Go For Broke Brochure

              The Presidio Army Museum
§GO FOR BROKE
An exhibit honoring the Japanese American 100th Infantry
Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team —
the "most decorated unit of World War II..."
JL« This is the story of Americans of Japanese ancestry
who fought in World War II against the armies of the Third
Reich. It is the story of the 100th Infantry Battalion and
the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and their phoenix-like
emergence from the ashes of suspicion and fear to an almost
unparalleled position of honor and regard.
The opening chapter began with the formation of the
100th Infantry Battalion. Early in 1942, there were many
Japanese Americans already in the army in Hawaii. A number of them were serving with the 298th and 299th Regiments of the Hawaiian National Guard stationed at
Schofield Barracks, Honolulu. Soon after the attack on
Pearl Harbor, their loyalty was in question. They were
disarmed and assigned to menial labor. The Hawaiian community urged that a Japanese American unit be formed
from these trained men. The Army responded by creating a
battalion of Americans of Japanese ancestry— this was the
beginning of the 100th Infantry Battalion.
In June 1942, this group of 1300 men arrived in Oakland,
California, and on June 12, 1942, was officially christened
the 100th Infantry Battalion. The 100th then moved by rail
and truck to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and attached to the
Second Army. Shortly after their arrival, approximately
100 men were detached and assigned to the Military Intelligence School (MIS) at Camp Savage, Minnesota. In February 1943, the 100th Infantry Battalion was transferred to
Camp Shelby, Mississippi, to participate in maneuvers in
Mississippi and Louisiana and to undergo large-unit training before deployment for combat. Their training record
was so superb that the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
was activated on February 1, 1943. A call then went out for
Americans of Japanese ancestry to volunteer for service as
a demonstration of their loyalty. More than 2500 men from
Hawaii and 1300 men from the mainland responded to this
call. Many of the mainland volunteers who came forth to
serve had families that were being unjustly held in internment centers behind barbed wire fences.
During the summer of 1943, the 100th and their new
"baby brother." the 442nd, met briefly at Camp Shelby. The
Army was still seeking answers to the question: how would
American soldiers of Japanese ancestry acquit themselves
in combat?
Numbers refer to exhibit areas in the Presidio Army Museum.
• * They were superb!
The men ofthe 100/442
took terrific casualties.
They showed rare courage and tremendous
fighting spirit... everybody wanted them."
— Gen. George C.
Marshall
Jmdm In an attempt to find some answers, the 100th Infantry Battalion was sent overseas on August 11, 1943. They
arrived in Oran, North Africa, and were attached to the
renowned "Red Bull" 34th Division. On September 22,
1943, the 100th landed on the beaches of Salerno, Italy.
They engaged in their first firefight at Montemarano on
the 28th. This was followed by fierce fighting at three
separate crossings of the Rapido River. Combat intensity
became even greater at Volturno and Cassino and at the
final breakout from the Anzio beachhead. During these
battles, the 100th met every military objective. They overcame enemy minefields, tanks, and railway artillery. They
made bayonet charges, fought off countless counterattacks, and held the high ground. Their ferocity in action
and their determination to win against all odds led to their
having such high casualties that they earned the name of
the "Purple Heart Batallion."
This fame was dearly won, and over 1000 Purple Hearts
were awarded during this period. Major James Gillespie,
the commander of the 100th stated: "They call themselves
just plain Americans... they have earned the right... Anybody who calls these doughboys "Jap" is the most narrow-
minded person I know of. They are just as American as I
am." The men of the 100th had proved that the loyalty of
the U.S. soldiers of Japanese American ancestry was
beyond question.
The superb combat record of the 100th plus an excellent
training record led to the decision to send the 442nd into
action overseas. The first battalion was left in Camp Shelby
to serve as a replacement unit. On June 10, north of Rome,
the 100th was attached to the 442nd, retaining its 100th
designation on orders from the War Department in recognition of the battalion's outstanding combat record. Thus
the final 442nd Regimental Combat Team consisted of the
100th Infantry Battalion, the Second and Third Battalions, the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, the 232nd Engineering Company, the 206th Army Band, an Anti-Tank Company, a Cannon Company, and a Service Company.
The 100/442 first engaged the enemy on June 26,1944, at
Belvedere, Italy, where, spearheaded by the 100th, the
Combat Team won an outstanding victory. This was followed
by one battle after another until the end of the war, leading
to a total of five major campaigns. The 442nd's efficiency
and fighting ability quickly approached that of its precursor, the famed 100th Infantry "Purple Heart" Battalion. In
the early phases of fighting, the 100/442 was instrumental
in the capture of Livorno, Italy, and in pushing the German
Army north of the Arno River. In August, 1944, the
100/442 Anti-Tank Company took part in operation Anvil
(invasion of Southern France). Meanwhile, back in Italy,
the 100/442 established positions just beyond the Arno
River. They left these positions to rejoin their Anti-TEink
Company in France.
Cl« Reconstituted, the 100/442 Regimental Combat
Team moved up the Rhone valley in "40 and 8's" to Epinal
where they were attached to the 36th Division. Almost
immediately thereafter they were pressed into action.
After three days of bitter fighting, the 100/442 liberated
the French town of Bruyeres on October 18,1944. After the
fall of Bruyeres, the 100/442 fought on to secure the high
ground beyond the town. The 100/442 suffered 1200 casualties in this operation. They were relieved on October 23 for
a rest—but not for long. On October 27,1944, they received
orders to break the German ring that surrounded the "Lost
Battalion" of the 141st Regiment, 36th Division. The "Lost
Battalion" had been isolated for almost a week and was low
on food and ammunition—the 100/442 was ordered to reach
them at any cost. The 100/442 was at half strength, only
300 replacements had reached them. Nevertheless, they
moved into action, and during the next four days, they