During World War Two in France a group 270 from the Texas National Guard were encircled by the Nazis and cut off from the rest of the American military. There were two attempts to break through the siege, however both failed. The Texas National Guard became known as the "Lost Battalion." An American commandeer finally called up the 442nd to break through the siege.
The 442nd was made up of Japanese-American citizens. When America entered the war, Franklyn Delano Roosevelt (FDR) ordered the internment of Americans of Japanese ancestry. Many of which were born American citizens and naturalized citizens. The government feared there were fifth columnist among these American citizens who because of their ancestry became suspect. While in the internment camps, rather than build on hate for what was done to them, they volunteered to join the army and participate in America's war on fascism.
The 442nd served bravely in Italy and France. This unit earned five Congressional Medal of Honors, ten Distinguished Service Crosses, and six Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Texans in the "Lost Battalion" and the Japanese-Americans
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1 comment:
Make no mistake the American-Japanese that fought against the Nazi were amazing soldiers who in a drive to prove themselves loyal went far beyond the limits of what you can call normal bravery.
Really is a great history to read,
( book Just Americans: The Story of the 100th Batallion/442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II, author Robert Asahina --- is a good one)
one thing is for sure, the units that bumped into them regretted the time spent together.
(members of the "442" performed so many distinguished acts that the "442" became the most decorated unit of its size and length of service in the American Army. The unit garnered over 18,000 individual decorations for bravery, 9,500 Purple Hearts for casualties, and seven Presidential Distinguished Unit citations.)
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