The Lost Battalion’s plaque for the 442nd, and attacks on returning Nisei

Vol. 20, No. 9, March 3, 1945. 8 pages. View this issue

The surviving members of the Lost Battalion presented a silver plaque to the 442nd Infantry Regiment, the unit that rescued them, and that story led this eight-page issue. Other pages followed the war record of the 442nd, the 100th Battalion and Nisei soldiers in France, Italy and the Philippines. Alongside it ran reports of violence and pressure against Japanese Americans returning to the West Coast: shots fired into farm homes near Lancaster and Visalia, a trial over an attack on the Doi ranch, and the Hood River land fight, taken up by Larry Tajiri.

Also inside: Bill Hosokawa on progress and reaction in post-war America, and WRA Director Dillon Myer on race-baiting. Court news included a suit against individual exclusion orders. There are reports on resettlement, a new hostel in Los Angeles, student acceptances and JACL chapter and credit union meetings, and a poem by U. G. Moore, “A Baby Cried.”

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• Lost Battalion’s Survivors Present Silver Plaque to Japanese American Rescuers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The surviving members of the Lost Battalion presented a silver plaque to the 442nd Infantry Regiment, their rescuers, during the Vosges Mountains rescue in France. The plaque bears regimental insignia and an engraved message of gratitude for the bayonet charge that broke the isolation of the trapped unit.
• Two Killed, One Wounded in Europe, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two Japanese Americans were reported killed and one wounded in recent fighting on the Western Front, according to notifications to next of kin. The names and families of the casualties are listed.
• Japanese Americans Smashed Main Line of Resistance of Germans in Alsace Sector, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Presidential Distinguished Unit citation was awarded to the 442nd Japanese American Combat Team for smashing German defenses, as revealed in a censored press dispatch. The article also recounts a United Press report on a task force that routed at least three German battalions in the Vosges Mountains.
• Issei Mother in Relocation Camp Receives DSC Won by Son Killed in Action in Italy, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mrs. Matsu Madokoro received the posthumous Distinguished Service Cross awarded to her son, Pfc. Harry Madokoro, at a ceremony in Poston. The citation describes his heroism in Italy in July 1944.
• Granada Mother Learns Son Won Citation in Philippines, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Mrs. Hango Uratsu was notified that her son, Master Sgt. Masaji Uratsu, was recommended for a Bronze Star for gallantry in action. Brig. Gen. Hanford MacNider praised him as a first-class fighting man.
• Promoted to New Command, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Lt. Col. Gordon Singles was transferred from command of the 100th Battalion to a higher unit, leaving a farewell message to his men. The article reviews the battalion’s record from Anzio through Leghorn and the Vosges.
• Nisei Soldier Awarded Medal in Philippines, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Tech. Sgt. Shigeru Ito of the 77th Infantry Division received the Bronze Star for meritorious service as the section leader of an interpreter team. Ito is a veteran of the Leyte and Guam campaigns.
• Parents Learn of Death of Son in France, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The parents of Pfc. Fred Tanaka of Denver were notified that their son was killed in action in France with the 442nd Regiment. Tanaka had attended Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles and studied medicine at UCLA.
• Palo Alto School Honors Nisei Soldier Killed in France, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A letter of appreciation was received from Pvt. Dan Iwata for a gold star placed on the Palo Alto high school service flag honoring Fred Mamoto, killed in France. Iwata commented on the warmheartedness of local residents.
• War in the Maritime Alps…Joe from Denver Fought And Died a Hero, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Joe from Denver, a Japanese American soldier whose name cannot be disclosed, was killed after leading a raiding party against a German-held house in the Maritime Alps. His savage fire with a BAR forced the surrender of fourteen Germans.
• Nisei Troops Catch Germans Napping With ‘Squeeze Play’, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A platoon of the 442nd, led by Tech. Sgt. Yukio Okutsu and First Lt. Jesse Conners, captured an enemy reconnaissance patrol of nine men in the Vosges Mountains. The attack used a three-section encirclement covered by machine gun and mortar fire.
• Pvt. Yoshihara Killed in Action on German Front, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pvt. Makoto Yoshihara of Gila River was killed in action in Germany on December 22, according to War Department information received by his parents. He had previously been reported missing in action.
• Eighth Nisei Joins WAC From Poston, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Pvt. Tsuruko Mizusawa, a 21-year-old music major from Venice, California, began WAC training at Fort Des Moines, Iowa. She is the eighth WAC from the Poston relocation center.
• Paralyzed Soldier Still Contributes to War Effort, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Sgt. Yoshyuki Ogata, paralyzed from wounds received in Italy and France, continues supporting the war effort by buying a War Bond every month. Army officials praised his service.
• Army Disbands Camp Shelby Training Unit, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The 171st Infantry Battalion, a training unit of Japanese American soldiers at Camp Shelby, was inactivated on February 18 after six months. Its men were transferred to the 100th Battalion and 442nd Regiment.

