The FReeper Foxhole Remembers The 100th Battalion/442nd RCT - Feb. 9th, 2003

http://www.ohanamagazine.com/marapr2001/feature.html ^ | Ted T. Tsukiyama

[SAMWolf]

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A Salute to "The One Puka Puka"

Their Japanese ancestry caused them to be unwanted, feared, distrusted and even despised. An expected Japanese invasion of Hawai'i induced their hasty removal from their beloved island home. The Army didn't know what to do with them after 14 months of training, even after their dispatch to North Africa. They were the Army's "orphan outfit," playing "guinea pig" for Japanese Americans in military service. Finally, after assignment to the 34th Division they gained the opportunity to engage in combat as the first and only segregated, all-Japanese infantry unit - the men of the 100th known as "The One Puka Puka."

Soon they earned the reputation as the "Purple Heart Battalion" because it was the most decorated unit of its size and fighting time in battle in World War II. They not only proved that "Americanism is not a matter of race or ancestry" but also won for other Niseis (second generation Japanese) the right to fight for their country.

The true origins of the 100th must trace back to 1909 and 1920 when immigrant Japanese field workers staged a general strike for fair wages and decent working" conditions, which erupted into bitter racial hostility and, denigrated the entire Japanese population to be treated for the next 20 years as an economic, political, and national security threat to Hawaii. Statehood was denied because of its large Japanese population and the questionable loyalty of even the America-born Japanese youth.

On May 29,1942, as the Japanese Navy approached Midway, Chief of Staff Gen. George Marshall ordered that a provisional infantry battalion, consisting of all officers and soldiers of Japanese ancestry in the 298th and 299th Infantry. Both units were sent by water to central U.S. to train as an infantry combat unit.

Within five days, 1,432 Nisei soldiers transferred from the 298th and 299th into the "Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion" and sailed from Honolulu on the SS Maui on June 5, 1942. The War Department activated them into the "100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)"; "separate" meaning not attached to a regiment or any other military unit, literally a military orphan outfit. In spite of such an inauspicious origin, 15 months later it was destined to become the famed and legendary 100th Battalion.

The 100th was sent to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, to train as an infantry unit. For the next six months they trained rigorously and so well that most men were crosstrained into use of other weapons and equipment. As reports of their superiors training record reached the War Department, the 100th became the subject of rigid and frequent inspections by army brass, "the most inspected unit in the Army". Men of the 100th endured all this with equanimity and intense unit pride, striving to become the finest in the U. S. Army, ever realizing that they "must do better than the average soldier because the eyes of America were on them".


Regimental Color Guard, 442nd RCT Bruyeres, France, 11/12/44

Seven more months of maneuvers at Camp Shelby, Louisiana followed. On August 21, 1943, the 100th sailed from Staten Island on the SS James Parker for North Africa.

On September 2, the 100th received notification it would be assigned to the 133rd Regiment, 34th Division, for a combat role! Morale uplifted, the men of the 100th received the news with cheers. On September 22, 1943, the 100th stormed ashore in an amphibious landing at the Salerno beachhead as part of the 34th "Red Bull" Division. Tough battles, especially at Cassino, marked the harsh and bitter route of the 100th from Salerno to Rome.

For the Cassino battles alone, the 100th suffered 48 killed, 144 wounded and 75 hospitalized for trench foot. The 100th landed at Salerno with over 1,300 personnel, but after Cassino only 521 remained. The "Guinea Pig Battalion" became the "Purple Heart Battalion."


100th Inf. Bn. moving up to the front on a dusty road in Velletria, Italy on May 26, 1944.

Generals who previously shunned this unit of Japanese Americans vied with each other for assignment of the 100th to their commands. Bill Mauldin, famous war correspondent, wrote, "no combat unit in the army could exceed them in loyalty, hard work, courage, and sacrifice." But beyond the widely acclaimed military prowess by numerous generals that fought to get the 100th assigned to them, men of the "One Puka Puka" convincingly proved their point. The July 31, 1944 issue of TIME magazine said:

"From a cautious experiment the Army had received an unexpectedly rich reward. A group of sinewy Oriental soldiers, only one generation removed from a nation that was fighting fanatically against the U.S., was fighting just as fanatically for it. Last week, the War Department wrote "proved" on the experiment. It added a unit citation (for "outstanding performance of duty in action") to the already remarkable collection of medals held by the Japanese-American 100th Battalion."

