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 (239)
Military service (3285)
442nd Regimental Combat Team (3015)

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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3015 items
img "Leghorn Italy 'Paramount Theatre'" (ddr-densho-201-237)
Caption on front: "Leghorn [a.k.a. Livorno] Italy 'Paramount Theatre.' Went to see movie in Leghorn by the dirty canal. Kids swam in it."
Soldier (ddr-densho-201-491)
img Soldier (ddr-densho-201-491)
Caption on album: "Takashi Okamoto / California."
Soldiers watching dolphins (ddr-densho-201-819)
img Soldiers watching dolphins (ddr-densho-201-819)
Soldiers on a ship taking them back to the United States.
Two Japanese American soldiers at Leaning Tower of Pisa (ddr-densho-201-95)
img Two Japanese American soldiers at Leaning Tower of Pisa (ddr-densho-201-95)
Caption on reverse: "Satoshi Tamura, Yasukichi Arakaki, 1st Plt. Bell on Leaning Tower of Pisa."
Japanese American men Hawaiian beach (ddr-densho-201-280)
img Japanese American men Hawaiian beach (ddr-densho-201-280)
Two Japanese American men on the beach. Caption on front: "Shun Morishige." Caption on post-it note in album: "Tom Harimoto, I Co. Honolulu, HI."
Soldiers swimming (ddr-densho-201-545)
img Soldiers swimming (ddr-densho-201-545)
Caption in album: "Gedi Italy / 1945 June/July / Warren Tamura / Emo Suzuki / Jim Tateoka / John Nakano."
Soldiers touring New York City upon returning to the United States (ddr-densho-201-778)
img Soldiers touring New York City upon returning to the United States (ddr-densho-201-778)
Caption on front: "Times Square." Caption in album: "New York City / Tosai, Tanemura / 'Coming home' / Sept. 1946."
Italian buildings in rubble (ddr-densho-201-117)
img Italian buildings in rubble (ddr-densho-201-117)
Italian buildings in rubble. Caption on reverse: "Moulto Bombado"--possibly intended to translate as "very bombarded."
Guest card for Florence hotel (ddr-densho-201-265)
img Guest card for Florence hotel (ddr-densho-201-265)
"Hotel Majestic, Florence, Italy, Operated by Headquarters Command P.B.S. Transient Enlisted Personnel, Guest Card, This card must be presented for all meals. Expires 25/7/46, Room No. 16."
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