Club 100 was formed after World War II when the 100th Infantry Battalion soldiers returned to Hawaii. In April 1, 1946, the Club published its first newsletter called, the Puka Puka Parade (PPP). The PPPs have chronicled the lives of the veterans and the many Club activities that took place for over 65 years. In 2001, Club 100 was renamed the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans.
The clubhouse was a busy place with meetings, family nights, holiday parties, and veterans stopping by to “talk story.” Groups met to pursue their interest in orchid propagation, dancing, ukulele, and singing. Club leagues were established in bowling, softball, and golf. Groups of veterans and their wives made numerous trips to Japan. There were also visits to Fort McCoy, Lacrosse and Sparta, Wisconsin and the sites of their Army service in Italy and France. All of these activities were reported in the PPP, along with the veterans’ recollections of their war experiences.
These articles were selected for the information and insight they provide about battalion history, individual 100th soldiers, and the role that the veterans played in their community. Many of the stories were written by the veterans based on their memories of their wartime experiences. Complete issues of the Puka Puka Parade can be found at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Hamilton Library or on their website http://evols.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/community-list.
Read these selected articles by clicking on the navigation to the right of the page.