Community

• No Evidence Found of Incendiarism in Morishige Fire, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Investigators found no evidence that the February fire that destroyed the Morishige home in Selma, California, was set deliberately, though authorities have not fully ruled out arson. The insurance investigator reported the fire likely began in the roof.
• Seabrook Evacuees Take Part in Program for USO, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Relocatees at Seabrook Farms in New Jersey performed in a variety program celebrating the fourth anniversary of the local USO. Numerous residents contributed songs, solos, and readings before a packed audience.
• Japanese American Directs Michigan Courses for Army, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The University of Michigan has served as an Army center for Japanese language instruction for two years, Army Intelligence officers announced. Dr. Joseph Yamagiwa, a Nisei assistant professor, is directing the courses.
• Hawaiian Legion Will Welcome Nisei Veterans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. L. O. Gates, adjutant of the Hawaiian American Legion department, said most Hawaii posts would welcome returning Nisei veterans into membership. His statement was reported by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.
• Wyoming Coeds Annul Action Against Japanese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Varsity Villagers at the University of Wyoming voted to annul a suggestion that two Nisei officers resign. President Margaret Eaton, who had tendered her resignation in protest, resumed office.
• Eight Nisei Girls Introduced at Educational Meet, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Two Nisei students who had relocated to California were introduced at a meeting of the Southern Section California Principals’ Association in Ontario. They were recognized for their achievements in their new high school.
• Hostel Opened in Los Angeles to Aid Evacuee Resettlement, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Evergreen Hostel in Los Angeles opened temporary lodging for evacuees seeking permanent homes and jobs in the area. The hostel is sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and a Presbyterian church.
• Two Granadans Leave for Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Robert Tashima and Robbin Kaneko, former supervisor and assistant supervisor of the Granada relocation information office, departed for California. Dr. T. Miyamoto succeeded them.
• Hawaiian Nisei Soldiers Meet New WACs From Home Islands, by Pau, page 6. Members of the 171st Infantry Battalion Hawaiian Serenaders visited Fort Oglethorpe, meeting the first WAC volunteers from Hawaii, and then performed for wounded veterans at Northington General Hospital. Robert Terauchi described the reunion and hula performances.
• Eleven Students Accepted by San Francisco Junior College, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Eleven Japanese American students from Topaz and other camps were accepted to San Francisco Junior College for the spring term. Several were honor students and some were transfers from other universities.
• Mrs. Nakamura Speaks on Nisei in War, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Ayako Noguchi Nakamura addressed the Women’s Society of Christian Service at Bridgeton, New Jersey, on Japanese Americans in the war effort. She also spoke to several other local organizations.
• Anti-Evacuee Signs Put in Shop Windows, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The California Preservation Association placed signs in Auburn shop windows refusing Japanese trade. The group also asked Congress to require citizens of Japanese ancestry to prove their parents entered the country legally.
• Negro Troops Entertain Evacuees at Poston, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Negro troupe from Fort Huachuca presented an entertainment program at Poston in observance of Negro History Week. The performance drew capacity crowds at multiple units.

