Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner was the first commanding officer of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Born in Hilo, Hawaii, he was the Executive Officer of the 298th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard, at the time of the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Five months later, when the decision was made to create a battalion composed of Nisei soldiers, he was one of several officers who volunteered to command this new unit.
Firmly believing in the Nisei’s loyalty to the United States and in their ability to be an outstanding combat unit, Colonel Turner did not hesitate to correct senior officers if disparaging remarks were made about “his boys.” He continually advocated for them to be treated in the same manner as any other American soldiers. As an indication of their respect and high regard for him, “the boys” affectionately called him the “Old Man.”
In October 1943, a month after the 100th Infantry Battalion had arrived in Italy, Colonel Turner was relieved of his command. At 48 years old, he was older than the norm for a combat battalion commander, and the stress of seeing so many of “his boys” seriously and mortally wounded in battle took its toll.
When he returned to Hawaii, Colonel Turner visited the families of 100th soldiers and remained active in Club 100. He was highly respected and admired, not only by the Japanese American community, but the greater community of Hawaii. He returned as Vice President to Lewers and Cooke, a large building supply company in Honolulu. Before he died in 1959, Colonel Turner was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower and served six years as Secretary of the Territory of Hawaii. This position was the second highest government position in Hawaii after the governor.
Courtesy of Albert (Bert) Turner, the son of Colonel Turner, this collection consists of over 100 letters written to Colonel Turner in 1944 and 1945, most of them by 100th Infantry Battalion officers and enlisted men who had been under his command.
S/Sgt. J. Akamine
March 11, 1944
R.M. Allen
December 15, 1944
Col. W A. Anderson
November 27, 1944
Col. W.A. Anderson
January 30, 1945
Pvt. Lee H. Blood
October 23, 1946
Lt R.A. Drolet
September 4, 1945
George (Bud) Faulder
October 17, 1944
Geo (Bud) Faulder
March 28, 1945
George (Bud) Faulder
March 31, 1945
Andy Fraser
November 24, 1944
Capt. Andy Fraser
April 24, 1945
Capt Mits Fukuda
November 2, 1943
1st Sgt John K Hatori
February 14, 1945
Blair Henderson
December 1, 1944
Lt. Col. Blair E Henderson
December 22, 1944
Lt. Col. Blair E Henderson
March 15, 1945
Col. Blair E. Henderson
June 29, 1945
Pvt. Edward T Hirokawa
July 16, 1944
Lt. Colonel John H. Hougen
August 4, 1944
Lt. Col. John H. Hougen
March 26, 1945
Leroy A. Howland
January 3, 1947
Pfc Roy Izumi
June 14, 1945
Izumi
Date unknown
Capt R.T. Kainuma
August 20, 1944
Kaji
July 19, 1944
H Kajikawa
October 26, 1944
WOJG Hideo Kajikawa
August 13, 1944
WO Hideo Kajikawa
October 7, 1944
Eugene Kawakami
November 15, 1944
H. Kawano
July 16, 1945
Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
June 27, 1945
Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
Date unknown
Mitsuyuki Kido
October 24, 1944
Capt K Kometani
May 24, 1944
Capt K Kometani
September 7, 1944
Capt K Kometani
October 5, 1944
Capt K Kometani
October 25, 1944
Capt K Kometani
November 10, 1944
K. Kometani
December 12, 1944
Captain K. Kometani
December 14, 1944
Capt K Kometani
December 15, 1944
Capt K Kometani
January 6, 1945
Capt K Kometani
February 28, 1945
Capt K Kometani
April 16, 1945
Capt K Kometani
May 14, 1945
Capt K Kometani
June 1, 1945
George Landy
April 24, 1945
Col. Phil F. Lindeman
May 24, 1945
Major James W. Lovell
June 25, 1945
Maj Jim W Lovell
July 1, 1944
Maj Jim W Lovell
July 6, 1944
Maj Jim W. Lovell
December 18, 1944
Maj Jim W Lovell
January 14, 1945
Maj. Jim W. Lovell
September 27, 1944
Maj Jim W Lovell
October 23, 1944
Maj Jim W. Lovell
December 28, 1944
Maj. Jim W. Lovell
February 18, 1945
Capt Frank Marzano
November 11, 1944
Capt. Rocco G Marzano
January 16, 1945
Capt. R J Mac McKelvy
February 9, 1945
Jack Mizuha
October 1944
Capt Jack Mizuha
January 10, 1945
Capt Jack H Mizuha
December 30, 1944
Captain Jack H Mizuha
April 6, 1945
T/Sgt Wallace T Morioka
June 28, 1944
Walter Nakamoto
May 3, 1945
WOJG Nick FM Nakamura
June 28, 1951
Pvt Edward K Nashiwa
November 14, 1944
Yoshiharu Nishida
June 27, 1944
Cpl John Ito Ogura
December 11, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
August 14, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
September 20, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
October 17, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
December 3, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
December 24, 1944
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
February 20, 1945
T/Sgt Tad Ohta
May 24, 1945
T/Sgt Andrew M Okamura
June 5, 1945
Pfc Y Omiya
Date unknown
Lt. Col Jos. I. Orville
February 18, 1945
Ken Otagaki
July 9
W Bill Overbeck
July 26, 1945
Maj W Bill Overbeck
Date unknown
Capt. Philip B. Peck
December 19, 1944
Chaplain/Lt. Col. Edward M. Pennell, Jr.
January 17, 1945
Wm S. Pye
January 8, 1946
Cpl. Shinobu Tofukuji
October 29, 1944
Cpl. Shinobu Tofukuji
November 23, 1944
T/5 Shinobu Tofukuji
December 20, 1944
Pfc. R Tomita
June 8, 1944
Pfc R Tomita
October 5, 1944
Farrant Turner
July 29, 1944
Sgt Gary Uchida
August 21, 1944
Lt Col, AGD Dee M White
April 16, 1945
Pvt. John M Yamanoha
July 18, 1945
T/4 H Yamashita
June 6, 1945
Chaplain I Yost
September 20, 1944
Israel A.S. Yost
February 26, 1946
Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
Date unknown
Howard
Date unknown
Jim (Major James Lovell)
September 3, 1944
Jim (Major James Lovell)
May 21, 1945
Kai (Dr. Richard Kainuma)
July 2, 1944
Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
October 31, 1944
Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
November 15, 1944
Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
May 5, 1945
Steve
July 10, 1944
Unknown author
November 8, 1944
Unknown author
October 9, 1944
Unknown author
November 29, 1944
Unknown author
April 6, 1945