…Hawaii Dear Colonel: I was very happy to receive your Christmas card and accompanying letter. It was indeed a coincidence and, I am sure a pleasant one, that you were able to entertain General Ryder, Colonel Henderickson, and Captain Smith at your home in Honolulu. I have extended your greetings to Colonels White and Ritchie. Your old 100th Battalion has certainly had a rough experience. You can have the satisfaction of having lead an outfit with…

…e headline reading, “Army Has Whole Battalion of Japs”. But the article is complimentary. Another communication dated October 26, 1943, from Headquarters, Army Ground Forces, states that the “combat record of an Infantry battalion composed of Japanese American personal emphasizes the fact that these people have earned the respect, admiration, confidence and friendliness of all members of our Armed Forces.” Of all the mementos and honors the Old Ma…

…ea of Lanuvio, Italy. “C” Company lost about 40 men that day including its Company commander and executive officer. So in the midst of battle, Lt. Ethridge became the acting company commander. Rome fell about two days later. The 442nd came to Italy and the 1OOth became the 1st Bn of the 442nd RCT. While this reorganization was being put into effect, “C” Company was having a critique on the battle of Lanuvio. Lanuvio was my first battle as a replac…

…interesting war stories which demonstrated the uniqueness of his military experience. At the end of the war in 1945, Howard found himself on Truk Atoll, which had been a major Japanese naval base in the South Pacific. While there, it was his duty to interrogate a captured Japanese naval officer who had paid a significant role during the war. It was Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo of the Imperial Japanese Navy, who had commanded the Japanese carrier s…

…So I handed him the card. He looked at me angrily and walked away only to come back with his superior. They took me to their CO and they exchanged a few words and started hitting and kicking me. All three of them against me and they finally kicked me out of the building and left me there. When I came to, I found myself still outside the building unguarded; so I waited until nightfall in the same position and escaped. I made it back to our lines s…

…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…

…r forward post until enemy action killed them, many of us might never have come away alive from the Pozzilli area of Italy. There are present here today some of us who owe our very lives to the dogged determination of comrades who would not give ground, but who fought valiantly on to win security for the rest of us of the battalion. There was never any fear at the battalion aid station that the enemy would suddenly appear to threaten us; we knew t…

…it some months back as an ambulance driver and have had a most stimulating experience up here. Came over on a fast troopship several months back and found a lot of ships officers aboard that I had travelled with in more peaceful days- We were officer privileges in camp in U.S. on the ship and generally in Italy but can’t demand anything beyond treatment as privates. Managed to [wrangle?] a sail on several days down Naples way and took in several o…

…me when he came in. Lt Ko was also in the rough deal & had some unpleasant experience. It seems it’s going to be kind of hard to collect from the boys for a while for Club 100. There isn’t very many members left. It would be very good idea to have those coming home – collect & start the ball rolling. We appreciate what ever you do. The 442 does not has that old One puka puka fight & “spirit”. Got a very nice letter from Mr. Deacon & please express…

…my heart when it happened. It was a grand outfit and my job as service co. commander was just “what the doctor ordered”. I had a grand bunch of boys and only wish I had another one like them I was also acting reg S-4 (in addition to my other duties) and I got a lot of wonderful experience. Lot of good it does me NOW! You say you saw Smoot, Keals and Simmy and you add “I guess you know what means”. No, I don’t know; please explain. I have no idea w…