Gender

Male

Birth date

1920-05-01

Place of birth

Kaneohe, Oahu HI, USA

Inducted

1943-03-30, Schofield Barracks HI

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

442nd Regimental Combat Team, Company F

Military specialty

30 caliber light machine gun squad leader

Stationed

USA: Camp Shelby, MS Other countries: Oran, Africa; Italy; France

Separated

Army Separation Center HI

Unit responsibility

Infantry

Personal responsibility

As a 30 caliber light machine gun squad leader, supervised the employment of 5 men and their weapons to provide fire support for other units in capturing and holding enemy positions, picked routes of safety to travel, determined ranges, and issued fire orders. Ensured that orders of platoon sergeant were carried out.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Rome-Arno Campaign Bruyeres, Vosges Campaign - France Champagne Campaign - Southern France Final push, Gothic Line and Po Valley Campaign, Italy.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

American Campaign Service Medal EAME Service Medeal Asiatic Pacific Service Medal Good Conduct Medal Purple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster Presidential Unit Citation (O'Connor Task Force - Vosges, France, 'F' & 'L' Co. attacked the enemy from the rear) Presidential Unit Citation (Fukuda Task Force - Gothic Line, Italy, 'B' & 'F' Co. captured Aulla - last German stronghold)

Living conditions

Most of the time, we slept in slit trenches or fox-holes. Taking a bath and brushing teeth - one month at a time, only on divisional rest period. We call it the three minutes bath. 1 minute to wet yourself, 1 minute to soap, and 1 minute to wash it off - after 3 minutes, the water is turned off and have our change of clothes. The meals was okay, instead of hot chow, we had C or K rations for breakfast, lunch and supper. For entertainment, we drank, sang and talk story on our divisional rest period.

Most vivid memory of military experience

I remember what the civilians were going through in Italy and France. Most of them were without homes and short on food. I see people putting their hands over the garbage can as we threw what was left in our mess kit. Seeing the happy faces of children when we give them C and K rations, and chocolate candies. Seeing fellow soldiers die around you and we hardly knew some of them because they were replacements.

Missed most whilst in the military

I missed my mother, sisters and brothers very much. Also all my friends I used to run around with, because my thoughts on a daily basis - 'when will my time come?'.

Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?

Through military experience the most important thing I learned was to respect others. We became especially close during combat, and always tried to help others. I haven't thought of these things before I went in the service. I want my family to know that I have changed in that respect.

Additional information

While growing up before the war, my dream was to be a fireman. Through my military experience the most important thing I learned was to get along with everyone. With all the experience in the Army - I applied it to my civilian job as Fireman until my retirement. Suehiro's picture was taken by the US Army Signal Corp and captioned 'Sgt. Goichi Suehiro, 442nd squad leader, in St. Die area, France, November 1944. Snow, rain and mud made life miserable for front line troops. Goichi fought in Italy and France without respite and when he finally came to the rest area, he asked his Sgt. "Can I go to the Aid Station?" His Sgt. asked , "Why?" Goichi replied, "I have this shrapnel on my leg and I need to have it taken out." Sgt. asked,"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Goichi said that the boys needed him so he didn't want to be pulled off the line. On the Arno River, while he and Skull Sadao Okuhara were on watch at the River's bank, Sgt. Ohama approached him silently with a bayonet at ready thinking that Goichi was asleep. Goichi looked at Ohama and said, "I saw you coming and I.m not asleep." He was that kind of guy that Skull Okuhara said, "I'll go to hell and back with that man." Written by Ronald Oba.