I had the day off and decided to see if I could find this place. A little history...

The Rohwer War Relocation Center was a World War II Japanese American internment camp located in rural southeastern Arkansas, in Desha (pronounced DE-SHA) County. It was in operation from September 18, 1942 until November 30, 1944, and held as many as 8,475 Japanese Americans forcibly evacuated from California. The Rohwer War Relocation Center Cemetery is located here, and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1992.

Unfortunately, it appears other than stick up a marker sayings this a historic landmark, nothing has been done to the place.

Here is a link showing photos from 1990. The deteriation since then is significant.

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NHLS/ ... 001882.pdf

I didn't have much in the way of expectations, as these would have been temporary wooden structures and would likely not have survived. This in fact turned out to be the case with the exception of the old smoke stack from the camp hospital and the old cemetery. Some further research yielded this link, which shows photographs on file taken in 1990, some 20 years ago. What little existed beyond the smokestack then is now gone, and the cemetery has been vandelized and has continued to deteriorate.

In its summary on the Rohwer Relocation Center Cemetery, the National Park Service indicates that the cemetery's condition is threatened due to deterioration of the grave markers and monuments, but that ownership of the site is unclear.

A few historical photos.

Rohwer Relocation Camp was constructed in the late summer and early fall of 1942 as a result of Executive Order 9066 (February 19, 1942). Under this order, over 110,000 Japanese Americans and their immigrant parents were forcibly removed from the three Pacific Coast States—California, Oregon, and Washington. In all, ten camps were established in desolate sites, all chosen for their distance from the Pacific Coast. Over 10,000 evacuees passed through Rohwer during its existence, and over two thirds of these were American citizens.

The camp cemetery survives as the only site still identified as having been part of the internment center. It was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1992It has a monument to Japanese American war dead from the camp, and also a monument to those who died at the camp. The camp site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

A tank-shaped memorial, made of reinforced concrete, guards the cemetery, commemorating Japanese Americans who fought for the United States at Anzio and elsewhere in Italy and France during World War II. Thirty-one who came from Rohwer died in action, and their names are inscribed on the memorial, as well as a later memorial raised nearby.

The remaining pictures are close ups of the incriptions, headstones, other other items of interest.

...and some more. Some of these monuments where added later, and where not built by the original internees.

The "town" of Rohwer has faired no better than the internment facility. There is nothing left but a small cluster of buildings to mark its existance.

In closing, (pulls out soap box) it really pisses me off that this place is crumbling to dust in the middle of a cotton field in Arkansas, because someone can't figure out who is responsible for, or willing to take responsibility for, maintaining a national landmark.

The Japanese American veterans memorialized here where part of the 442nd regimental combat team, now the 442nd infantry. The 442nd was a self-sufficient fighting force, and fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, southern France, and Germany. The unit became the most highly decorated regiment in the history of the United States armed forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients.

One last note. This little boy spent part of his childhood in this camp. His name was George Takie. You may know him as Mr. Sulu.

Old cemeteries are the best in my book. The craftsmanship and artisans that made those old headstones were extraordinary. Not like the stuff you see in cemeteries today.

nice. Well done!

Thanks!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XPvBCfdZbPQ

Thank you for posting so much information about the Japanese Relocation Facility, I had no idea such a place even existed and now I cannot help but wonder what the fate was of the thousands of people there.

POW camps were plentiful in Oklahoma during WW2 housing thousands of German and Italians, over a thousand at El Reno alone and up to three thousand at a camp near Alva.

Again, thank you for the great effort of work!

nice. Well done!



sbo