Nisei soldiers in Italy, and the question of returning to the West Coast

Vol. 19, No. 9, September 9, 1944. 8 pages. View this issue

Japanese American soldiers in Italy filled the front page and much of the paper. The War Department named 54 men wounded in action, and men of the 2nd Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team held a memorial service at Cecina for 71 fallen comrades. George Tucker reported on the 442nd and the 100th Battalion in the Fifth Army’s renewed offensive, with patrols among the first into Pisa. A letter from Chaplain Thomas Eugene West spoke to the parents of the wounded and killed.

The other major subject was whether incarcerated families could go home. Kimmis Hendrick described certificates of exemption allowing a return to the West Coast, and an editorial weighed what that meant. Saburo Kido wrote about Pfc. Thomas Higa’s speaking tour, and Bill Hosokawa answered the hostile press. Editorial digests from newspapers across the country praised the 100th Battalion and criticized the Navy’s exclusion of Japanese Americans. Letters from soldiers in hospitals and training camps fill page 6, and Minidoka and Topaz news appears throughout.

What’s in this issue

Military & Veterans

• War Department Announces Names of 54 Wounded in Action Recently in Italy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The War Department identified 54 Japanese Americans wounded in action in the Italy and Mediterranean area, listing each soldier with his next of kin and address. The list includes men from the mainland and Hawaii.
• Japanese Americans Honor Fallen Comrades, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Members of the 2nd Battalion of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team held a memorial service at Cecina, Italy, for 71 comrades killed in action. Photos show the service and the battalion choir that sang at the ceremony.
• Nisei Soldier, War Prisoner, Heard on Radio, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pfc. Shigeki Nezu, a Japanese American soldier held as a prisoner of war in Germany, was heard on a Berlin radio broadcast. His mother in Hunt, Idaho received word of the broadcast from the War Department.
• Minidoka Volunteer Wounded in Italy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pfc. George Komoto, a volunteer from the Minidoka relocation center, was reported wounded in action in Italy on August 1. His family in Mesa, Idaho was notified.
• New York Nisei Killed in Action Recently in Italy, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pfc. Clifford Hana of Lake Placid, New York, was killed in action in Italy on July 12. He was the first Japanese American from New York state reported killed in action.
• Pfc. Furuya Hurt in Action on Italian Front, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Pfc. Joji Furuya of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was wounded in July and is recovering in a Rome hospital. He was the only Japanese American member of the New York City Fire Department before volunteering.
• Californian Proud to Fight With Japanese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Lieut. Marshall Haines of Auburn, California wrote from Italy praising the Japanese American infantry unit as the best he has worked with. He described their combat record and the Presidential citation they received.
• 45 Japanese Americans from Relocation Centers Killed in Italy to Date, by P.C. Staff, page 3. WRA director Dillon Myer reported that 45 Japanese American soldiers with next of kin in relocation centers have been killed in Italy. Another 92 were reported wounded and two missing.
• Twin Falls Farmer Learns Son Wounded In Overseas Accident, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Shinzo Makabe of Twin Falls was notified that his son Pvt. Wilson Makabe was seriously injured in a vehicle accident in North Africa. Pvt. Makabe had previously seen combat action in Italy with the 442nd.
• Japanese Americans Occupy Slopes of Monte Pisano in Renewed 5th Army Offensive, by George Tucker, page 3. Japanese American troops of the 442nd and 100th Battalion took part in the Fifth Army’s renewed offensive, occupying southwestern slopes of Monte Pisano. Patrols of the 442nd were among the first to enter Pisa.
• Hunt to Hold Memorial for Soldier Dead, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A second project-wide memorial service at Hunt will honor six Minidoka servicemen killed in action. Seiichi Hara is serving as general chairman of the September 18 service.
• Three Nisei Report for Army Service, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Three Japanese American youths from the Weiser, Idaho area were inducted at Fort Douglas, Utah. The report appeared in the Weiser American.
• Action Breaks Long Stalemate Along Arno; Allies Liberate Pisa, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Japanese American units were engaged in the Fifth Army’s offensive against the Gothic line, including the 442nd and 100th Battalion. The 442nd was among the first units to enter the city of Pisa.
• Japanese Americans in Italy Knock Out Three Nazi Tanks, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Bazooka gunner Pfc. Masao Okazaki of Hilo, Hawaii destroyed a German Mark IV tank, and Fifth Army artillery knocked out two more. The attack force fled and the Japanese American battalion advanced.
• Two GI Letters Reflect Purposes of the Crusaders, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Two Nisei volunteers from Rohwer and Jerome write about their military training and motivation. One describes studying to be an interpreter, and the other reflects on enlisting despite hostility.
• From a Hospital Somewhere in Italy, by P.C. Staff, page 6. T/Sgt. Kamo writes from an Italian hospital about his injury, his disappointment at being separated from his unit, and the mental strain of other patients. He prays for the continued luck of his comrades.
• Hq. Company Letters: From Home, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Former 100th Infantryman Pfc. Joe Yamauchi writes from Hawaii on furlough, describing the joy of being with family. He is now assigned to a replacement depot.
• A GI Tourist’s View of Italy, by Edward Kanaya, page 6. T/5 Edward Kanaya describes visiting the ancient Italian city of Parquinia and the customs of its residents. He is a member of the 206 AGF Band entertaining in Mediterranean hospitals.

