100th/442nd

One of my sister's kids' late grandfather was a WWII veteran, fighting for the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion. They were largely known as part of the fabled 442nd Regimental Combat Team which was the most decorated unit in U.S. military history. One story I learned of his service was that advanced scouts from his battalion liberated a sub-camp of the Dachau concentration camp during the war.

If I could speak with him today, I would ask what more he remembered and if he could give me any details, although our war veterans, particularly of World War II, don't generally like to speak of those times (which is easy to understand). The one small story I do remember amidst the tragic circumstances is rather one of kindness:

The Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) soldiers were for the most part of shorter stature than other American soldiers and therefore fought in ill-fitting clothing. In this sub-camp they liberated was a Jewish prisoner who had been a tailor prior to being a prisoner. In gratitude to his liberators, he managed to re-fit some of their uniforms.


In creating this blog entry, I did a little bit of referencing on the Internet and found this link which fills in more of the details of the liberation. At the very end of this newly discovered article, I was surprised to see the name of my nieces' and nephew's grandfather (Lieutenant James Kurata).

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I am also reminded of a favorite film of mine called Go For Broke!, about the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd. It starred Van Johnson and was released in 1951. I am impressed that a film that covers such a chapter in U.S. history was made so soon after the war, covering the heroism and patriotism of the Nisei soldiers as well as some of the prejudice they faced. Reading through the Wiki entry, I see that many members of the cast were actual veterans of the 442nd. Even as great as this film is, I've found myself imagining what would happen if there was an updated version directed by the great Steven Spielberg, whom has created incredible films depicting World War II. On the other hand, besides more realism in battle, perhaps he couldn't surpass the original.