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ORALE OF JAPANES HA AIIAN SOLDIFRS

(VOLUNT GROUP-442ND I :A Y--522ND HELD ARTILL'SRY--2.32ND "~GINEffiS)

AT CAMP SHELBY, SSISSIPPI

Prepared at CP.1 0 from ta furnished by entire service ail Section; compiled by Dorothy Smith and '(arie 1.

Cuquet (Unit 2) and ·typed by Anna v. Ainsworth (Unit l)

May 2.3, 1944

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INTRODUCTION

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"REID!l.ffiER THE 442 COMBAT T BECAUSE WE ARE THE 'TOUGHI!.ST LITTLE GUYS 1 I 1 THE WORLD"

Tlus report concludes the morale study of the J apanese­Iawaii n volunteers atationed at Camp Shelby, Mis issippi . It covers the .months of :March and April, through the April departure of the Combat Te for overseas . •

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'"-"' MORALE OF THE JAP l ESE-lU: AIIAN SOLDI S

(VOLUNT GROUP-442ND INFANTRY-522ND FIELD ARTILLERY--232ND ENGINEERS)

I. Reflections on completinc• a year 1 s service in the Army.

Reactions to the draft of Japanese-Hawaiians.

Attitude towards going into combat.

In April, ny of the Japanese-Hawaiian volunteers at Shelby completed a

year's service in the Ar~. The occasion evoked numerous co~~ents reflecting

pride in their year's achievements, and eagerness to complete the job undertaken

and get into actual combat. In gener l, the volunteers feel that they ve

gained much kno ledge and experience. In view of their previous hurt and re-

sentment at the racial discrimination met with, there is in their reflections,

a conspicuous lack of bitterness. It would see:n that the majority have been

able to rise above their personal hurt, . and are able to reaffirm their faith in

the cause for which they are fightin , and to reassert their purpose with con-

fidence and assurance.

"Yes the year up here was one of excitement, joy and kno ledge - because I came where I have never been and I was thrilled to death over seeing my !.'llerica in action. In knowing the country I live in, I feel I have something ore con­crete to fiGht and live for . Yes, I knew 1erica thru the pages of my history book nd geography, but it is far different. One has to live and see the real .America in action. 11 "You do not know how great A,erica is. Someday you will have to see it for yourself. Only thru this means Will you be able to appreciate your country. This is your country as ell a it i mine. Remember, it is for you many of our boys have died, it is for you we ~nt democracy to be preserved. Learn your country well! Laarn her language rrell - this is the first st p to patriotism. " (April 21) ·

"I can hardly im ine that I ould have graduated either this September or January. However, there is no regret that I have jo1ned the Ar:ny, since I've learned so many things about life 'Which the orldly books in Sociology, Philosophy, History and etc. ould have never been able to teach me. True, there is a greater risk of my life when I join d up, but that is a superficial risk com-pared to what the whole life is depended on. n (April 20)

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"MY year in the Army has been a most interesting one. I•ve learned lot. How to adapt myself to different people and conditions . Travellin;; and kicking around has taught me poise, confidence and ·1 o a line hich something sur­prises me. 11 (April 18)

"One of the bigg st things I learned in the Army is how to really get along with other men. Especially en you a S...,t . or omethi g when you have to give order around especially to your fr.ien its kinda hard nd lots of squak comes back but I 1ve learned and it is getting along just swell With the men . Its just

matter of give and take and you give a lot, and learn to t 1ce a lot . tt (April 22)

" for us, here, we have definite rB son for being here. I'm not a bit sorry for volunteering eit er. We might go throu h hell and hi h ter but our sacrifice I'm sure will not be in vain. I hope someday, someone will benefit by our sacrifices even if the majority of us ~ght never be able to return to their loved ones back home. Yes, that• ho the world is." (April 19)

11 I kno there are lot., of people who think that I s kinda foolish , en I volunteered in the Army. fell, in this Ar.ny there are lots of ~s ho have 2 or 3 brothers in this Army. Furt e~ ore, if there ere lots of people ho think it's sucker to be in the .A:rmy, this 'War can never be on and will be more prolon.,ed. An :y even if I ;as a civilian I ould have been called in. If 11 the people of Pahoa and a aii could see this outfit from Hawaii they ould be very proud indeed and prouder still if they bad vheir co in or brother in ·t.n

( pril 25)

lthough tne ~ajority concur in theirs tisf ction in joining t1e Army,

there is a minority dlo ould,discourage those back home fro volunteering, and

who doubt the efficacy of the draft of Japanese- ericans.