By war's end the 100th had compiled and contributed an incomparable record of 338 killed in action, 3 Presidential Unit Citation, 1 Congressional Medal of Honor, 24 Distinguished Service Cross, 147 Silver Star (for valor) and 2,173 Bronze Star (for meritorious service), 30 Division Commendation and 1,703 Purple Heart awards and citations.


PFC William Wada of Blanea, Colorado, being congratulated for the Bronze Star Medal by Brig. Gen. Innel. Wada was cited for outstanding and heroic achievement in action.

But the true significance, contribution and legacy left by the "One Puka Puka" is best summarized in this warm tribute and accolade of the 100th by Lyn Crost, wartime correspondent for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and staunch friend of the 100/442.

"The original 100th Infantry Battalion was the first Japanese American combat unit in the history of the United States. In fulfilling the trust given it, this unique battalion helped erase much of the nation's suspicion of Japanese Americans and cleared the way for thousands of them to join the 100/442 Regimental Combat Team."

But the record of that original 100th Infantry Battalion and what it means in the acceptance of Japanese Americans as loyal citizens of the United States must be remembered. The 100th proved that loyalty to the United States is not a matter of race or ancestry. That "guinea pig battalion" never failed. That is why, with deep indebtedness and undying gratitude, we salute the original "One Puka Puka!"

[facedown]

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Monday, March 25, 2002

Weekend Scene

A TRIBUTE TO PAST SACRIFICES

Events honor the 442nd's 100th Battalion

Ceremonies at Punchbowl National Cemetery yesterday commemorated the formation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's 100th Battalion. Veteran James Oura, left, looked up with pride at his Army company's flag.

442nd veteran Edwin Imamura prayed over the grave of his friend James Miyamoto, who was killed in Italy in 1945.

Following yesterday's wreath-laying ceremonies at Punchbowl, 442nd Regimental Combat Team veteran and author Mitsuo Sakamoto signed a copy of his memoirs on Army life.

At the Hawai'i Convention Center, students and faculty from Sunnyside Middle School and Jefferson High School of Lafayette, Ind., display a quilt they made in honor of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. From left, Vanessa Barton, Ireli Orozco, Brittany Helmerick, teacher Leila Meyerratken, Shaun Voorhees, Micheal Matatall and Lauren Richardson began laying the pieces yesterday.

[manna]

Present!

[The Shrew]

OK, I guess this is as good a place as any! I'm just a former Marine and a tanker at that - but could someone please explain to me Army unit numerical designations? I am stumped. Do you have to know each individual regimental history to have a clue as to the lineage of a unit? I am truly amazed!

Regards,

TS

[Sparta]

Good morning SAMWolf. Excellent post as usual. Stand by for WCMH ping.

[Sparta]

"Purple Heart Battalion" ping. Extremely relevant for today's climate.

If you want on or off the Western Civilization Military History ping list, let me know.

[SpookBrat]

GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY LORD'S DAY TO YOU TOO Peppy Pippin! How are you? Miss talking to you.

[SpookBrat]

Hi Cote. Blessings to you today on our Lord's day.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the Link, this first one really gets to me.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Spooky!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks for the compliment sneakers.

[SpookBrat]

I like that monument. Very well stated.

Good morning SAM. (((hugs)))

[SAMWolf]

1996 Adolf Galland General (Luftwaffe), dies at 83

'It felt as if I were being pushed by Angels'.

Adolf Galland, after flying a Me 262 for the first time.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning, Feather

[SAMWolf]

Hi Pippin.

[SAMWolf]

Thanks facedown here's more info on that quilt.

Quilt by 8th Graders to Honor Nisei WWII Soldiers

The 8th Grade students at Sunnyside and Tecumseh Middle Schools in Lafayette ,Indiana are undertaking an awesome and inspiring project, a 19 X 41 ft quilt honoring the Japanese American soldiers who fought in World War II. This project is under the tutorship of their teacher, Mrs Leila Meyerratken. In addition to memorabilia, including dog tags of Nisei veterans , and the two poems written by 8th Graders, there will be over 20,000 names of Nisei soldiers, from the 100th Battalion, the famed 442nd Infantry Regiment, the 522nd Artillery Battalion , 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion and MIS (Military Intelligence Service) . There will be 120,000 tassels representing the number of Japanese and Japanese Americans incarcerated in Relocation Camps . The quilt dimension of 19X41 feet was chosen to represent the year 1941, the year Pearl Harbor was bombed. Like the "Go For Broke"Memorial in Lost Angeles, this quilt will be a tribute to the Japanese Americans who volunteered to fight for their country to prove that they are loyal Americans despite the incarceration of their family members in Relocation Centers. They are hoping that this quilt will be seen by others in the United States to teach others how they rose above the indignities they suffered by making sacrifices in the field of battle . The students strongly feel that this WWII history of the Japanese Americans soldiers , which is not covered in history books, should be told.

