Our military museum is called "Sallows Military Museum". It is owned and operated by the City of Alliance. It is located at 1104 Niobrara Avenue here in Alliance. Our city website is www.cityofalliance.net . Our local Chamber of Commerce has a picture of the outside on the museum on their website of www.alliancechamber.com.

Alliance, like all communities, are proud of our veterans and the service they provided. In World War II Alliance was the site of the Alliance Army Airbase. Over ten thousand troops trained here for the invasion of France. Stationed here were the 403rd Troop Carrier Group, the 326th Glider Infantry, the 434th Troop carrier group, the 411th Base Squadron, the 845th WAAC Post Headquarters Company and the 507th Parachute Infantry. Most of the members of the 326th Glider Infantry and the 507th Parachute Infantry were lost inthe hedgerows of France between June 5 and June 8, 1944. The runways of that base are now used as our municipal airport.

Alliance is currently working with the State of Nebraska to create the first Nebraska State Veterans Cemetery on a portion of that old airbase. As I write this the funding for that cemetery is contained within the budget bill that Congress is now debating. We hope to have that cemetery open in late 2009. The cemetery and the military museum will complement each other and we hope give due recognition to our veterans. Many items from the old airbase and from many local veterans are contained in our museum.

Weihsien liberator TAD NAGAKI is honored, November 2007, by Mayor Dan Kusek of Alliance, Nebraska, with a framed plaque. Created by U.S. Army journalist, Renita Menyhert, the plaque includes Menyhert's article [click here] about Tad Nagaki and a 1944 photo of Nagaki and the O.S.S. Nisei unit that served behind Japanese lines in China and Burma in World War II. Menyhert's series of articles about Tad Nagaki and other Nisei heroes won a top national journalism award in 2007 for military publications in the USA. The plaque will be permanently displayed in the Alliance, Nebraska, military museum.

Nagaki was one of six Americans in the DUCK MISSION that liberated the Weihsien concentration camp, August 17, 1945.

Weihsien Liberator Tad Nagaki and mayor Dan Kusek of Alliance, Nebraska

Here are the pictures taken on November 23rd of me giving Tad the gift from Renita. I had worked for several weeks with Tad's family to come up with a situation where Tad would accept it. Late on the 21st I talked with the husband of one of Tad's nieces about a plan to have Tad meet me at our local Sallows Military Museum so I could present the plaque to Tad and then he could donate it to the museum for permanent display. He agreed to that and we met on the morning of November 23rd. Tad's brother, Ma, was there as well a two sisters in law, two nieces, a nephew and some grand nieces and grand nephews. No press were invited. The museum director was there and took these pictures on my camera. One of Tad's nieces also took pictures. Tad's brother is in one picture and his grand nieces and grand nephews are in another. Tad told me that he had a nice conversation with you on Thanksgiving. He and I had a nice talk during the short presentation. He continues to simply say he was no hero and that he really didn't do anything. You were there, you know. The City of Alliance is proud to display this plaque honoring Tad and it will be displayed so everyone can see it.

Dan Kusek
Mayor
Alliance, Nebraska

Weihsien Liberator Tad Nagaki and mayor Dan Kusek of Alliance, Nebraska

--- we met on the morning of November 23rd. Tad's brother, Ma, was there as well as two sisters in law, two nieces, a nephew and some grand nieces and grand nephews.

Tad continues to simply say he was no hero and that he really didn't do anything. The City of Alliance is proud to display this plaque honoring Tad and it will be displayed so everyone can see it. [read the text, click here]