Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1923-1-1

Lugar de Nacimiento

Lawai, Kauai HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

, Schofield Barracks HI

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat

Unidades a las que sirvió

I Co. 442nd Infantry

Especialidad militar

Mortar

Asignado

U.S.A., Italy, Germany

Retirado

Ft. Sherman IL

Responsabilidad en la unidad

To defend our country against the Axis powers.

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

Italy - Appenines - Rome, Massa Mtn., Carrara, Genoa and La Speua; France - Vosges, Bruyeres, Biffontaine, Belmont and rescue of lost battalion.

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

Combat Infantry Citation w/ 3 clusters - for combat duty in Italy & France; Purple Heart Medal w/one Oak Leaf Cluster for wound received, rescuing lost battalion and for wound received in final Italy push; Bronze Star for battle in France & Italy

Condiciones de Vida

While in training - slept in barracks and in the fields. Ate mostly K rations in combat and slept in fox holes. No bath or hot meals until I returned to rest area.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

First day of action in Suverto, Italy, saw many dead Germans and battered equipment. Thought it was going to be everyday - scared the hell out of me.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

My parents and a girl friend which I didn't have.

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

Once in early April, 1945, six of us were having our K-ration lunch - inside of a shallow dugout which was about 15 ft wide. We heard a whistling sound which turned out to be a mortar shell which landed in the center without exploding. Everyone look at each other and just took off the only person I could remember was my close friend, Smitty Koga.

Información adicional

I was very fortunate to have visited places like New Orleans, Washington, D.C., NYC, Chicago, London, Paris, Rome and many places which I wouldn't have gone to if I didn't volunteer for the 442nd Inf. regiment.