Community

• Donates Blood For Eighth Time, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Mas Hyodo, a Japanese Canadian relocated to Ontario, gave blood for the eighth time at the Blood Donors Clinic in Hamilton. He holds the record among Japanese Canadian donors in Ontario.
• Truck Accident Proves Fatal To Topaz Resident, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tatsuzo Hanamura, 64, of Topaz was killed when struck by a truck on a highway near the Topaz project area. The evacuee driver was absolved of blame.
• Milwaukee Girl Is Four-Time Blood Donor to Red Cross, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Chiye Okazaki of Milwaukee is a four-time blood donor to the Red Cross. Community activities including a dance social and an International Institute party are also reported.
• Two Topaz Families Have Four Sons In Armed Service, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Ishida and Yoshino families of Topaz each have four sons in the armed forces, and the Iijima family has three sons and two sons-in-law serving. Their assignments in the U.S. and overseas are listed.
• Topaz Youth Leaves for ASTP Training, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Jack Yoshizuka became the first person from Topaz to enter the Army Specialized Training Program. He departed on August 8.
• Evacuee to Deliver Belated Xmas Present, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Shokuro Matsunaga of Amache received a permit to return to Hawaii to join his wife and children. He had been traveling to buy a Christmas gift when Pearl Harbor was attacked.
• Penicillin Flown To Poston Saves Life of Child, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Army fliers from Davis Mountain Air Base flew penicillin to the Poston relocation center, saving the life of five-year-old Richard Nakamoto. The boy was suffering from blood poisoning from a shoulder infection.
• Nationwide Speaking Tour Outlined for 100th Veteran, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Pfc. Thomas Higa of the 100th Infantry Battalion will speak in cities from the West Coast to New York between September and November. The tour includes stops at several relocation centers.
• Fukuyama to Head Chicago Youth Group, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Yoshio Fukuyama of Los Angeles was elected chairman of the Social Action Committee of the National Council of the Pilgrim Fellowship. He has been visiting youth conferences this summer.
• Rev. Hashimoto Takes Colorado Post, by P.C. Staff, page 6. The Rev. Hideo Hashimoto was assigned by the Methodist Church to work among persons of Japanese ancestry in Grand Junction, Colorado. He left Chicago with his wife.
• Minidoka WRA Teams Win Softball Titles, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Evacuee softball teams from Area A and Area B of the Minidoka relocation center won the men’s and women’s tournaments on August 27. Teams from surrounding Idaho communities also competed.
• Hawaiians Thank Minnesotans For Hospitality to Troops, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Japanese Americans in Hawaii invited 500 Minnesota soldiers to a luau in gratitude for hospitality shown to Nisei troops at Camp Savage. A St. Paul event also invited local girls to host a dance for Nisei soldiers at Fort Snelling.
• Perry Saito Weds Sacramento Girl, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Perry Saito and Fumiko Yabe were married in a Chicago Methodist church on August 19. The couple met at the Tule Lake relocation center.
• Philadelphia Hostel Scene of Socials for Evacuee Group, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Philadelphia Hostel housed 68 persons over July and August with weekly bridge and social nights. Various church and community groups attended the Thursday night parties.
• Nisei Brothers Meet After Twelve Years in Washington, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Pvt. Kenneth Otagaki, seriously wounded in Italy, was brought to Walter Reed Hospital where he reunited with his brother Richard, a dental student at Howard University. Kenneth lost a leg and an eye and remains proud to be an American.

National

• First Escheat Suits Filed in Orange County, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The California State filed escheat actions in Santa Ana against the Nitta family and others to seize 55 acres under the anti-alien land law. The State contends the land titles were transferred to evade the law.
• Way Cleared for Evacuees to Return to Evacuated Area, by Kimmis Hendrick, page 2. The Western Defense Command granted certificates of exemption allowing Mrs. Shizuko Shiramizu and Masaru Baba to re-enter the West Coast. The Army’s position on the eventual return of evacuees has been clarified.
• California Newspaper Urges Early Return of Evacuees, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Santa Ana Register editorial called the wholesale evacuation a serious mistake and urged that Japanese Americans be allowed to return to the West Coast. It argued they are entitled to the same government protection as any citizen.
• Early Opening of Evacuated Area Indicated by Recent Developments, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Recent military certificates and a U.S. Attorney statement suggest California may reopen to Japanese American citizens. A pending federal suit challenges the continued enforcement of exclusion orders.
• Tokyo Propagandists Utilized Evacuation Issue, Says Pickett, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Clarence Pickett told a Senate subcommittee that Japanese propagandists exploited the wartime evacuation. Bishop Oxnam and Rabbi Cohen also urged a permanent FEPC to address discrimination.
• Uniformed Bandit Holds Up, Kidnaps Two Utah Nisei, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A man in a uniform kidnapped two Japanese Americans at a Salt Lake City garage and robbed them of $225 before stealing their car. Police were searching for the bandit.
• L.A. Police Officer Exonerated in Manzanar Judo Case, by P.C. Staff, page 8. A Los Angeles police board cleared Sgt. Jack Sergel of charges arising from his judo matches with evacuees at Manzanar. The board found his activities were aboveboard and known to the department.
• Norman Thomas Asks Welcome for Evacuee Group, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Socialist presidential candidate Norman Thomas told a Seattle audience that Japanese Americans should be welcomed back to the Pacific Coast after the war. He called racial prejudice incompatible with lasting peace.

