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 (283)
Military service (4287)
442nd Regimental Combat Team (3407)

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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3407 items
Nisei soldiers (ddr-densho-37-343)
img Nisei soldiers (ddr-densho-37-343)
Original caption: Cpl. Edward Nakamura, Honolulu, T.H., Gunner, No. 1 Cannoneer; Pvt. Suehiko Yoshida, Puunene, T.H., No. 2 Cannoneer; and Pfc. Mamoru Yonashiro, Oahu, T.H., Telephone Operator, all of [the] 522nd Field Artillery, 442nd Inf. Regt., 34th Div., L to R, are at a 105-mm howitzer firing at the enemy in the battle for Leghorn, Italy. …
Japanese American soldiers (ddr-densho-37-660)
img Japanese American soldiers (ddr-densho-37-660)
Original WRA caption: Ready to report to Ft. Douglas for their first step toward a "fighting life", nine men are shown in their civilian clothes for the last time for the duration. They are, standing, left to right, Yoshio Terada, Frank Yaguchi, John Sadanaga, Ken Namba; seated, Hit Kanzaki, Mitsuru Takahashi, Roy Akabe, Johnny Uno, and …
Japanese American pointing at Honor Roll sign (ddr-densho-37-748)
img Japanese American pointing at Honor Roll sign (ddr-densho-37-748)
Original WRA caption: Fumi Onodera, 20, proudly points at the names of her 3 brothers, Kid, 26; Kaun, 24; and Satoru, 22, on the Honor Roll of Japanese-Americans serving in the U. S. Army from the Minidoka Relocation Center, Hunt, Idaho. The 3 brothers are training in a combat team at Camp Shelby, Mississippi with other …
Nisei soldiers escorting captured Germans (ddr-densho-37-21)
img Nisei soldiers escorting captured Germans (ddr-densho-37-21)
Original caption: "German storm troopers surrender to rifleman of the 100th Infantry Battalion (Americans of Japanese ancestry), after a short but rather sharp exchange of fire. Fifth Army, Orciano area, Italy, July 15, 1944."
Hand grenade drill (ddr-densho-37-754)
img Hand grenade drill (ddr-densho-37-754)
Original WRA caption: Hand grenade drill. A company of Japanese-American soldiers are here shown throwing hand grenades into an open trench. The 442nd combat team at Camp Shelby is composed entirely of Americans of Japanese descent who volunteered for service in the armed forces. This unit of approximately 8000 men is undergoing intensive training in all …
Nisei soldiers (ddr-densho-37-29)
img Nisei soldiers (ddr-densho-37-29)
Original WRA caption: A squad fresh from fighting on the Volturno front huddles around a cook fire in an olive grove to await mess. They trade their flour to other outfits for rice.
Letter to Yuri Domoto from Yoshito Shibata (ddr-densho-356-236)
doc Letter to Yuri Domoto from Yoshito Shibata (ddr-densho-356-236)
Letter to Yuriko Domoto Tsukada from Yoshito Shibata in which he talks about the press a Marine office gave about Nisei soldiers learning Japanese in Minnesota and using it in the Pacific theater, the announcement of the formation of 442nd/100th Battalion, a recent proposal to relocate Japanese Americans into Midwestern states in defense and agricultural jobs, …
James
vh James "Turk" Suzuki Interview Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-204-23)
Receiving protection from a farmer and his family while on a mission in Italy
Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-190-20)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-190-20)
Witnessing segregation Mississippi: "It was a just completely different world for us"

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 33 (ddr-densho-1000-190-33)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 33 (ddr-densho-1000-190-33)
Aftermath of the battle of the "Lost Battalion"; not having time to write to family

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 22 (ddr-densho-1000-190-22)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 22 (ddr-densho-1000-190-22)
Being reviewed by General George C. Marshall before going overseas

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 21 (ddr-densho-1000-190-21)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 21 (ddr-densho-1000-190-21)
Training alongside Japanese Americans from Hawaii: learning pidgin "just so we could get by"

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 40 (ddr-densho-1000-190-40)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 40 (ddr-densho-1000-190-40)
Returning home, meeting a member of the "Lost Battalion" from Texas

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 36 (ddr-densho-1000-190-36)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 36 (ddr-densho-1000-190-36)
Being in a precarious position as reserves during the breaking of the Gothic Line

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-190-26)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-190-26)
Remembering the battle of Hill 140

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 38 (ddr-densho-1000-190-38)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 38 (ddr-densho-1000-190-38)
Escorting a German prisoner of war, feeling angry

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 34 (ddr-densho-1000-190-34)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 34 (ddr-densho-1000-190-34)
Not realizing the 442nd's accomplishments until after the war

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-190-23)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-190-23)
First impressions of war-torn Europe

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 31 (ddr-densho-1000-190-31)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 31 (ddr-densho-1000-190-31)
Pulled out of rest period for the rescue of the "Lost Battalion"

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 43 (ddr-densho-1000-190-43)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 43 (ddr-densho-1000-190-43)
The aftereffects of war: nightmares, reticence to talk about experiences

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 30 (ddr-densho-1000-190-30)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 30 (ddr-densho-1000-190-30)
Combat in Bruyeres: new replacement soldiers seeing battle for the first time

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-190-27)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-190-27)
A squad leader uses improvised Japanese language to communicate with troops

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-190-25)
vh Fred Shiosaki Interview Segment 25 (ddr-densho-1000-190-25)
First experience with combat and casualties

This interview was conducted as part of a project to capture stories of the Japanese American community of Spokane, Washington. Densho worked in collaboration with the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

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