How did this project start? What made the students, who have not even met a Japanese American veteran, undertake such an awesome project, requiring countless after school hours of work on the quilt?

The students just wanted to tell the story of the Japanese American soldiers of World War II on quilt, because they had become emotionally involved with the sacrifices made by Japanese Americans in proving their loyalty to the United States. It took a tremendous amount of research on the part of the students to come up with the details that are being included in the quilt project.

This is what Leila Meyerratken wrote about the quilt:

" My 8th Grade students are working to create a tapestry called the One Hundred Twenty Thousand Tassel Tapestry. It is made up of 12 panels that together measure 19 by 41 ft for the year 1941 when Pearl Harbor was bombed. It is a tribute to the Japanese American veterans and is made in part from clothes worn by these heroes.

It is a multi-media tapestry that includes many things including poems, art, maps and memorabilia. All is the work and words of my 8th graders. The first panel begins with a poem that occupies the entire panel. The third one represent 1942 and has a photo of FDR. Next to it there is a U.S. flag superimposed on a Japanese flag. The stripes look like barbed wires and the piece is in shape of an eye. The eyebrow is the name of FDR. It represents an AJA looking at his destiny after Executive Order 9066 was issued. The eye is looking down to show loss of dignity and is also looking at the map of the US showing concentration camps, children in these camps and other illustrations of injustice. The American flag is larger than the Japanese flag to show that the people were more American than Japanese.

The quilt has the story and each part is expressed in many different ways. For example, the rescue of the Lost Battalion by the 442nd was illustrated by using orange silk fabric cut in the shape of lanterns. There are 211 lanterns and on each, there are 4 names of AJA veterans, the ones who were sacrificed to the rescue mission. My students adopted this from Japan ,when it celebrates Peace Day by writing on the lanterns the names of the Hiroshima victims. These lanterns float on a river that extends to several panels. They wrote 4 names on each panel to show the ratio of 4 to 1. Four casualties to save one soldier from the 36th Infantry Division.

For the year 1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th State. My students believe that this was the result of the work of AJA veterans. They drew 5 large palm trees in memory of 5 concentration camps established in Hawaii. Each trunk bears the name of one AJA veteran who died in the rescue mission. They chose one soldier from each of the islands that had a concentration camp and named him honorary of that island. Two were medics to make sure all were included.

The last panel represents the year 2000. It shows photos of the 23 AJA veterans who were recipients of the Medal of Honor. The images were transferred on T-shirts sent by AJA veterans , and shows logos of various groups such as the 100th, 442nd, 522nd, etc. The quilt comes with a metal rod that can be put together in many ways. For example it can take up a corner to occupy two walls.

This quilt is a tribute to the AJA veterans and their contribution to America. It is also meant to promote social justice by teaching others in simple ways what these veterans did and how they overcame racism. One student said it is also a warning to those like FDR, that if they turn their back on the U.S. Constitution again, they will end up being exposed by 8th Graders. "

Mrs Leila Meyerratken also wrote on May 21 that "the major task left is the iron-on of the 489 pages onto the quilt (containing over 20,000 names of AJA veterans who served during WWII), sew the backing and border on all panels and finish sewing the lanterns. All the origami cranes were sewn. They finished counting the tassels , all 120,000 of them; that needs to be added to the three sides. We still have no display place for the quilt. Hope there will be a few takers . "

A letter of appreciation and support from AJA organizations and individual, young and old, veterans and non-veterans would be highly appreciated by the young students, which in effect would be telling the students "thank you for thinking of us". Such letters should be sent

to : Mrs Leila Meyerratken

1126 Montgomery St

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Cote. How hard must it have been to write that poem or for these men to go through what they did knowing they had families interned in Roosevelt's Camps.

[SAMWolf]

You aren't the only one who's stumped.

Sometimes I think the Army just makes up numbers as they need them.

Unit's get de-activated and re-activated. They have numbers re-assigned or sub-units get reassigned. Only the High-Profile Units seem to be immune from this.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET


"IS it SAFE?" = HILLARY on Armed Serivces Committee

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629


NEVER FORGET