Youth Hi-Lites: A Battle With Many Fronts- The 442nd
A Battle With Many Fronts- The 442nd - Youth Hi-Lites
by Peter Pflug-Tilton
Friends of Minidoka Intern, University of Washington
MISLS Class Portrait, Date Unknown. Courtesy of the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee, Densho
When the U.S. decided to allow Japanese Americans to volunteer for the war, many incarcerees understandably had mixed emotions. Prior to being allowed to enlist for the segregated, 442 Regimental Combat Team, their exclusion had created more of a reason for many to feel a sense of rejection and betrayal. At one of the early meetings at Minidoka about the Army and Employment program, the assistant project director discussed different considerations for enlisting, mentioning it would prove loyalty, and he also listed some of the reasons many might have been skeptical. After this talk, some left the building in anger while others sat in silence. Given what incarcerees had been through in the months leading up to that meeting, it was far from being a simple matter to evaluate.
Though the reasons varied greatly from person to person – it was an easier decision for some than for others – many decided to join the 442nd RCT, which made significant contributions during the Italian campaign as well as in France. They received numerous honors but also due to decisions from above, experienced especially high casualties, as was the case in October of 1944, when they famously saved the 141st or “the lost battalion” in the Vosges mountains, who were encircled by the Germans. On steep hillsides of pine trees, they fought back the Germans to save the 141st. A March 1945 edition of the Irrigator mentions how the “lost battalion” gifted the 442nd a silver plaque; one of the many honors they garnered. However, it came at a price. Medal of Honor recipient George T. Sakata mentions in an interview that K company returned with only seventeen of the forty men when it was over.
Looking back, many have wondered if the 442nd was not always given proper rest. Commander James Lovell gave his take in an interview mentioning that the battalion was told there would be replacements prior to the rescue of the lost battalion which never came; he felt they were viewed as men “who could get the job done”, but also mentioned that they deserved a break. The 442nd often played a crucial role, but success was not without cost.
Beyond the accomplishments of infantry and artillery units, there were also the Japanese Americans who performed essential intelligence work. Given the shortage of personnel who knew Japanese – in 1941 there were only a handful of officers who spoke it – the Military Intelligence Service School was formed. Many Nisei mention that at the time of their recruitment – and to the surprise of some officials – they did not speak fluent Japanese; skill level varied greatly.
The job of interpreters and language specialists from a strategic standpoint was arguably as important as the actual fighting on the ground. There is a story from the Pacific campaign in Saipan where interpreter, Hoichi Kubo received information that the Japanese Military planned to “smash the jewel”, which he knew from his cultural knowledge meant they were putting their energy into a single attack. His accurate interpretation of what might have seemed like an impossible riddle to others, allowed U.S. commanders to anticipate the attack and save many lives.
The 442nd made significant contributions on the battlefield and graduates of the MISLS assisted to gather invaluable intel at a time when the idea of volunteering was fraught with complicated dilemmas back at home; relationships were fragile. Their accomplishments should be remembered, as should the circumstances they happened under.
Honor Roll, c.1944 Courtesy of the Mitsuoka Family Collection, Densho