11 I bet lots of you guys onna et called huh? Those suckers. I hope they won't be · n. Its better for them to stay where the rare and work and buy bond::s and .. ore bond. In that ay I believe their doing their part in this i ar."

(April 21) The more usual, less dra! tic comments indicate t at the ye r' s trainin"

has resulte in cceptance of Aruy life and an adjust ent to its privations

and restriction •

"A y, e volunteered for this, so no sense squawking - just got to talte things a they com · " (April 20)

" ight now I don•t lind Arrrry life at all. t ·red of Army but now I enjoy my Arr life. 11

lihen I first join I sure -.ras ( pril 20)

'Yes, t 1e Arncy- (U.S.) is one of the finest in the orld and though we gripe and cuss we are proud to be in it.' (April22)

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Their maneuvers having been completed in February, by April the volunteers

are getting impatient to see some action. They are eager to prov their loyalty

and courage, especially to those who have distrusted them.

11This sy relaxing pace e are taking in our training is like a lull before the storm. It can't continue forever nd the future holds grim possibilities .

en I first came here to Shelby to be a soldier, I knew what I c a for, but then I had time. But no it's so lose one begins to realize more starkly the reality of this dirty business of • a.F • • • I receive mail frequently from three of my boys, who :Jere with me, from Italy. It :na'ces those of us who are left behind feel shallow somehow. There is something missing. To satisfy our con­science completely before peace and then Hawaii we will have to see actual fightin~. To go back houe and say 'I had 3 years foreign service in Shelby,' will sound ironical as hell. 1 (April 19)

"Seeir.g as how all ·this t lk about invasion dominates the papers I tm still in the dark as to our part in it. te 1ll have a part in it, you c n bet. I'm kind of excited, DC red too - but looking forward to it.' (April 21)

11 e three brothers are all in perfect healthand training harder than ever to be ~ood soldiers and aiting for the opportunity to show our love ~~d loyalty to our America - • e l:mve co .. e a lon~ ays and certainly learned a lot but the future is much tougher and we will really give our utmost to prove that Uncle Sam's faith in the 442nd C. ~ . ill be fully proved to it 1s satisfaction and our loyalty to our country beyond any doubt." (April 19)

The old an.,.er at the discrimination still flares up now and then, but only

serves to make the men "fighting mad," and more eager to provo their mettle.

11 1 e wore given a chance to go, (to interpreter's school) but I think I rather stay here and face actual combat and "'et some Nazi or Jap on my gunsight and let him have it. It really gets me mad for all the trouble they have caused us. e the minority group have to suffer all the various accusation thrown at us - sa .. ing we are disloyal - 'A Jap is al ys a Jap • etc. It really makea my blood boil, and I'm just rarying to show those ignoraneous fools who a Jap is.'

(March 17)

ore and more frequently, the volunt ers include Japan with Germany when

mentioning the enemy. Previously there seemed to have been some slight hesi-

tancy in mentioning the Jap enemy.

"I sure would like to go back to good old H waii, but it's impossible no , for we have a job to be done no and wetll finish it down in Tokyo, Japan. But first the azi come first and give the Japs the ssme taste as they done to Hawaii, our own Hawaii • '' (March 24)

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"Don 1 t worry we _make up for everything the Germans did, als<> the Jap. tt

As the time to leave draws close, the enthusiasm increases.

t 1e are going to fight the Jerriesl" (April 18)

"I 1 11 be going snilin.z and return srniling." (April 19)

The Chaplain writes: "The men are certainly anxious to go." (April 20)

