Mullen Praises World War II Japanese-American Troops

American Forces Press Service ^ | John J. Kruzel

[SandRat]

WASHINGTON, Nov. 3, 2009 – For three days in October 1944, a Japanese-American military unit fought in dense woods, heavy fog and freezing temperatures in the mountains of France, answering the prayers of an American battalion pinned down by German forces.

Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaks with Medal of Honor recipient George "Joe" Sakato at the 65th anniversary of the rescue of the "Lost Battalion" in Houston, Nov. 1, 2009. The event honored the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated unit composed mostly of Japanese-Americans. The unit rescued 230 men, lost more than 800 men in the battle, and became the most decorated unit in U.S. military history. DoD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley  
(Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

In a bloody rescue mission that became one of World War II's most famed battles, more than 800 troops fighting with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team died as the unit saved 217 American forces.

“The 442nd, for its size and length of service, is the most decorated unit in the entire history of the United States military,” Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this week in remarks before the Japanese American Memorial Fund. “Their story has taught me so many things and has likely inspired all who have heard it.”

German forces had cut off the Texas National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, in the Vosges Mountains when commanders ordered in the 442nd. The German troops already had repelled repeated rescue attempts by the 141st's other two battalions.

Nearly half of the men in the Japanese-American unit would be dead or wounded three days later, with the Texas battalion still isolated.

"Then, something happened in the 442nd," according to an official account at the Army Center for Military History. "By ones and twos, almost spontaneously and without orders, the men got to their feet and, with a kind of universal anger, moved toward the enemy position. Bitter hand-to-hand combat ensued as the Americans fought from one fortified position to the next. Finally, the enemy broke in disorder."

The original 4,000 men had to be replaced nearly three and a half times. In total, about 14,000 men served at the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, ultimately earning 9,486 Purple Hearts, 21 Medals of Honor, and an unprecedented eight Presidential Unit Citations, Mullen told an audience that included troops from the 442nd and 141st.

“I am truly humbled in the deepest sense possible to be in their midst, to share with you some of the many lessons I have learned from their intrepid service,” he said. “Their story has taught me so many things and has likely inspired all who have heard it.”

Mullen said a study of what inspired Japanese-American troops is a lesson in pride, courage and a heartfelt belief in the liberties promised by the U.S. Constitution.

“These Japanese-Americans nobly volunteered to serve the very country who persecuted and imprisoned them and their families,” Mullen said, referring to the U.S. policy of placing Japanese-Americans in internment camps following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. “Yet, these Japanese-Americans who chose to serve felt not only a deep sense of patriotism, but they also felt that they had to prove their patriotism, their loyalty to a then-ungrateful nation.”

The chairman said he derives another important lesson from the 442nd from an anecdote about one of the unit’s officers. When a Colonel Kim, a Korean-American, was told to transfer out of the unit because of a historical Korean-Japanese friction, he refused the order.

“‘They are Americans. I am an American. And together, we are going to fight for America,’” Mullen said, quoting Kim.

“In everything we do, every choice we make,” Mullen continued, “we should strive to make our communities and this nation as rich and diverse as possible by living up to the principles upon which the United States of America was founded.”

[Rodebrecht]

But, I thought all Japanese in The US during the time were traitors who needed to be forced out of their homes and to abandon their possessions and be rounded up into camps in the middle of the desert?

[colorado tanker]

Japanese-Americans in Hawaii were not sent to the camps. There were just too many - it was impractical. Most of the 442nd came from Hawaii, although there were some volunteers from the camps.

Almost all the West Coast Japanese-Americans were indeed rounded up and sent to camps. It was not America's finest hour.

[usurper]

Why can’t Hollywood do a movie about this? Oh never mind they would just paint the US as racist and xenophobic, ordering mistreated minorities to certain death.

[Eyes Unclouded]

“There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. When I refer to hyphenated Americans, I do not refer to naturalized Americans. Some of the very best Americans I have ever known were naturalized Americans, Americans born abroad. But a hyphenated American is not an American at all. “

-Teddy Roosevelt

These men are all true American Heroes.

[Paradox]

Democrat FDR locked up the rest of the Japanese Americans.

[T-Bird45]

There was a movie made: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043590/

[randomhero97]

Why can’t Hollywood do a movie about this?

Because it wouldn't look good on their hero.

[randomhero97]

Democrat Fascist FDR locked up the rest of the Japanese Americans.

[colorado tanker]

The 442nd was one tough bunch. I'm in awe of the fights they took on and won.

Unfortunately, Franklin Roosevelt didn't see eye to eye with Teddy on that issue. He was quite willing to single out Japanese-Americans.

[Carley]

On the eve of the fall of the Berlin Wall this administration is talking about Japanese/American troops.

???

[stylin19a]

“‘They are Americans. I am an American. And together, we are going to fight for America,’” Mullen said, quoting Kim.

said as Obama is about to give away our sovereignty.

[Eyes Unclouded]

Amen, Damn shame what happened. Hope it stays in the history books and isn’t repeated in this country.

[colorado tanker]

Ralph Carr, the Republican Governor of Colorado, bucked Roosevelt and publicly welcomed Japanese-Americans to Colorado. There is a bust erected for him in Sakura Square, a local Japanese cultural center.

[wetgundog]

I agree. There is no room in this country for hypenated Americans. I hate filling out those ethnicity forms every time I apply for a job. I’m an AMERICAN damn it!

Third generation AMERICAN of Chinese ancestry. I ain’t no Asian/Pacific Islander

My dad was a “Flying Tiger” and both I amd my brother are
Vietnam veterans.

[DMZFrank]

They did in 1951, without today’s inevitable Anti American slant, even as they recognized the bigotry these heroes had to endure.

Go for Broke! is a war film released in 1951. It was directed by Robert Pirosh, produced by Dore Schary and starred Van Johnson, several veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and Henry Nakamura.

The film dramatizes the real-life story of the 442nd, which was composed of Nisei (second-generation Americans born of Japanese parents). Fighting in the European theater during World War II, this unit became the most heavily decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the United States Army, as well as one of the units with the highest casualty rates. This film is a Hollywood rarity which features Asian-Americans in a positive light and even more rare in highlighting the irony of Japanese-Americans who fought bravely for their country while that same country interned their families in camps.

As with his earlier film script Battleground, in which Van Johnson also starred, writer-director Robert Pirosh focuses on the average squad member, mixing humor with pathos, while accurately detailing equipment and tactics used by American infantry in World War II. The contrast of reality versus public relations, the hardships of field life on the line, and the reality of high casualty rates are accurately portrayed with a minimum of heroics.