Japanese American World War II Veterans
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SALUTE TO THE 100TH / 442ND / MIS & OTHER UNITS Proud to Serve Japanese American World War II veterans CHRIS KOMAI EDITOR PUBLISHED BY THE RAFU SHIMPO AND JAPANESE AMERICAN LIVING LEGACY Proud to Serve First Edition. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved ISBN: Disclaimer: This booklet does not claim to be 100% accurate. While all measures have been taken to ensure the highest level of accuracy it is possible some names may have been missed. We apolo- gize for any errors. Names in the directory were provided by Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance in partnership with Japanese American Living Legacy. Please contact us for any discrepan- cies or missing names. [email protected] Special Mahalo to the Hawai’i Herald and Hawai’i Hochi’s publisher and staff for assisting us in our endeavor. Paul Yempuku, Karleen Chinen, Gwen Ishikawa, Karlton Tomomitsu and Drusilla Tanaka. Much Aloha! Published by the Rafu Shimpo 701 East Third Street, Suite 130 Los Angeles, CA 90013-1789 Telephone: (213) 629-2231 www.rafushimpo.com Japanese American Living Legacy/Nikkei Writers Guild www.jalivinglegacy.org Printed by: Southwest Printing Gardena, California Layout by: Phase Two Graphics / Sansei Graphics SALUTE TO THE 100TH / 442ND / MIS & OTHER UNITS Proud to Serve Japanese American World War II veterans Proud to Serve TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction by Chris Komai 1 Foreword by Congressman Adam Schiff 4 Letter from Tendola Memorial Committee, Italy 6 Letter from Mayor of Bruyeres, France 8 Letter from Mayor of La Houssiere, France 10 Military Information list of ranks 12 list of world war II medals list of medal of honor recipients total number of medals composition of a division, regiment and company presidential unit citations distinguished unit citations Campaign Battles battle of salerno battle of cassino battle of anzio battle of rome battle of bruyeres battle of biffontaine battle of vosges mountains champagne campaign po valley PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Proud to Serve TABLE OF CONTENTS Talk Stories daughters perspective 55 sons perspective 57 hardwick sisters gratitude 24-27 Directories directory of the killed-in-action soldiers directory of 100th battalion veterans directory of 442nd regimental combat team veterans directory of military intelligence service veterans directory of the 1399th battalion veterans directory of the women's army corps veterans directory of nisei soldiers - other unit veterans glossary of terms acknowledgments TABLE OF CONTENTS PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Proud to Serve ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS - editor in chief - chris komai - contributing writers - michael komai, publisher, rafu shimpo ellen endo, columnist, rafu shimpo gwen muranaka, editor, rafu shimpo jk yamamoto, writer, rafu shimpo - support - sonny abalos, art director tom graves, photographer floyd honda, photographer seiki oshiro, community mario reyes, photographer russell k. shoho, community bill thompson, community susan uyemura, production artist gerome villain, community irvin yamada, photographer junwo ‘jim’ yamashita, community INTRODUCTION PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Proud to Serve SPONSORS - goodwill sponsor - terasaki foundation - community sponsor - japanese american living legacy /nikkei writers guild rafu shimpo - fellowship sponsor - - friend sponsor - INTRODUCTIONSPONSORS Proud to Serve NEIGHBORHOOD DONATIONS - gold level - To the Founders of the Japanese American National War Memorial Court Americans of Japanese Ancestry World War II Memorial Alliance In Memory of James S. Karatsu & Stanley K. Hayami Karatsu Family Dedicated to Mary and Tak Senzaki Senzaki Family & I Company Club SoCal Dedicated to our KIA Comrades Honolulu Item Chapter & Eddie Yamasaki In honor of those who served during World War II Orange Coast Optimist Club - silver level - In Memory of Larry K. Miura, K Company, 442nd, KIA Sospel France Ronald K. Yamada In Honor of my uncle, Jim Yamashita, I Company, 442nd Tom Ezaki, Jr. In Honor of our K.I.A. The men of Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 442nd RCT In Honor of Yasunobu Shoho - 2nd Headquarters Company, 442nd Russell & Barbara Shoho, Ray and Susan Uyemura PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Proud to Serve NEIGHBORHOOD DONATIONS - bronze level - To the Nisei men and women who served...,Torii & Awakuni, LLP In Memory of Pfc. Haluto Moriguchi, 100th/442nd RCT., Rod and Katherine Baishiki In Honor of all those who served, Japanese American National Museum In Honor of Sgt. George Morikawa Service Company, 442nd RCT, Tak and Marge Kohatsu In Honor of all World War II Nisei soldiers, Yosh and Grace Nakamura In Honor of Susumu, Seichi and Masao Sakaida, Dane, Eric and Grace Sakaida In honor of Yasunobu Shoho, whose military service has brighten our lives, Shoho siblings In Honor of Tom Yagi & Yoshimi “Fred” Kashiwahara, Bryan