National

• Nazi Brutality Against Nisei Prisoner Revealed, by P.C. Staff, page 1. An escaped American officer related an incident in which a German guard struck an enlisted Nisei prisoner in the face for refusing to answer questions. The account was carried in a dispatch from Moscow reprinted from PM.
• Four to Face Trial in Doi Ranch Attack, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four men were held for trial on charges of attempting to burn and dynamite the home of Sumio Doi in Placer County after a drinking party. Testimony indicated the men discussed running Japanese Americans out of the county.
• Japanese Americans Eligible to Regain Firearms, Is Ruling, by P.C. Staff, page 1. U.S. District Attorney Dan B. Shields announced that Americans of Japanese ancestry may apply to recover firearms, cameras, and radios surrendered at the start of the war. The ruling allows owners to request their property back.
• Shots Fired Into Evacuee’s Farm Home Near Lancaster, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Shots were fired into the home and pump house of John Shiokari, a returned evacuee operating an alfalfa ranch north of Lancaster, California. No one was injured, and six rifle shells bearing possible Army markings were found nearby.
• Visalia Farm Home Target of Gun Attack, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Three rifle shots were fired into a house occupied by returned evacuee Sam Uyeno and his family near Visalia, California, though no one was hurt. A small unoccupied building owned by an evacuee at Poston was also burned.
• Myer Predicts Race-Baiting Will Subside, by P.C. Staff, page 2. WRA Director Dillon Myer said anti-Japanese feeling will fade once the public learns of the combat record of over 18,000 Japanese Americans in the armed services. He also reported no physical violence against the resettlement of 500 evacuees on the Pacific coast.
• Minidoka Resident Will Be Tried on Assault Charge, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Guntei Emoto, an alien evacuee at the Minidoka relocation center, was charged with assault with a deadly weapon after a fight that wounded fellow evacuee Toshio Matsumura. He was bound over to district court.
• Alien Internees Help Construct New Highway, by P.C. Staff, page 2. E. E. Kidder, senior highway engineer for the Federal Public Roads Administration, reported that Japanese alien internees were making good progress on the Lolo Pass highway in northern Idaho. The internees volunteered for the work from enemy alien camps.
• Federal Court Asked to Rule On Validity of Army Orders Banning Individuals from Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Dr. George Ochikubo, Elmer Yamamoto, and Kiyoshi Shigekawa filed suit challenging individual military exclusion orders issued to American citizens of Japanese descent. The suit, filed with the ACLU, argues the procedures deny due process.
• Sacramento Committee Raps Placer Anti-Nisei Proposal, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Sacramento Council for Civic Unity protested a California Preservation Association resolution requiring citizens of Japanese ancestry to prove legal entry of their parents. The council argued the proposal would violate the Constitution.
• Wyoming Law Bars Evacuees From Fishing, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Governor Lester Hunt signed a measure barring persons of Japanese ancestry relocated in Wyoming from buying hunting and fishing licenses. Sponsors admitted the provision was aimed at evacuees at the Heart Mountain center.
• Idaho Rules Nisei Children Eligible for Free Schooling, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Idaho Attorney General Langley ruled that evacuees of Japanese ancestry who settled in Idaho may send their children to public schools without paying tuition. The opinion followed the revocation of the West Coast exclusion order.
• Legion Leaders Rap Stand of VFW Official, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Legion leaders in Massachusetts condemned VFW commander Charles Frascotti for protesting the Red Cross use of blood donated by Japanese Americans. They called his statement shocking and urged its retraction.

Incarceration & Redress

• Two Convicted for Draft Violation, by P.C. Staff, page 2. George Katsumi Kodama and Tatsuo George Fujinaka were convicted in federal court in Boise for failing to report for military induction. Each was sentenced to two years in prison and fined.
• Evacuees Seek to Regain Home From Tenants, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Masayuki Fujimoto filed suit in Clackamas County court seeking repossession of his farm from Dale Bergh and Lorene Bergh, who allegedly hold it under an alien property custodian lease. The suit is the first legal test of returnees’ property rights in the county.

Commentary

• Soldier in Europe Condemns Actions of Anti-Evacuee Group, by Marshall Allen, page 2. A soldier from Puyallup wrote his parents criticizing the Remember Pearl Harbor League’s campaign against the return of Japanese Americans. He recalled Nisei teammates and the rescue of a lost battalion by Japanese American troops.
• Hood River Land Grab, by Larry Tajiri, page 4. The editorial argues that the Hood River American Legion and its supporters are using the war to seize orchard land owned by Japanese Americans. It calls for justice and cautions that a boycott would punish the innocent.
• Organized Action, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial praises Barron Beshoar’s account of how Colorado fair-play forces defeated an anti-alien land law through organized campaigning. It concludes that organized men of goodwill can defeat racist movements.
• Yellow Peril in Canada, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial examines British Columbia politicians’ escalating racial attacks on Japanese Canadians ahead of a national election. It notes that the socialist CCF party has defended the citizenship rights of Japanese Canadians.
• The Nisei and the Films, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The column criticizes Hollywood films such as Air Force and Across the Pacific for spreading false rumors of Japanese American sabotage. It notes some recent progress in film portrayals of racial minorities.
• Progress vs. Reaction in Post-War America, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Hosokawa argues that the treatment of Nisei is part of a broader national struggle between progressive and reactionary forces. He compares attacks on Henry Wallace and Aubrey Williams to the campaign against Japanese Americans.
• A Baby Cried, by U. G. Moore, page 6. A poem reflects on a baby of Japanese ancestry and how a crying child is indistinguishable by sound from any other baby. It ends with a verse about color being revealed only in a baby’s smile.
• Letter from Takayoshi Case, by Janet Fenimore Korngold, page 7. The director of nursing at Harborview General Hospital explains that Masako Takayoshi left her position without petitions from staff. She writes that the anonymous letters and whispering campaign were the main problem.
• Hood River Action Hit by Legion Group, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The District of Columbia Legion Council and a Washington post condemned the Hood River post for erasing the names of Japanese American soldiers from its honor roll. Robert Cozzens of the WRA reported the resolutions.

JACL

• JACL Credit Union Elects Officers at Annual Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The National JACL Credit Union held its annual meeting in Salt Lake City and elected board, supervisory, and credit committee members. Treasurer Hito Okada presented a financial report.
• Post-War Problems Discussed by Murray Chapter of JACL, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Principal V. Mortenson of Murray High School addressed the Mount Olympus JACL chapter on post-war employment and the return of servicemen and Japanese Americans. The chapter also began a membership renewal drive.

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