Description from the Title Page

The 442nd had joined the 141st, 142nd, and 143rd Infantry Regiments, as part of the 36th Division, in a mission to clear the thickly wooded Vosges Mountains of enemy units.

On October 15, the 442nd entered combat and after eight days of intense fighting successfully achieved it initial assigned objective: the taking of three villages neighboring the Vosges Mountains, Bruyeres, Biffontaine and Belmont.

The 442nd, when relieved on October 23, was a badly battered unit. Barely two days later, it received divisional orders to rescue the beleaguered 1st Battalion of the 141st Infantry Regiment. This unit, having been surrounded for five days by enemy forces, was at risk of complete annihilation. The attacks of the depleted 142nd and the 143rd Regiments were proving ineffectual to save 275 men reported to be still "active."

Under the daily exhortation of Division Commander Major General John Dahlquist to rescue the endangered unit at all costs, the 442nd reached the "Lost Battalion" on October 30. The toll was tremendous: the rescuers suffered over 800 casualties to free 211 survivors of the Battalion.

The 442nd was finally relieved on November 8. The official daily entry for that date in the Combat Operations Journal of the 442nd Regimental Combat reads: "The heavy fighting that the regiment has been through was reflected by the fighting strength of the line companies. I Co. had 4 riflemen; K Co. had 17 riflemen: …" However, intense research and cross-interviewing of I Company survivors of this historic battle lead the Item Chapter Memoirs Project Team to conclude, "and the there were eight."

Preface

There is no central theme in this book. There can't be one because each story is told by an individual with a unique background, facing unique experiences. Thus, the book is not intended to convey a single viewpoint. It is simply the product of former comrades-in-arms responding to a broad call to send in stories and personal photos of their wartime experiences.

There is, however, a common thread underlying the stories - an uncommon loyalty to country and to their comrades and families - which, after the war, turned into an uncommon bond of friendship and devotion to one another that survives the passage of time and the separation of distance. Highlighted is the one battle - the rescue of the "Lost Battalion" - for which I Company along with other units of the 442nd has gained national recognition. Stories by men involved in the battle - not only the men of I Company but also the field observers of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, the 442nd medics, and the survivors of the liberated "Lost Battalion," 141st Infantry Regiment - have been included. Barney Hajiro, recipient of the Medal of Honor, does not speak for himself; but his comrades and the military citation itself do so.

Presented also are historical perspectives that reveal why the general population of Japanese ancestry in the Territory of Hawaii did not face the harsh treatments of their counterparts on the West Coast. Key individuals reflect on these contrasting happenings and on the eventual formation of the 442nd Combat Team. History is revisited at a very personal level by a few I Company men.

Finally, but actually at the beginning of our book, we honor those comrades, who did not survive the battles to tell their own stories, by presenting photos and brief biographical profiles of each of them.

This book embodies a sharing of aspects of our life-transforming experiences and our reflections on them. Obviously, it offers only a glimpse into how we as infantrymen were trained and went into battle in "Go for Broke" style, a glimpse into what sustained us and enabled us to achieve what we did so that we could proudly, "without shame," return to our families.

We are grateful for having been given this privilege of serving our country and its people. We are grateful to our parents for having instilled in us cultural values that enabled us to persevere with courage and honor throughout our military service.

Our work is not done. We shall continue to serve our community by sharing our knowledge and experiences, and by passing on the legacy of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to succeeding generations of young people.

As you read the written words and view the many images, we hope you might hear or sense the sounds of grief, pain, and laughter. We hope too that this book will contribute towards greater understanding of the impact of war and greater appreciation of what is entailed in living responsibly in a precious democracy such as ours.

Please note that these personal stories are memories put into writing, memories that, for over half a century, were not reinforced through retellings to family or friends. They were rekindled only whenever we got together as "war buddies." Thus the details may differ, but the events nonetheless did occur. Also, in the editing process we consulted sources deemed reliable; and in cases where conflicting data were found, we made educated guesses. In spite of these diligent efforts, errors of commission and omission are possible. I therefore apologize for any inadvertent omissions and for any inaccuracies or misinformation contained herein.

Edward M. Yamasaki
Chair, I Company, 442nd RCT, Memoirs Project
Honolulu, Hawaii

Quotes from Back Cover