Yagi In Honor of George, Yutaka Matsuoka and Saburo Takeshita, Brian, Leslie & Stuart Yamamoto In Honor of Edward Yamamoto, Brian, Leslie & Stuart Yamamoto In Honor of the Yamashita brothers, Yamashita family In honor of Henry H. Yusa Medic, 442nd and Ayere Yusa MIS, Yusa Family NEIGHBORHOOD DONATIONS Proud to Serve NEIGHBORHOOD DONATIONS - copper level - In Honor of Shig Doi In Honor of Jimmy Yamashita In Memory of T/Sgt Jim Camp, friend to all Nisei Vets, Wally Camp In Honor of all Nisei Veterans, Friends and Family of Nisei Veterans Tom Graves, Friend of the Nisei Vets In Memory of M Company Captain Robert Hempstead, Third generation Captain Ross Hempstead Jr. In Memory of M Company Sgt. Ben Sasaki, John Hix In Memory of Mas Kinoshita, MIS, Kinoshita Family In Honor of all Nisei Veterans, Martin Kubota In Honor of Bruce Kusunoki and Mits Imai, Craig and Lois Kusunoki In Honor of all veterans, Maesaki Family In Honor of Robert K. Mizumoto, 442 RCT and Henry H. Uyehara, MIS, Michael Mizumoto In Honor of Robert K. Mizumoto, 442 RCT and Henry H. Uyehara, MIS, Peggy Mizumoto In Honor of Stanley Hayami, Jim Yamashita and those who served with them, Joanne Oppenheim To All who were proud to serve, Fumio Serikawa In Memory of Hiromi “Lomo” Shinji, Kazuko Shinji and children In Honor of all Nisei Veterans, Gerald and Sandra Kimura Shinkawa In Honor of all Nisei Veterans, Dwayne Shoji, Studio Effects In Honor of Mas Takahashi, Scott and Susan Takahashi In Memory of Saburo, Goro, Walter, Willie Tanamachi and Taira Nakao, MIS, Sandra Tanamachi In Memory of George Uchimiya, K Company, 442 RCT, Uchimiya Family All Gave Some, Some Gave All..., Henry Wadahara 12 PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS INTRODUCTION 13 “One would think that the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was the only unit in Italy the way you fellows are squawking about giving it up!” Major General Alfred M. Gruenther Communications about General Mark Clark, 5th Army, and General Jacob Devers, 6th Army, both arguing for the 442nd to be assigned to their division PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS Proud to Serve INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 1 2 PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS INTRODUCTION 3 Proud to Serve FOREWORD BY CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF 4 PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS FOREWORD 5 Top Photo: Closeup of the memorial dedicated to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Bottom Left: Memorial Park; Bottom Right: Closeup of the memorial Photos courtesy of Rosario Lertola 6 PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS THE MEMORIAL THE LAST DAYS PARK The Historical Committee Tendola strongly wanted to perform a task assigned to him by a man morally, making the gesture of returning to the hill of the Preta, Tendola, crowned his exemplary life. This man was Lieutenant Saidachi Kubota of 442 ° Regimental Com- bat Team. He wanted to come back here where, sixty years ago, as a soldier in the U.S. Nazi freed us from oppression, but returned especially for the desire to once again call his friend and comrade Tadao "Beanie" Hayashi, who fell at that place. Tendola in the country and its campaigns, the last grueling bout of breaking the Gothic Line, the companies of the 442 Regimental Combact Team, left the field on many heroes. Sometimes just a simple little gesture to go back in time, as has happened to us we felt that the Committee pushed up by the Lieutenant Kubota want to be with this park, the heroism of those who gave liberty to this small corner of Italy but also throughout Europe. This small park is a tribute to all those people heard: soldiers, civilians and even parti- sans, who by their courage and disregard for the lives of future generations have allowed us to be here now, free. In particular, the monument to soldiers of 442 ° RCT decorated in their country with the MOH, the highest honor, has wanted to be a further tribute to those who fought heroically, with sacrifice, far from home, for the ideals of freedom universally recognized. A Tendola, on the scenic hills of Preta, where he particularly praised the heroism and self- sacrifice of 442 ° Regimental Combat Team, everything has been made immortal. It will be with pride that we all go up on that hill for years to remember with affection those who gave us the gift of freedom. Rosario Lertola Committee representative LETTER FROM THE TENDOLA ITALY MEMORIAL COMMITTEE 7 Top Photo: Yuko Nakahira (Anti-Tank); Mits Honda (232nd Engingeers) and Rikio Tsuda (100th Battalion) salute the color guard at the Memorial located in Bruyeres, France. Bottom Left: Church where the 442nd RCT rested. Bottom Right: American Veterans Cemetary, Epinal Photos courtesy of Japanese American Living Legacy 8 PROUD TO SERVE: JAPANESE AMERICAN WORLD WAR II VETERANS LETTER FROM THE MAYOR OF BRUYERES 9 Top Photo: Rescue of the Lost Battalion - La Houssiere, October 1944. Bottom Left: Water hole that the Lost Battalion guys used for survival.