Paul Kusuda’s column
Congressional Gold Medal awarded
to long-time Madisonian
Congressional Gold Medal awarded
to long-time Madisonian
PART 2 OF 2
By Paul H. Kusuda
Last month, I wrote about Henry Kanazawa’s being among the Nisei (Japanese American)
World War II veterans who went to a Washington, D.C., gala event to receive the
Congressional Gold Medal that was awarded to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team,
100th Infantry Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service. Much was written about the
442nd and the 100th, but much, much less was written about MIS. For some reason I know
nothing about, a government policy or practice was established to suppress news about
MIS. Most Nisei knew about it, many were directly involved; however, the public in general
was purposely kept uninformed about Nisei involvement in the warfronts in which U.S.
forces engaged in battles with the Japanese.
According to JAPANESE AMERICAN HISTORY, published by the Japanese American National Museum (copyright, 1993),
the Military Intelligence Service Language School trained about 6,000 soldiers, primarily Nisei, in using the Japanese
language to serve in the Asia Pacific Theater during World War II. They became expert in using the correct level of
language usage to serve as interrogators and interpreters. They also translated captured Japanese documents that
provided vital information for our military. The School was begun in November 1941 at the Presidio in San Francisco with
60 enlisted students (of whom 58 were Nisei) and eight civilian instructors. Subsequently, MIS became a larger entity after
moving to Camp Savage, Minnesota, and then to Fort Snelling. After the Japanese surrendered, about 3,000 of the 6,000
served in the Occupation Force to help with the transition of Japan to become a democratic ally of the U.S. As noted in last
month’s article, responsibilities of MIS shifted from dealing with the enemy to helping with the transition, i.e., from
confronting the enemy to contacting diplomatic and other officials. The shift in use of lingual level must have been difficult
to remember because inadvertent breach of level would result in a perception of lack of courtesy or worse.
MIS activities resulted in many military successes, one of which was reported nationally though with minimal information
about data source; the air convoy of Admiral Yamamoto was destroyed through use of interception of enemy
communications. Translation skills enabled the deciphering of captured documents like maps, battle plans, diaries and
letters, and army orders, thus helping the Allies to have ideas as to enemy plans and timing. MIS staff also persuaded
cornered units to surrender, no small a task. Another duty was to write propaganda gauged to reduce enemy morale and
at times to convince some to surrender.
For years, the role of Nisei in the Armed Forces who served in the war against Japan was not publicized. Suffice to note
that they served in extreme circumstances that added to the burden carried by most of their buddies. They looked like the
enemy, similar height and weight, similar visage. In most instances, the Nisei had to be accompanied by White U.S.
fellow soldiers to assure that they would not be mistaken as enemies in U.S. uniforms.
Page 2
Nisei who served in the 100th Battalion or the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were in a largely segregated situation.
Most officers were White; most men were Nisei, some with non-commissioned ranks and few with higher ranks. The
initial 100th while in Hawaii were in the National Guard, having enlisted as volunteers. They were shipped to the U.S. and
comprised the initial cadre for the 442nd retaining its identity as the 100th. The rest of the 442nd was formed initially by
men who volunteered from the ten War Relocation Centers that were created when the federal government incarcerated
120,000 men, women, and children after forcibly evacuating them from the three west coast states of California, Oregon,
and Washington on the presumption of national security but actually based on racism; all those evacuated from the West
Coast were of Japanese ancestry. Persons of German or Italian ancestry who were suspected of being potential security
risks were evaluated on individual bases. Those of Japanese ancestry (on a self-declaration basis) were summarily
forcibly evacuated.
Despite the fact that their parents, their siblings, and relatives were still in War Relocation Centers; despite the fact that
they were similarly incarcerated and despite denial of U.S. Constitutional rights, men volunteered to join the 442nd as
soon as the opportunity opened. They were eager to join those who fought on our side of the war against the Axis Powers
of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The U.S. Army accepted Nisei volunteers only if they could qualify physically, mentally, and
emotionally for front-line duty. The irony that existed was that shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, Nisei who had been
certified as 1A by the Selective Service Administration were suddenly reclassified as 4C, aliens not qualified to serve in the
Armed Forces. Thus, U.S. citizens were termed to be aliens insofar as ability to fight for their country. Despite that
governmental insult, hundreds of Nisei volunteered from the ten War Relocation Centers. Later, replacements for the
442nd were Nisei draftees, after the change in draft status was made from 4C to 1A.
