The 100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team is the only infantry unit in the U.S. Army Reserve forces. Based in Hawaii at Fort Shafter, the battalion reservists from Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam and Saipan have been activated and are currently deployed in Iraq sent up to aid the Hawaii National Guard. Historically, the unit was also known as the "Purple Heart Battalion". Infantry, thought to be of the Royal Irish Rifles, in the First World War Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot, although modern infantry may be transported in any number of fashions. ... The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... State nickname: The Aloha State Other U.S. States Capital Honolulu Largest city Honolulu Governor Linda Lingle Official languages Hawaiian and English Area 28,337 km² (43rd) - Land 16,649 km² - Water 11,672 km² (41. ... Fort Shafter is in Honolulu, Hawai‘i extending up the interfluve (ridgeline) between Kalihi and Moanalua valleys, as well as onto the coastal plain (as Shafter Flats) at Māpunapuna. ... Saipan, Tinian & Aquijan Saipan is the largest island and capital of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands of the western Pacific Ocean, with a total area of 120 km² (46. ... The term National Guard, when used by itself, can refer to: The United States National Guard includes both the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard. ...
The motto of this decorated unit is "Go For Broke". U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye was part of the 442nd RCT who later lost his arm in battle. Daniel Ken Inouye (born September 7, 1924) is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii. ...
External links
World War II photographs of the 100th Infantry Battalion
U.S. Army page on the activation the 100th Infantry Battalion
Kenneth Kaneko, a soldier of the 100th, recalls that one of the prisoners was in fact the father of one of the soldiers of the 100th.
All battalions were attached to a Regiment or Brigade along with two or three others, but the 100th was the only battalion in the US Army without a parent, which indicated the military didn't know what to do with the unit.
On August 21, 1943 the 100thBattalion was loaded onto the James Parker, and was taken to Oran, the second largest port of Algeria in North Africa.
The 100thbattalion became the first battalion of the 442nd because the original first battalion of the 442nd had been used for replacements for the 100th.
The 100th /442nd, was ordered to rescue the Lost Battalion in a real-life "Saving Private Ryan" mission (More men were lost in the 100th/442nd in the rescue operation than there were to save in the 1st of the 141st.).
This unit (The 100th was attached to the 442nd in June 1944 and fought as the 442nd's first battalion for the rest of the war.) was already considered the most highly decorated unit of its size in U.S. military history.
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