Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1916-12-16

Lugar de Nacimiento

Hanford CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1941-3-31, Hollywood CA

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat

Unidades a las que sirvió

F-Co., 163rd Inf. Reg.
41st Division, Hq & Hq Co.
1544th SU, Ft. Thomas, KY
Spl Weapons Training, Ft. McClellan, AL
I-Company, 442nd Regimental Combat Team

Especialidad militar

Rifleman, bugler, radioman, telephone man, supply clerk, anti-mine and demolition man.

Asignado

USA: Washington, Kentucky, Alabama
Other Countries: France, Italy

Retirado

Camp Locket CA

Responsabilidad en la unidad

Infantry combat

Responsabilidad individual

While with the I Company, 442nd RCT, radio & telephone communication and anti-mine.

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

Po Valley Campaign
Central Europe Campaign
No. Apennines Campaign

Reconocimientos, medallas, menciones (individuales o de la unidad)

Unit citation for the Lost Battalion rescue
Bronze Star for Lost Battalion rescue
Purple Heart w/cluster for action in France and Italy
Combat Infantryman Badge
Good Conduct medal
Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign w/3 Battle Stars
American Defense Badge
American Campaign Badge

I was the 300 Radioman in Tak Senzaki's patrol and this patrol was the very first to contact the Lost Battalion. I believe a soldier by the name of Mut Sakamoto made the first contact.

Condiciones de Vida

Oct./Nov. 1944, due to rain and snow, I slept in fox-holes sitting on my helmet. Usually fox-holes were muddy and cold.
We were very fortunate that I Company cooks were very active and brought us warm food whenever they could and they made a great effort to have rice and okazu Hawaiian style.
In our free time in rest camp, we got clean clothings and a bath in some public bath where available.
We all scampered around looking for perfumes.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

Following the Lost Battalion episode, I-Company pressed forward for several days and ended up with only 5 riflemen. T/5 Taba was leading us with some medics, litter bearers and artillery observers.

The Po valley push in Italy was a disaster for us as one day in April, 1955 our command post was hit by a direct fire and although I was injured with a couple of other soldiers, something like 15 men lost their lives with a single shell.

Our first contact with France, going from Dijon to Lyon, the train stopped and everybody jumped out of the 40 x 8 as they had no toilet facility, and going to the station restroom, we found our way to the water closet location. And as each one of us felt comfortable and relaxed, standing on a shower-pan like device, looked around and found a chain device and to our surprise, we all got our boots washed as well as the others.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

We missed a good home cooked meal and a good rest.

¿En lo personal, qué obtuvo de su experiencia militar?

We witnessed the devastation of what war can do - not only to material things but to people as well. France was not as bad as Italy where the Germans had sacked the country, people had no food, and it wasn't uncommon to hear of brothers pimping for their family. And they all needed U.S. money so they could deal in the black market.

Información adicional

Allthough I was injured twice and still disabled, I was able to go to school and get married. I had a good life, even worked for 18 years for the City of Gardena, before I retired. It could only happen in the good ole USA.