442nd Sergeant Describes Fighting Germans on the Gothic Line and in Northern Italy
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2024
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Tokuji Yoshihashi was working at a fruit and vegetable stand in California on December 7, 1941. Suddenly a large crowd began to gather around him talking about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Yoshihashi immediately became concerned due to his appearance and Japanese ancestry.
Tokuji and his family would be relocated to the Gila River Internment Camp in Arizona. In 1944, after passing a loyalty test and swearing allegiance to the United States, Yoshihashi was drafted into the U.S. Army.
Yoshihashi would travel oversees and join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team as a replacement. The 442nd would go on to become the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the US military.
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All generations of Japanese Americans can hold up their heads high from the patriotic service of the 442nd.
Guy
I agree 💯👍, I just admire Japanese Americans at that time seeing their loved ones put into those camps and still be proud to be American to join and fight Japan, it makes think about today some people cry "racism!" Look what happened and not so long ago Japanese Americans were treated like as if the attacked America! And still defended America with pride and the cost of their lives. Thank you all for your service and fighting for our way of life defending people you have never met. Because of you I can live my life in the way I see fit, long hair heavy metal and my Harley Davidson!! God bless you all! Sorry for being a bit corny but I know my family members who gave their lives in Vietnam serving in the Marines, I wish I could just once "I love each of you and I'm so proud, thank you"
What about first generation Japanese Americans, whose grandparents fought for the Imperial Japanese Army? Asking for a friend.
@@nate5091 what about them?? They did their duty just like ours did theirs. We our country asks us to fight, we do.
@@0006trance No, they killed, raped, and conquered innocent people. For no reason. That's like saying the Nazi and SS soldiers did their duty just like the American soldiers. Clown
The internment of Japanese Americans was really a nasty thing. This man is a true American Hero! Hand Salute!
🫡
Not as bad as native American genocide
It was but on the other hand i think of all the violence and hate they would have faced in the public from people that lost their children in the pacific so like I said I do agree the internment camps were a horrible thing but I feel like it could have been really bad if they were just left out in the public
Also yes this man is a True American hero and I'm glad his story has been documented for the future generations to hear
No, it wasn’t right but compared to the occidentals, English,Dutch, American, etc., who were rounded up in newly Japanese controlled areas, such as Hong Kong and Shanghai, Java, etc. They were all, men, women, and children put into regular POW camps,and treated very poorly, half starved, no real medical care, the Japanese being contemptuous of them just as much as the men. In addition some of the women were offered better treatment if they became sexual concubines to the Japanese officers, others being forced to submit. Two wrongs don’t make a right but at least the Nisei were fed and housed decently.
@Paddy le Blanc so you would have rather they just be kept out on the street so everyone that lost a family member in the war with Japan to take out their anger on them then? And I don't know how you got the ldea that they were all thrown in cages but that is totally false
As an Asian-American adopted into a Caucasian family where all my grandparents and grand relatives served in WWII. This hit home, thank you
Check out the movie “Go for broke”
I didn’t know it was out!!! Thank you!
@@kyledunscomb1481 yes. It was made in the 50s starring Van Johnson
He’s an American hero. The 442nd is legendary. I don’t know how I would’ve responded about serving in the military if I, and all of my family members, were put behind barbed wire in the internment camps.
Word.
Hawaii and Mainland Japanese Americans could not get along at all, that the US was considering disbanding the unit...and then the Hawaiian Japanese Americans went to the camps, and everything changed. Because they couldn't imagine living through that, or knowing it could've happened to them, and still deciding to fight for their country.
A true American.Thank you for your service ,sir.
I used to work at the same company as Toke Yoshihashi and did not know that he served in the 442nd RCT. My father was a 1st Sergeant Fox Company 442nd RCT from March 1943 through March 1945. I thank all of the veterans especially the Japanese American who served in US Army during WWII and half of them half of them had families who were interned during WWII including my father and mother's family. I thank the American Veterans Center for putting together this video.
My father told me that he was wounded and sent to the hospital in Nice, France after the Lost Battalion and was then sent back to the United States on a hospital ship. I have a photo showing him leaving the military hospital in Camp Carson, Colorado after WWII had ended.
John...you and I spoke about your dad a few years ago. I had watched documentary about 442 and followed up. I'm at USAF SERE/Survival School, Fairchild AFB, WA. USMC retired.
The most decorated unit ever! Mahalo
Glad he was given the opportunity to serve. Thanks to all our veterans who served. Semper Fi.
This is what a true patriot is. Just be a good American with American interests at heart. Solid!
442nd earned it's place as the most decorated regiment of WW2
You are a walking treasure, thank you!!!
Thank you for this video and your brave and honorable service, Sir.