JACL

• Military for Right to Reopen Coast Office, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The JACL requested permission from Gen. Bonesteel to reopen its San Francisco office, arguing the Western Defense Command’s lifted restrictions make it timely. The organization believes it can assist returning evacuees.

Commentary

• Trend in California, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The California Supreme Court ruled that equity courts will not enforce restrictive covenants by injunction where neighborhoods have changed. The editorial calls restrictive covenants contrary to democratic principles.
• Chinese Americans, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Fifty Chinese American soldiers in India held forums on postwar discrimination and agreed organizations are needed. The editorial links their concerns to the discrimination faced by Japanese Canadians.
• Canadian Volunteers, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial reports that Japanese Canadians want to volunteer for military service in a Japanese American unit, as the Special Service Force did with mixed nationalities. It contrasts this with their government’s denial of military participation.
• The Return to the Coast, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial argues the Army’s certificates of exemption affirm evacuees’ right to return to the West Coast, but warns against letting the issue become a campaign football. It calls the right to return a final vindication of democratic faith.
• Letter-Box: Best Wishes, by Henry Shue Tom, page 4. A letter from a Chinese YMCA worker in San Francisco praises the paper’s coverage and sends best wishes. He mentions his friendships with Japanese Americans.
• Letter-Box: Enraged, by Pfc. Carl Fusa, page 4. A soldier writes that he and his buddies are angered by draft evaders and draft resisters causing trouble in eastern camps. He challenges them to fight the enemy rather than fellow Americans.
• A Message from the Battlefront: Combat Team Chaplain Sends Message to Soldiers’ Parents, by Thomas Eugene West, page 5. Chaplain Thomas Eugene West of the 442nd writes to the parents of wounded and killed soldiers, offering sympathy and describing the medical care the wounded receive. He praises the Nisei chaplains and commends the fallen soldiers’ courage.
• Facing the Barbs of the Prejudiced Press, by Bill Hosokawa, page 5. Bill Hosokawa argues that Nisei must not be demoralized by attacks from papers like the Denver Post and Hearst press. He notes that the press often reverses its positions and that truth ultimately prevails in a democracy.
• Editorial Digest: These Gallant Americans, by Detroit Free Press, page 5. The Detroit Free Press criticized Western Grange Masters for seeking to bar Japanese Americans from resettling on the West Coast. It cited the 100th Infantry Battalion’s combat record and decorations.
• Editorial Digest: Nisei in the Pacific, by Des Moines Tribune, page 5. The Des Moines Tribune paid tribute to Nisei specialists serving in the Pacific who have received little publicity. It noted they face the hazards of the enemy, trigger-happy comrades, and torture if captured.
• Editorial Digest: Our Japanese Heroes, by Idaho Statesman, page 5. The Idaho Statesman praised the 100th Infantry Battalion for its combat record and decorations and its lack of desertions. It questioned whether any other battalion matched that record.
• Editorial Comment: 100th Battalion Honored, by New York Herald Tribune, page 5. The New York Herald Tribune praised the 100th Infantry Battalion’s record and urged that it be remembered when discussing postwar Japanese American workers. It said Japanese loyalty and endurance have value for a rational world order.
• Editorial Comment: Four Medals, by San Francisco Chronicle, page 5. The San Francisco Chronicle noted that four California Nisei received Bronze Star medals for action on Saipan. It named them as Honda, Nakanishi, Matsui and Sakamoto.
• Editorial Comment: Navy Bars Americans, by Milwaukee Journal, page 5. The Milwaukee Journal criticized the Navy and WAVES for refusing Japanese Americans while the Army accepts them. It argued the policy is arbitrary and that the armed forces should be open to all loyal Americans.
• Editorial Comment: Navy’s Racist Policy Shown In Attitude Toward Nisei, by Des Moines Register, page 5. The Des Moines Register argues the Navy’s exclusion of Japanese Americans and other minorities reflects race-mindedness dating to Taft’s era. It calls the Navy’s refusal more backward than the Army’s policy.
• Timely Topics, by Saburo Kido, page 6. Saburo Kido describes the lecture tour of Pfc. Thomas Higa, which dispelled rumors about Nisei soldiers. He also discusses plans for sending Christmas gifts to soldiers overseas.

Arts & Entertainment

• “The Exile’s Daughter”: Pearl Buck’s Life Story Told in New Biography, by Ann Nisei, page 5. Ann Nisei reviews Cornelia Spencer’s biography of Pearl Buck, tracing the influences of her childhood in China. The review highlights how her experiences of feeling alien shaped her sympathy for minorities.

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