II. Attitude towards mainland Japanese

Although the feeling of animosity· between the J-H and the ~inland

Japanese appeared to be on the wane (as mentioned in last report) the distur­

bance, made by the ! isei Japanese, as t Tule Lake Relocation Center, renewed old

resentment in the ranks of the American-Japanese Arrsry and provided concrete evl-

dence to reinforce the islander's belief t~1at the !!kotonk" as cocky, inferior as

a soldier, and lacking in enthusiasm. The Hawaiian-Japa 1ese recognize and ac-

knowledge the injuries received by the mainlanders but, in View of t. e present

conflict, chide them for their fretting and disloyal attitude. Tho fear, that

the unpleasant circumstances, 'ght destroy the Urdted States' faith in their

ideals and tarnish the wonderful record. established by both the lOOth and 442nd . Combat Teams, called forth stronger colnr:wnts on the Nisei actions.

11 You know Harry, these mainland Japanese are a bunch of dirty ba:Jtards. A bunch of guys now stationed in Alabama refused to train so they are now in the stockade. _ enty-eight of •em. Imagine what these guys up here do. No onder people call us J~ps. But -:.1s Iiawaiians a.ren•t a bit like Japs and 11hen someone ealls us that it's lights out for him. Really Harry these A, J.'s up e e are different fro one of us. They spea c good English alright but som ho\T they a.ren 1 t good people. uen you guys come up here don't take any c ap from them. I tell you if am~one of us grab hold of one or all of them 28 guys they'll get a beating of their life. V>!e are tT3-'i.ng to make America g good place to live in and those guys jam us up. When we leave here it 's ·onna. be the next bunch that come here wij.p will have to make these Japs up here see it our way. I •m not sa;y ·ll.3 that all are bad but -c.he majority are different.rr (April 30)

11You know, Dick, if this outfit was lOO;t Hawaiian, I'd feel much better. Damn kotonks are masters at this dog rat do;; stuff and I tr..ink we make better soldiers. Some yellow guys are buckin:; to be left behind. The great ma.jor-1 ty of·

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Hawaiians want to go very much ~ remembering what happened to their brothers and friends in the lOOth." (April 3)

"I'm afraid for this Combat Team of ours ever since e mixed with :the Nisei's from various states. There are lots of cowards among us but I can assure you that none is from Hawaii. The Nisei soldiers, some with wi. ves, don't want to go so they even wrote a letter to he War Department not all Nisei is like that, but the few do a lot of damage, both to them, us, and this Team. Boy! When the boys from Hawaii found out about it, everyone of us was mad---I pity the one who wrote the lstter to the War Department if we find out cause you know how rough we can get . "

(April 17)

11 hen I think of these mainland 'Kotonks' Ho slow they have been to volun­teer - I don't blame them a bit . For the hardships and humility they have gone through is trying. If you really think it over it •s not democracy just like how the German's are having hatred towards the Jel'isl These boys haven't anythin~ to fight for, as for us from Ha mi we are fighting so we can return back to Hawaii after the war. Nol I'm not sticking up for these guys 'cause I don't quite fancy them. If it weren't for the splendid showing the Hundred Infantry and us are making - I don't think the people in relocation camps would have gotten the chance to be relocated to the eastern states to start life anew." (March 28)

"The tragedy is that the mainland Niseis can't forget their relocation or evacuation experience. They always hop back on it as an excuse. It ·is the most sickening thing to hear •the way we were treated.' For their weariness for their inability to be enthusiastic about the Army, they always blame on the 'evacuation.' We in Hawaii had our shocks and dissappointments but rose above it - pushed forward -forgot the cross and went towards the greater cross of Christ. That is the essen­tial difference that makes Hawaiians enthusiastic and the Nisei hopelesslY pitiful." (March 4) ·

"It is good to be with our kind sometimes but not always." (April 3)

Realizing that the "common cause" is far greater than mere personal prejudice,

the majority of the islanders overlook the mainlanders' deficiencies and accept

them in their group.

nEven when we first came here e never did get along with the Kotonks but now we get along alright except a few thats still cocky. " (l!arch 19)

On the other side of the picture, many of the mainlanders feel that they have

gained friendship and renewed ideals by the association with their brothers from

across the ocean.

