100thbattalion.org100th Infantry Battalion Veterans | Education Center

100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Education CenterMenu toggle Home History Battalion History Veterans Japanese American Units Club 100 Veterans in Public Service More Stories Learn Timeline Map of Campaigns Bibliography Web Resources Archives Battalion Records Puka Puka Parades Memoirs and Journals Oral Histories and Interviews Newspaper Articles Photo Collections & Biographies Letters Wisconsin Stories Ship Manifests Remembrances About Mission Organization How to Get Involved Contact Information Copyright & Terms of Use Search for: Search History of the 100th Infantry Battalion They were men from working class families – mainly from Hawaii – with later arrivals volunteering from barbed wire-enclosed internments camps on the United States mainland. Called to duty in World War II, the men of the legendary 100 th Infantry Battalion performed extraordinary feats fighting for their country. Here are their stories – of their lives as sons of immigrants from Japan growing up in Hawaii’s multicultural society and as an ethnic minority on the mainland; of unwavering loyalty when faced with racism, of perseverance and loss; of the families they nurtured and communities they helped shape after they returned. Their stories are the stories of America. Read More About the Battalion History Memoirs & Journals These memoirs and journals contain not only the veterans’ documentation of their combat experiences, but also provide priceless information about social and economic conditions in their communities. View Memoirs & Journals Jack Nakamura Jack Nakamura was born on February 2, 1923. When he was 20 years old Nakamura volunteered to serve in the newly activated 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Army records show that he was 5’2” and 112 pounds when he was inducted. He was later reassigned to the 100th Infantry Battalion, Company B where his older brother Sonsei was already serving. Nakamura participated in four campaigns and was awarded two Purple… Read more… Jack Nakamura Dr. Richard Kainuma Dr. Richard Kainuma , along with Dr. Issac Kawasaki , was one of the two medical doctors who accompanied the battalion in June 1942 when it left Hawaii. While the battalion was training on the mainland, he was promoted to captain and was described as a tireless worker and a very skilled doctor by the battalion’s Executive Officer, Major Jim Lovell. Shortly after the battalion landed in Italy and entered… Read more… Dr. Richard Kainuma Photo Collections & Biographies The photographs shown here were loaned for digitizing by 100th Infantry Battalion veterans and families. Most images have previously not been available to a wider audience. Often a veteran’s collection included photos of his comrades, photos their families may have never seen. In some cases, the photographs included on the website may represent a sampling of a veteran’s total collection. View the Collections Letters Most descendants of the men who wrote these letters will be seeing them for the first time. This was the case for a 100th daughter who has been part of the team developing this website. When she first saw a letter written by her father, she expressed her reaction in Island slang – It was a chicken skin moment.” View Letters Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner was the first commanding officer of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Born in Hilo, Hawaii, he was the Executive Officer of the 298th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard, at the time of the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Five months later, when the decision was made to create a battalion composed of Nisei soldiers, he was one of several officers who volunteered to command this… Read more… Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner Hideo Akiyama Hideo Akiyama was born in 1912 in Eleele, Kauai. Before high school, Hideo began working for the Territorial Highway Department as an engineer’s assistant. He also was a shortstop in the Hawaiian amateur league and was known as a powerful hitter. In March 1943, Hideo took his induction physical and was subsequently sent to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for basic training. On July 9, 1944, Hideo was wounded on… Read more… Hideo Akiyama Publications Puka Puka Parades The PPPs have chronicled the lives of the veterans and the many Club activities that took place for over 65 years. Read More Remembrances Remembrances” was published for the 50th anniversary celebration of the formation of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Read More Newspaper Articles Ben Tamashiro, a 100th veteran, wrote many articles about his comrades, including a series for the Hawaii Herald, From Pearl Harbor to the Po.” Read More Our Mission Our mission is to preserve the history of the men of the 100 th Infantry Battalion by creating this digital library of their stories and photographs and other records of their service to our country. Besides being a tool for research and education, this website is intended as an ever-expanding repository of information, a living memorial that will honor these men. If you have stories, images or documents such and letters and diaries to share, please contact the 100 th Infantry Battalion Veterans’ office in Honolulu, Hawaii. Contact Us Get Involved Copyright © 2011- , 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans. All rights reserved. Terms of...