<Begin Segment 35>

TI: So, Mits, I'm holding a display that your wife June made that shows your, your medals. And I thought if you could just briefly explain sort of what is in this case.

MT: I think this is a good conduct medal, and as long as you kept your nose clean in the service, automatically got that. So it's not a high decoration -- [laughs] -- but it's a little fun decoration. These are my battle ribbons, south Italy, northern Italy, France. And these are the ribbons that I was awarded. Actually, the French ribbon is where I was actively in the service. This is what is called the Combat Infantryman's Badge. It was issued only to ones that were in the infantry, whether they were, I think, even the, if you were a paratrooper and things like that, they were able to get the Combat Infantryman's Badge. This is what you call the Presidential Citation, which the 442 were given, I think three or four of 'em. As a unit, it's a citation given to the unit, not to the individual. Our discharge pin, when I got out of the service it was given to me. Purple Heart that I received. The Bronze Star, which during World War II, was a medal of valor, and which was a highly... what would you say, respected medal. But to me, they had degraded that to a point where anybody that served in World War II, if they applied, they can get a Bronze Star. And it seems a shame because during the war, lot of fellows did some great things, gave the lives, and earned the Bronze Star. This in the center is the Silver Star that I received, and it's a medal of valor. Can't remember too much why I got it, but it was given to me and I'm very, very proud of it.

And hopefully, this display, I want to have a picture taken, and I want to donate it to the Nisei Veterans Hall. And whether they'll display it or not I don't know, but it's something that I want to give to the Nisei Vets Hall. And we were there, I think, almost every other week. I think they did a terrific job there, and it's a place where second, third, fourth generation, I think they'd enjoy it if they went through there and look at some of the displays they have there. And unfortunately, the fellows from the MIS or the Military Intelligence Service were not recognized as highly as the Nisei 442, but they did a terrific job as I think General McArthur's aide said, the Niseis, or the members of the MIS shortened World War II by as much as two years. And two years of combat, when you think about the thousands and thousands of lives that were lost, it's a tremendous honor that they have. And unfortunately, they're not recognized too much because so much of what they did was classified. And just recently, they are starting to release some of the things that they did. But twenty years ago, no one hardly knew anything about the Military Intelligence, which is, I think there were something like six thousand Niseis that were in that group. But they're a great part of the Nisei veterans' legacy.

TI: So just to finish this, let me just, I want to read the citation for the Silver Star. "Mitsuru Takahashi, Private Infantry Company L, 442 Regimental Combat Team, for gallantry and action near Mount Folgorita in Tendola, Italy, on 6-April and 20-April, 1945. On 6-April, 1945, when his platoon was pinned down by an enemy machine gun, Private Takahashi advanced despite the fire and knocked out the position. On 20-April, 1945, near Tendola, Italy, during an ambush, although wounded in the chest, he defeated an enemy attempt to flank his platoon, continuing to hold off the enemy 'til loss of blood rendered him unconscious. Private Takahashi's heroism is in keeping with the finest traditions of the Army of the United States, and is deserving of the highest praise. Entered service from Salt Lake City, Utah." And that was the citation. So I just wanted to read that for the record. So thank you very much again for, for the interview.

<End Segment 35> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.