The Eagles of Heart Mountain: A True Story of Football, Incarceration, and Resistance in World War II America Paperback – November 2, 2021

"The Eagles of Heart Mountain" contains the meticulous research and artful organization of a real page turner about this chapter in American history. I confess to feeling heart-broken as the story progressed, but was compelled to continue with the author in his search for truth. I give it my highest recommendation as a "must read" for anyone seeking the facts about my country, the United States.These families on the West Coast, who shared a common ancestry from Japan, were ripped from their homes and treated abysmally, both before, during and after World War II. This year in the U.S. many of us have been horrified to witness the treatment of Blacks by watching police and bystander videos. This book serves as a live action video for us to witness the injustices rained on those interned across the West in WWII. Some things do not change.If you are interested in re-learning the truth about American history, and seeing the resilience and courage of these brave individuals, read this book. It will become a part of you, and remind you -- Never Again, Not Ever.

Reading this book provided me with facts about how Japanese Americans were treated during WWII. I knew these citizens were intered, but had no idea of how bad it could be for them. The author also provides lots of history and Asians in this county. I really enjoyed this book.

Several weeks ago, a local sports radio personality (WYSP 94.1) recommended a new book on an Eagles football team but it wasn’t the Philadelphia Eagles - it was the Eagles high school team from Heart Mountain, Wyoming. I just finished reading this outstanding book that involved many of the families of my classmates, students, friends, and parents at BHS and CRHS. Heart Mountain was one of the 10 internment/concentration camps where 127,000 Japanese Americans were forced to live behind barb wire fences and armed sentries after giving up their homes and businesses on the west coast due solely to their race during WWII.I remember my dad telling me that they had a school-wide assembly during his junior year (1945) where the BHS principal (Mr. Smalley) informed the student body that Japanese American students were going to start to transfer into Bridgeton High School from out west. He insisted that these students and their families had nothing to do with the war (WWII - similar to the Italian-American and German-American students). They should be treated with the same respect as any other BHS student. My dad, like most of his classmates, had never even seen a Japanese-American. As far as my dad could remember he never saw one of his new classmates disrespected. Looking back at his high school yearbooks - sophomore year (1943-44) no Japanese Americans in the senior class. His junior year (1944-45) there were 8 Japanese Americans in the senior class. In my dad’s Bridgeton HS Class of 1946 - there were 50 Japanese Americans or almost 20% of his graduating class.The families of these students were given $25 and a train ticket to leave the camps and work on Seabrook farm in Upper Deerfield Township. The farm needed labor to bring in the crops to help with the war effort. From going through the yearbooks - Japanese American students transferred to BHS from 9 of the 10 camps. Five of the students came from the high school in the camp described in the book (Heart Mountain, Wyoming).I am forever beholden to one of these Japanese Americans - Henry “Hank” Wakai (BHS Class of 1946 - transfer from the Rohwer, Arkansas camp) who along with his Italian-American wife, Bea, invited me (whose mother was not born in the U.S.) to his annual Christmas party at their home on Orilla Drive in December of 1979. This is where I met a girl (whose grandparents spoke Ukrainian and Lithuanian along with English at home). We were married a year and a half later.I highly recommend this book to others and am sending my copy of the book to one of my CRHS students. Also - just purchased copies for my high school library and our local Japanese American Museum.

I enjoyed the history and “insider” stories about internment at Heart Mountain, especially since I attended high school near there.The play-by-play descriptions of sports - football games in particular - wasn’t for me. The background of the players and the unfair way the team was treated was somewhat diminished by the excessive detail of specific games.

The Eagles of Heart Mountain envelopes the reader with an impeccably researched and content rich account of the WWII Japanese American incarceration and America’s love of country, sports, and justice—values held and enjoyed by over 100,000 Japanese American citizens whose rights were unjustly violated during this shameful period in the United States.Pearson’s first sentences illustrate the inadequacy and incorrectness of the term “Japanese Internment.” The majority of the people imprisoned behind barbed wire were Americans. Their incarceration was not internment.This serious and thought-provoking book should be required reading in our educational system. Bravo!

I’ve read and watched many accounts of America’s concentration camps during WWII, but Pearson’s book brought me inside the barbed wired fences and into the lives of real people like none other. As the son of two Nisei parents who met at the Santa Anita Assembly Center in 1942, I was especially impressed with his detailed descriptions of the horrid conditions and the Japanese Americans’ relentless drive to maintain their humanity. Since my parents spoke little of their time at Santa Anita and later Arkansas, the book filled some gaps in my family’s history. As a retired journalist, I marveled at how well the author documented the government’s systemic racism behind the “relocation,” naming the names of villains and saluting the heroes. As a sports fan who played a little football in my youth, Pearson’s recreations of the Eagles’ games was masterful. For anyone who was privileged enough to see George Takei’s musical, “Allegiance,” Pearson’s book elaborates on the same themes of conflict within the community, justice, and patriotism. A good read that is oh so relevant during these divided times.

Loves the blend of historical politics, personal journals, and sports. Would have more on eventual reparations and what happened to the hate groups.

Okay book