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The 100th Infantry
Battalion, also known as the Purple
Heart Battalion,
was made up of allJapanese-American
volunteers from Hawaii who fought in
World
War II
(W.W.II). These men had been treated
unfairly
by many of their fellow American citizens, but
still wanted to help fight for the country they
thought of as "home." These Japanese-Americans were
1, 432 prewar draftees
from the 298th, which was made up of men from Oahu,
Hawaii and 299th Regiments, which was made up of
men from the neighbor
islands of Hawaii. They included the Hawaii National Guard, activated Army Reservists, and regular Army personnel. The 100th Infantry Battalion left Hawaii in early June 1942 for training. During most of the war Lt. Turner led the 100th Battalion.  The 100th Battalion later joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Civitavecchia, north of Rome. The 100th and 442nd was given little time to socialize and get comfortable before they moved into combat. They went to Camp Shelby for training, and then moved on the Oran, Africa. There they were assigned to non-combat duty. They then moved to Italy. Because of skepticism of the 100th's loyalty, Washington requested daily reports from General Clark, who commanded the 100th Battalion. The general reported that their conduct and performance were exemplary, and that the 100th took every enemy objective assigned to them. After Salerno, the 100th advanced northward through many towns and villages where they came across much enemy fire, especially on the Volturno River. They then proceeded to Monte Cassino. This was in the middle of winter in January 1944. The 100th, now fighting with the 34th Division was greatly wounded. They left, and later it took five other divisions, which were aided by heavy air power to capture Cassino. Because the 100th was now reduced to several hundred men, soldiers from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who at that time just completed their training at Camp Shelby, went to join them. Now with more soldiers, the 100th resumed their battles near Anzio. They then were ordered to stop about a mile out of the city. Questions still remain whether the 100th was not trusted, and was deliberately held back to allow a Caucasian unit to march first. The Nisei soldiers were very disappointed. After they fought long and hard, they were not able to experience Rome's great welcoming and celebration of their victory. They passed on the outer edge of the celebration, unrecognized and unheralded. A More Perfect Union, Japanese
Americans and the Constitution: |
