Japanese troops in US Army

I have been watching America at War in colour and there was something about a Japanese Division fighting in the US army. Does anyone know anything about this, such as medals they recieved, battles they fought in or veterans still alive? Any information you guys could give would be great. Thanks.

Jet

 

I believe they were the highest decorated unit. They served in the Italian campaign.

"The 442nd/100th sustained 9,486 wounded and over 600 killed suffered, the highest casualty rate of any American unit during the war. For their heroism, the men of the 442nd/100th won fifty-two Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars and the Congressional Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to Pfc. Sadao Munemori. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team also won seven coveted Presidential Unit Citations for its performance. The men in the 100th Battalion alone had earned 900 Purple Hearts, thirty-six Silver Stars, twenty-one Bronze Stars, and three Distinguished Service Crosses."

http://www.marauder.org/nisei02.htm

 

Thanks pzJgr. I had heard that they fought in the Italian campaign. I was quite surprised as one would think that they would have fought in the pacific rather than in Western Theatre. Thanks again.

Jet

 

The reason they were not used in the pacific theater was due to the ease of Japanese spies infiltrating that unit had it been deployed there. Also, I do not think that the US was fully trusting of its Nisei brethern. But they did do the job and have earned their awards.

 

I can see the logic about the ease of Japanese spies infiltrating the unit. Its a shame that those brave men though weren't trusted enough. But maybe it was for the best. Could you imagine them being forced to fight against their fellow countryman, it would of been so horrible and unbearable. Thanks for the information once again pzJgr.

Jet

 

The 100th Infantry Battalion (Nisei) was assigned as 2nd Battalion, 133rd Infantry Regiment, 34th Infantry Division at such places as Salerno, Cassino, Anzio, and Rome. They were later assigned as the 1st Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment (Nisei). The 100th was and is permitted to retain their ordinal number, and still exists as the ONLY Infantry unit in our National Guard, and are stationed in Hawaii.

The 442nd was assigned or attached to the 34th, 88th, and 92nd (Negro) Infantry Divisions at various times and places in Italy, and to the 36th Infantry Division in Southern France. (Think back: who rescued the "Lost Battalion" there?) The 442nd Regimental Combat Team consisted, in the main, of the 442nd Infantry, the 232nd Combat Engineer Battalion, and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion.

On medals awarded, the 442nd received 20 Congressional Medals of Honor, of which 8 went to the 100th Battalion. For a quick overview of MOH recipients in the Mediterranean, see http://www.milhist.net/mto/moh.shtml

For a excellent presentation of the 442nd's history see http://www.homeofheroes.com/moh/nisei/index.html
For a short piece of more recent history, see http://www.34infdiv.org/feature/lastparade.html

The 442nd will have their 60th Anniversary Reunion in Honolulu in April.

 

I quickly correct myself - the 100th Infantry Battalion is the only Infantry unit in today's US Army Reserves, all the other grunts are either Active Army or National Guard.

And the topic title here is gravely in error: we are speaking of American troops of Japanese ancestry, a very different kettle of sushi.

 

A sad thing about my own nations military.... Canada would not allow men or women of asian background in the army after December 7th-8th. Even when desperate for fresh new recruits Japanese Canadians were turned down. I beleive late in the war, under presure from Britain Canada made a regiment of 150 Japanese men, but thats about as good as it got.