The 442nd included three infantry battalions, the 100th being designated the First Battalion but retaining its historic
nomenclature of “One puka puka”. It had a field artillery battalion, a combat engineers company, an anti-tank company, a
the Military Intelligence Service Language School trained about 6,000 soldiers, primarily Nisei, in using the Japanese
language to serve in the Asia Pacific Theater during World War II. They became expert in using the correct level of
language usage to serve as interrogators and interpreters. They also translated captured Japanese documents that
provided vital information for our military. The School was begun in November 1941 at the Presidio in San Francisco with
60 enlisted students (of whom 58 were Nisei) and eight civilian instructors. Subsequently, MIS became a larger entity after
moving to Camp Savage, Minnesota, and then to Fort Snelling. After the Japanese surrendered, about 3,000 of the 6,000
served in the Occupation Force to help with the transition of Japan to become a democratic ally of the U.S. As noted in last
month’s article, responsibilities of MIS shifted from dealing with the enemy to helping with the transition, i.e., from
confronting the enemy to contacting diplomatic and other officials. The shift in use of lingual level must have been difficult
to remember because inadvertent breach of level would result in a perception of lack of courtesy or worse.
MIS activities resulted in many military successes, one of which was reported nationally though with minimal information
about data source; the air convoy of Admiral Yamamoto was destroyed through use of interception of enemy
communications. Translation skills enabled the deciphering of captured documents like maps, battle plans, diaries and
letters, and army orders, thus helping the Allies to have ideas as to enemy plans and timing. MIS staff also persuaded
cornered units to surrender, no small a task. Another duty was to write propaganda gauged to reduce enemy morale and
at times to convince some to surrender.
For years, the role of Nisei in the Armed Forces who served in the war against Japan was not publicized. Suffice to note
that they served in extreme circumstances that added to the burden carried by most of their buddies. They looked like the
enemy, similar height and weight, similar visage. In most instances, the Nisei had to be accompanied by White U.S.
fellow soldiers to assure that they would not be mistaken as enemies in U.S. uniforms.
Page 2
Nisei who served in the 100th Battalion or the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were in a largely segregated situation.
Most officers were White; most men were Nisei, some with non-commissioned ranks and few with higher ranks. The
initial 100th while in Hawaii were in the National Guard, having enlisted as volunteers. They were shipped to the U.S. and
comprised the initial cadre for the 442nd retaining its identity as the 100th. The rest of the 442nd was formed initially by
men who volunteered from the ten War Relocation Centers that were created when the federal government incarcerated
120,000 men, women, and children after forcibly evacuating them from the three west coast states of California, Oregon,
and Washington on the presumption of national security but actually based on racism; all those evacuated from the West
Coast were of Japanese ancestry. Persons of German or Italian ancestry who were suspected of being potential security
risks were evaluated on individual bases. Those of Japanese ancestry (on a self-declaration basis) were summarily
forcibly evacuated.
Despite the fact that their parents, their siblings, and relatives were still in War Relocation Centers; despite the fact that
they were similarly incarcerated and despite denial of U.S. Constitutional rights, men volunteered to join the 442nd as
soon as the opportunity opened. They were eager to join those who fought on our side of the war against the Axis Powers
of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The U.S. Army accepted Nisei volunteers only if they could qualify physically, mentally, and
emotionally for front-line duty. The irony that existed was that shortly after the Pearl Harbor attack, Nisei who had been
certified as 1A by the Selective Service Administration were suddenly reclassified as 4C, aliens not qualified to serve in the
Armed Forces. Thus, U.S. citizens were termed to be aliens insofar as ability to fight for their country. Despite that
governmental insult, hundreds of Nisei volunteered from the ten War Relocation Centers. Later, replacements for the
442nd were Nisei draftees, after the change in draft status was made from 4C to 1A.
The 442nd included three infantry battalions, the 100th being designated the First Battalion but retaining its historic
nomenclature of “One puka puka”. It had a field artillery battalion, a combat engineers company, an anti-tank company, a
Amedical detachment, and an army ground
forces band. After a year’s training, it was
sent overseas to Italy in May, 1944, where it
joined the 100th already there for nine
months. They engaged the enemy in many
battles and on many different sites; they
endured many casualties. In all, about
33,000 Nisei served in the U.S. Armed
Forces during World War II. About 4,000
were volunteers, including 1,500 from
Relocation Centers.
The 442nd , including the 100th, received
seven Distinguished Unit Citations, more
than 4,000 Purple Hearts, several
Presidential Unit Citations, and a number of
individual decorations for bravery including
21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished
Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars, and more
than 4,000 Bronze Stars. President Harry
Truman, after reviewing the 442nd at the
White House on July 15, 1946, said: “…you
fought the enemy abroad and prejudice at
home, and you won.”
forces band. After a year’s training, it was
sent overseas to Italy in May, 1944, where it
joined the 100th already there for nine
months. They engaged the enemy in many
battles and on many different sites; they
endured many casualties. In all, about
33,000 Nisei served in the U.S. Armed
Forces during World War II. About 4,000
were volunteers, including 1,500 from
Relocation Centers.
The 442nd , including the 100th, received
seven Distinguished Unit Citations, more
than 4,000 Purple Hearts, several
Presidential Unit Citations, and a number of
individual decorations for bravery including
21 Medals of Honor, 29 Distinguished
Service Crosses, 588 Silver Stars, and more
than 4,000 Bronze Stars. President Harry
Truman, after reviewing the 442nd at the
White House on July 15, 1946, said: “…you
fought the enemy abroad and prejudice at
home, and you won.”