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 (3011)

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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3011 items
Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-92-27)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-92-27)
Determination to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 35 (ddr-densho-1000-92-35)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 35 (ddr-densho-1000-92-35)
Training with Sadao Munemori, Medal of Honor recipient

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 29 (ddr-densho-1000-92-29)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 29 (ddr-densho-1000-92-29)
USO entertainment during basic training

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 42 (ddr-densho-1000-92-42)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 42 (ddr-densho-1000-92-42)
An officer earns the respect of his men by dodging fire faster than a younger soldier

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 50 (ddr-densho-1000-92-50)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 50 (ddr-densho-1000-92-50)
The 442nd Regimental Combat Team passes in review after the battle of the "Lost Battalion"

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 45 (ddr-densho-1000-92-45)
vh Rudy Tokiwa Interview II Segment 45 (ddr-densho-1000-92-45)
Liberating the town of Bruyeres, Japanese American officers are mistaken for Chinese

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Minoru
vh Minoru "Min" Tsubota Interview Segment 36 (ddr-densho-1000-149-36)
Description of "senninbari," a symbolic cloth belt made by mother to ensure safety in wartime
Minoru
vh Minoru "Min" Tsubota Interview Segment 37 (ddr-densho-1000-149-37)
Most frightening moment; being wounded, then leaving the field hospital without permission to rejoin unit
Robert Mizukami Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-114-12)
vh Robert Mizukami Interview Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-114-12)
Volunteering for U.S. Army 442nd Regimental Combat Team, brother killed in action

This is the first in a series of interviews conducted by the Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizen League in collaboration with Densho.

Robert Mizukami Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-114-13)
vh Robert Mizukami Interview Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-114-13)
Military service: receiving a Purple Heart

This is the first in a series of interviews conducted by the Puyallup Valley Japanese American Citizen League in collaboration with Densho.

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1000-3-2)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1000-3-2)
The impressive record of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team: "[W]e had something to prove, that we were loyal Americans."

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-3-17)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-3-17)
The continuing legacy of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's I Company

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the interviewers, …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-3-15)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 15 (ddr-densho-1000-3-15)
The "Champagne Campaign," a chance to relax and have fun

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the interviewers, is …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-3-14)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 14 (ddr-densho-1000-3-14)
Psychological effects of war: dealing with killing another person, friends dying beside you

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-3-12)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 12 (ddr-densho-1000-3-12)
The sounds of war, learning to interpret the sound of mortar fire

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-3-5)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 5 (ddr-densho-1000-3-5)
"It's a big family": the importance of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's I Company's reunions

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-3-13)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-3-13)
Devastation caused by tree bursts

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the interviewers, is Shiro and Louise Kashino's daughter.

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1000-3-4)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 4 (ddr-densho-1000-3-4)
The bond between members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team's I Company

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-3-9)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 9 (ddr-densho-1000-3-9)
Memories of battle in Europe while serving with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1000-3-3)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 3 (ddr-densho-1000-3-3)
Thoughts on serving in a segregated military unit

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than the typical Densho interview. Kari Hiraoka, one of the interviewers, is Shiro and …

Terry Aratani  -  Fred Matsumura  -  Kenneth Okuma  -  Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-3-11)
vh Terry Aratani - Fred Matsumura - Kenneth Okuma - Henry Bruno Yamada Segment 11 (ddr-densho-1000-3-11)
The only records of AWOL in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were soldiers leaving the hospital early to return to battle

This interview was conducted at the 1998 Americans of Japanese Ancestry Veterans National Convention, held in Honolulu, Hawaii. Because of the full conference schedule, interviews conducted at the reunion were generally shorter in length than …

George T.
vh George T. "Joe" Sakato Interview Segment 35 (ddr-manz-1-29-35)
Charging at the enemy after witnessing the death of friend and fellow soldier
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