation this year and will be announcing tomorrow our honored guest speaker, a member of this elite 442nd Combat Regiment whom like many of his community help save the world.

When The Human Community Saved the World - MWLUG 2014 - Part II - Announcing the MWLUG 2014 OGS Guest Speaker