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 in review (ddr-densho-164-86)
img Nisei soldiers in review (ddr-densho-164-86)
Nisei soldier's caption: Review in Ghedi. Went to Ghedi where we camped out in a bare flat plain and went thru the processing prisoners. Took care of around 80,000 and then our first large batch of original 100th men left us. And also joined by a replacement of some 400.
Soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-88)
img Soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-88)
Nisei soldier's caption: Going home. Corbin, Di Mailo, Chipman, Kometani.
Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-11)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-11)
Nisei soldier's caption: Park in Rome. The war bypassed this city, it being declared an open city.
Two French women (ddr-densho-164-64)
img Two French women (ddr-densho-164-64)
Nisei soldier's caption: French gals Audet and Paulette. We always bought vegt. from them.
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-95)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-95)
Nisei soldier's caption: Lake Como and in the background Lecco.
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-121)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-121)
Nisei soldier's caption: Railwood car of "wood" to the sticks.
Statue in France (ddr-densho-164-55)
img Statue in France (ddr-densho-164-55)
Nisei soldier's caption: Menton is a resort city with more hotels than one can count. But it was deserted as all the civilians were evacuated partly for security reasons and for their protection. But the jerries seemed to know which building our C.P. was. Our first C.P. was shelled so we moved to another hotel, the …
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-89)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-89)
Nisei soldier's caption: Going home. Marshall Higa, Fukuda, Monzuke, Oki.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-50)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-50)
Nisei soldier's caption: Hotel Imperial. Every so often we got off for four days to come here and take it easy. Passes to go to Nice and Beaujolais.
Nisei soldier in France (ddr-densho-164-48)
img Nisei soldier in France (ddr-densho-164-48)
Nisei soldier's caption: Kajiwara with mines. Defused.
Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-4)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Rome (ddr-densho-164-4)
Nisei soldier's caption: Sightseein'. The magic city of Rome. Received my first pass to visit this city, one of the world famous. We were resting then from our strenuous drive from Anzio. The 442nd joined us here.
Nisei soldiers visiting Italy (ddr-densho-164-13)
img Nisei soldiers visiting Italy (ddr-densho-164-13)
Nisei soldier's caption: The Tiber River. A sluggish muddy stream flowing thru the city.
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-85)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-85)
Nisei soldier's caption: Pontoon bridge across Po. On our way to Ghedi we crossed this bridge some 1/4 mile long.
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-93)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-93)
Nisei soldier's caption: Two Kuronchos Kajiwara, Kyabu. After weathering sandstorms, wind, hot and cold weather, sad partings, we left here the latter part of June and went to Lecco on the shores of Lake Como, and I think the best part of Italy.
Nisei soldier in front of a jeep (ddr-densho-164-56)
img Nisei soldier in front of a jeep (ddr-densho-164-56)
Nisei soldier's caption: Menton is a resort city with more hotels than one can count. But it was deserted as all the civilians were evacuated partly for security reasons and for their protection. But the jerries seemed to know which building our C.P. was. Our first C.P. was shelled so we moved to another hotel, the …
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-65)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-65)
Nisei soldier's caption: Supposed to be hunting for legumes. Nice, France. A city known as Miami or LA of France with a tropical climate, vegetables grown the year round. Center of perfume industry with most manufactured at Grasse some 20 miles away. Beautifult resorts by the beach.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-72)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-72)
Nisei soldier's caption: Junior Miss cast visit us. Finally after four months of quiet we wouldn't enjoy it anymore. Toward the end of March we left for Antibes and for our next front.
Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-74)
img Nisei soldiers in Italy (ddr-densho-164-74)
Nisei soldier's caption: Biot, a village near Antibes.
Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-34)
img Nisei soldiers in France (ddr-densho-164-34)
Nisei soldier's caption: Heading for Nile from St. Martins. A break after one hour ride.
USO show in Italy (ddr-densho-164-103)
img USO show in Italy (ddr-densho-164-103)
Nisei soldier's caption: This guy had too much vino. We were fortunate to see again good old American beauty when "The Jinx" visited us in Lecco. Cameras really were clicking.
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