"Before my induction I was stationed at Camp Amache, Colorado - one of the Relocation Center. Being coop up in camp for year made my choice for A~ life.

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I'm one of the volunteers (2,000} fro the state. Body-Yillin', nd able to do my part. Even if it•s a Latrine Boss duty. ost of my friends in Relocation camps are bel "' inducted no • I sure do like to see them take s e of \ihe hardship I went thru, and still oing . " ··· "I have learned much about your side of the orld. Being raised in mainland and now in the Army I have r ached many new fri nds and ideals fro Hawaiian boys. tr (May 18)

III. Effect of furlough on opinion o~ Americans

As has peen pointed out in previous reports, the A. J .A. • s , .re most discoura...,ed

by their first acquaintance with the American public which consisted of a co para-

·t,i vely small group of Southerners . However, after having had furloughs, visits,

and contacts ith various persons in cattered sections of the country, the boy

felt that the "real American" is a ... well". It was uch a reason which called forth

the request of Chaplain Yamada in his conference with Lt . Col. Gerhardt 11To

bolster orale by change of camp location."

"I wish you fello had a chance to come up . orth to meet t 1e real American citizen - not the white trash down South, for you would be doubly lling to go out and serve on the fronts. The way people take us 11Budderhe d n into tie ±r home just as if e were •halo a' and treat us so equally, it make us want to cry." 11We have a lot to learn from the essential goodness of the .American people, and I for one will always ve utmost faith and trust in them. . " (April 1)

"I find that there is no need to fear anybody because people in various places have only nodd~ to our nationality and I ve not seen hatred in their eyes."

(April 5)

IV. Pride in Uni. t

Effect of General arshall 1s Visit

Easter Egg Hunt

Reaction o£ the C dre "Left hind"

Letter From One of the Unit's Haole Officer

Pride in their unit has grown steadilY since the very first day o£ training.

Their oTm remarkable ability to take 11 that•s "dished out," n ·emerge "with

fiying colors,n never ceasee to ze them, and thu intensii'j" their already en-

thusiastic esprit e corp. The lOOth is still their inepir tion, the model

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applying the principles Which the 442nd is still learning.

11I received a letter from a friend of mine in the lOOth Infantry, who is in action in Italy." "He (the lOOth oldier) says that till today there is not an A.J. soldier Who has turned yellow and the whites say that they have more guts than brains. It is true that they have more guts than white ·soldier, but they also have just a much brains as gut - catch on. n ( arch 25)

The camraderle among the volunteers is very strong~

"One guy in our company went home on medical discharge, Yamaguchi, he had ulsar. I sure feel sorry for him, he was crying that day he left . I guess deep inside everybody don't want to leave fr the other buddies. tt (April 7)

General arshall's viStt proved to be a genuine morale booster, and provoked

naive enthusiasm as evidence in the flood of comments in their letter •

"Oh yes tomorrow Gen. Marshall, Chief of Staff, A.U.S. will be here tomorrow rning to inspect 442nd and ctive units here. Gosh1 A full fledged General, 4

stars." ( arch 4)

"Can you imagine General George Marshall, a big four tarred general coming all the y here to ississippi to see us. Sure kes us feel good. We feel it was really worth the while of all the hard training we did the past mont • "

(March 7)

ith the ,2500 and more graciously donated by the boys of the 442nd Combat

T , enough eggs, c ndies, and baskets were purchased to present the Children of

the Relocation Center an Easter Eog Hunt which provided a new channel for their

glowing pride. Now, they were not only fine fighters but benevolent benefactors.

In April came the great day for which the boys had been waiting - the day

when they left Shelby for an embarkation port. And the di appointment of those

left behind as cadre or unfit for overseas duty is keen.

11The outfit . has left for overseas combat duty and much to my great disappoint­ment, I was left behind. I tried in all despiration to go but in this man 1s Army we have no say. I do not t to ound heroic but I'm saying this in all sin-cerity"--"Right now I'm hoping t at I got on the next replacement group."

(April 24)

"Imagine came to this state with nearly 3,000 and being left behind--I admit t~~t there full of tears in my eyes hen the time of departure came.

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