Banco de Dados da Experiência Militar Nipo-Americana
John Hiroshi Takasugi
19 months: France and Italy
Po Valley Campaign
North Apennines Campaign
Good Conduct Medal
Combat Infantryman Badge
Sharpshooters Badge w/Rifle Bar
Distinguished Unit Badge w/1 Bronze Star
European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Seldom bathed.
C-rations were terrible.
Lucky if you got a couple day pass to the rest area.
The Takasugis came out of an internment camp in Gila, AZ to fight for flag and country as their parents, brothers and sisters remained in the camp, behind barbed wire and under the rifles of Army guards.
Leonard was the first Takasugi brother to die. He was killed in action on April 5, 1945, as his outfit, the 100th Battalion (part of the 442nd RCT), moved against the German's heavily fortified Gothic Line in northern Italy. Knox a resident of Ojai, died in 1996.
John, of Oxnard, retired in 1983 after 30 years of working as an electronic technician at the Point Mugu Pacific Missile Range and died at age 75 on May 21, 1999. George of Gardena is the last surviving family veteran of the 442nd.
John and George entered the Army in the summer of 1944 and Knox joined after them. Leonard, however, had been selected in the first peacetime draft in 1941 and was in the Army when Pearl Harbor was bombed. By 1945 all the brothers were in different companies of the 442nd, but they fought in the same battles. George was wounded the same day Leonard was killed.