442nd Regimental Combat Team

The 100th Infantry Battalion began as part of the Hawaii National Guard. On June 5, 1942, 1,432 men left Hawaii for training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and later at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. The 100th shipped out to North Africa on August 23, 1943, and saw heavy action in Italy. Because of its heavy casualties and many honors, the 100th became known as the "Purple Heart Battalion." The 442nd Regimental Combat Team was initially formed in 1943 from Japanese American volunteers from Hawaii and the mainland. Perhaps not surprisingly, only about 1,250 Japanese Americans volunteered from the concentration camps. In Hawaii, where there was no mass removal, almost 10,000 volunteered. The 442nd arrived in Italy in June 1944 where the battle-tested 100th Infantry Battalion became its 1st Battalion. In seven major campaigns, the 442nd became the most decorated unit for its size and length of service; the unit suffered 9,476 casualties, more than 300 percent of its original strength.

World War II (231)
Military service (2806)
442nd Regimental Combat Team (2911)

Related articles from the Densho Encyclopedia :
442nd Regimental Combat Team, Mark W. Clark, Sadamitsu Neil Fujita, Go for Broke! (film), Stanley Hayami, Daniel Inouye, Mike Masaoka, Kazuo Masuda, Rescue of the Lost Battalion

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2911 items
Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-5)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-5)
Nisei soldier's caption: Entering toward St. Peter's. Vatican City.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-31)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-31)
Nisei soldier's caption: St. Sauveur, Able Co. location.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-23)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-23)
Nisei soldier's caption: Staging area, Marseilles. Cleaning their rifles. We sure needed them later.
Nisei soldiers in Venice (ddr-densho-164-109)
img Nisei soldiers in Venice (ddr-densho-164-109)
Nisei soldier's caption: Our gondola we rented took us slowly to see the sights. Nothing but dirty buildings.
The Anzio Express (ddr-densho-164-1)
img The Anzio Express (ddr-densho-164-1)
Nisei soldier's caption: The Anzio Express. The big German Railway gun, left behind by the enemy as we overrun Rome from Anzio. This guy was used to shell our positions at the beach. Picture taken in June 1944 in Civitavecchia, north of Rome.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-22)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-22)
Nisei soldier's caption: Our entry into France. Ham and Windbag, Tanaka. Our kitchen hasn't been set up yet. K-ration and C for us. It was so good, like H -- we stayed at a staging area 20 miles from Marseilles and Dijon.
Nisei soldiers visiting Italy (ddr-densho-164-14)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Italy (ddr-densho-164-14)
Nisei soldier's caption: The Tiber River. A sluggish muddy stream flowing thru the city.
Nisei soldiers visiting Pompeii (ddr-densho-164-20)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Pompeii (ddr-densho-164-20)
Nisei soldier's caption: Pompeii is still being dug. This is the business district. This city at the time before the disaster was very civilized. Noted lead pipes to bring in water and also of interest to the boys. The casino with very vivid illustrations on the walls.
Military parade (ddr-densho-201-539)
img Military parade (ddr-densho-201-539)
Caption in album: "Gedi Italy, May & June 1945 / 'Retreat Parade / Chuck Shimomura.'"
Soldier (ddr-densho-201-484)
img Soldier (ddr-densho-201-484)
Caption in album: "George Tanagi / Seattle."
img "Bows Out in Blaze of Glory" (ddr-densho-201-224)
Caption on front: "Bows Out In Blaze of Glory." Caption on side: "C. Company, Cpt. Walter Johnson, 1st Lt. Anthony Deluca, 1st Lt. Samuel Leibitz, 1st Lt. Bert Tanaka. Kenge Sakagami, Imoto, Omoto, Urada, Shikuma, Takahashi, Bob Sato, C. Co 442nd?"
Soldiers going home (ddr-densho-201-654)
img Soldiers going home (ddr-densho-201-654)
Caption in album: "442nd going home on Wilson Victory Ship June, 1946 / 'Aloha' - 442 Regt."
442nd parade into Carrara (ddr-densho-201-573)
img 442nd parade into Carrara (ddr-densho-201-573)
Caption in album: "Elements of 442 Inf. entered Carrara with the aid of partisans."
Man standing at entrance of military area (ddr-densho-201-82)
img Man standing at entrance of military area (ddr-densho-201-82)
Man standing at entrance of military area. Sign reads, "All trucks stop, LKW halten!"
Soldiers swimming (ddr-densho-201-639)
img Soldiers swimming (ddr-densho-201-639)
Caption in album: "Splashing in Mediterranean Sea."
Ration card (ddr-densho-201-410)
doc Ration card (ddr-densho-201-410)
Ration card for Masao Sakagami. Shows rations for smoking, chewing gum, matches book or pkg, paste or powder tooth, cream or soap shaving, blades razor, soap toilet, soap laundry, candy, and beer. "Period: 19 June to 13 August 1946." Reverse of card lists "special items": "1. candy 185, 2. [illegible] 92, 3. [blank], 4. [illegible] Pen."
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