…ion for another helpless human being. In November 1943, the men of E and F companies were assigned to other companies as replacements for those depleted forces. Hayashi joined Company A under Capt. Mits Fukuda. Hayashi’s heroism on November 29, 1943, near Cerasuolo (Colli), Italy, was where he distinguished himself in battle, earning the Distinguished Service Cross which was upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor in the year 2000, the Medagl…

…he lead, the 100th was the point battalion in a task force that included a company of tanks, a company of tank destroyers, and two companies of 4.2 chemical mortars–a formidable mobile aggressor force, indeed, but also a tempting target for enemy gunners. And in the confusion of battle, as though he did not already have enough things to worry about, Miyake, a lieutenant and executive officer of Company A, had his hands full trying to stop some art…

…t my responsibilities for the 100th is pau. Now that this is the case, I’m free to consider and decide on several offers with surgical units. They seem to think well of my surgical ability and want me on their teams. If I decide & get away from my 4F condition you’ll be hearing via APO [number?] before long. I don’t want to take advantage of the Cir 273 yet & I’d rather see my folks when this mess is finished. You wanted to know what’s wrong with…

…us members. Furthermore, according to Lt. Kuramoto, the instructions from Command were while in combat, you do not ask, “When the hell are you going to have a break?” Col. Turner may have made that kind of request. It was just as well the colonel got relieved at that time, for he was spared the burden of responsibility of the heavy casualties the 100th Infantry Battalion sustained up to Cassino. In preparation for the last crossing of the Volturn…

…set out for Hill 920 to try and take the hill under the leadership of the company commander. This included company headquarters, 1st platoon, and 2nd platoon. While all of this was happening we had to have our supplies of food and water. Each evening we sent a ration and water detail of about 20 men for our supplies. They started out as soon as night fell because it was dangerous to move about in daylight. To get to the supply dump and bring up t…

…ier, a messenger innocently cycling in the middle of a monorail, to escape completely free despite the thunderous barrage of fire by a platoon less than fifty yards away. Our aim was, in essence, carelessly directed all around him and not seriously at him. The second anecdote occurred two days later in the thick forest across the monorail. Halfway up the hill, after knocking out a machine gun nest, the squad was ready to advance when a wounded sol…

…nced fall and winter with our first snow at the camp. Captain Johnson, our company commander, created a small skating rink. Ice skating was a novelty for us from tropical Hawaii. Our 7-months of training in Wisconsin was memorable for the trees, vegetation, wild animals and natural environment which were foreign to us but somewhat pleasurable. At the camp, especially on Saturday evenings after a few beers, “Across the Sea” was frequently heard. Ac…

…Hence, the logical development of pidgin English plus sign language and accompanying gestures as a necessary means of communication in business as well as for home use by our parents. Our playmates were from the beginning polyglot, of all nationalities, of varied customs and races, and all living together in and around the same neighborhood. But our mode of life was molded and fashioned by the free public education system which expounded the pr…