I'm a haole who drove trucks in Hawaii for a couple of years for the Tagishira's, a Japanese family. Delivering Arare rice crackers, rice, and other Asian foods all over the island after my three-month “early-out-for-college” discharge and the Vietnam-era GI Bill. My fiance and I loved those folks, and I was grateful for my job while continuing my studies at the University of Hawaii (Class of 1971). That wonderful young lady and I married in 1969 and still are!
Hiroshima natives, the Tagishira's, had done business on Ward Avenue on Oahu for many years (they still are!). and they appreciated it when I covered the office for them when they vacationed in Japan. But they also spoke to my fiance and me about Japanese-Americans' awful treatment during World War II. One of American history's most flagrant violations of civil liberties.
Japanese-Americans were 40% of Hawaii’s population on December 7, 1941. Imperial Japan’s 7 December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor led President Franklin Roosevelt to order one hundred ten thousand to one hundred twenty thousand Japanese on the West Coast, resident aliens and American citizens of Japanese descent, evacuated to one of ten internment camps in the western interior of the country despite little evidence of disloyalty.
Sixty-two percent of the internees were“Nisei” - U.S. citizens who may never have been to Japan. Indeed, they were essential to the Hawaiian economy. They ran banks, worked on farms, and owned, managed, or were employed by other businesses. Suddenly cutting the Japanese out of the economic equation would have been disastrous. So unlike stateside internment camps, wartime incarceration of Japanese in Hawaii was on a much smaller scale.
The "Day of Infamy" killed more than two thousand four hundred Americans and drew the U.S. into World War II. But documents recovered from Japanese aircraft lost that day revealed a supposed network of Japanese spies on Oahu, which contributed to the paranoia that led to those internment camps.
The Japanese had no such network, just a spy named Takeo Yoshikawa assigned to the Japanese consulate in Honolulu to gather intelligence about Pearl Harbor. In postwar writings, Yoshikawa absolved Hawaii's Japanese-Americans of providing him assistance. "Hawaii's Nisei shared a deep sense of belonging to the United States," he wrote, "When entreated to do something for Japan, they would refuse me with the line: 'I am an American.'"
Before being interned, however, Japanese-Americans were forced to sell their homes and most of their assets. Because of the intense pressure on them from anglo farmers seeking to eliminate Japanese competition and treacly politicians hoping to gain by standing against a suddenly unpopular group, everything went for a fraction of its value. This included the portions of California’s wine country owned by Japanese-Americans bound for the internment camps, where their family structure was upended, and they lost their rights as citizens.
Close to Pearl Harbor, the Honouliuli internment camp, the largest and longest-operating of seventeen such camps in Hawaii, held as many as four thousand prisoners during World War II, including hundreds of Japanese-Americans. Known by prisoners as "Jigoku Dani" or "Hell's Valley," says Carole Hayashino, the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii president. "There are many stories -- families were visiting their family members interned, they would be blindfolded, and they boarded buses in downtown Honolulu," she says. "And then they would be driven into the gulch. They had no idea where they were going."
“Go For Broke”
Not so the many younger Japanese men like this gentleman, who wagered everything and faced prejudice, suspicion, and distrust to fight for the United States with the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II.
Deployed to Italy, southern France, and Germany, the 442nd Regiment was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of American warfare. The four thousand men who initially made up the 442nd in April 1943 were replaced nearly twice. Some fourteen thousand men served, earning nine thousand four hundred ninety-six Purple Hearts. In addition, the unit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations (five earned in one month). Twenty-one of its members were awarded Medals of Honor. Its famous motto: "Go for Broke."
In early 1945, the war was over, interned Japanese-American citizens were allowed to return to the West Coast, and the last internment camp closed in March 1946. In 1988, Congress awarded restitution payments to each camp survivor, but never before or after were U.S. citizens kept under martial law in such numbers or for so long.
Glad I had a chance to share this personal essay: "Only What They Could Carry." Aloha, Deplorable.
Thank you. I hadn't thought about the Japanese on Hawaii.
@@thereissomecoolstuff Super post (I'm listening to the whole thing now). Interestingly, the Tagishiras only hired haole truck drivers! Also, sorry to say it, but we might be seeing some martial law heading for America sometime soon.
@@Billw0006 I agree. Not to worried about marshal law. This will be a city problem. Go out in the country and you will never see any of it. What strikes me about all japanese internees is their grace. The camps were bad as well as losing their possessions. Getting murdered by a mob was far worse. I believe in the back of their minds they understood that.
@@thereissomecoolstuff Hey Cool, I sure hope you're right. George and Mary took Susie and me into their family. They were wonderful American Patriots. We were proud to have known them. :)
@@Billw0006 One of the major issues with young people today is they never talk to senior Americans. When I used to drive rideshare I would ask them if they ever talked to their grandfather's. I would encourage them to do so and hear about times when they were young nd felt like many do today. Then ask what changed. Your story is wonderful. Your heart was opened up by caring and generosity. I am so glad social media didn't exist when I was younger. It is killing our young physically and spiritually.
I went into a shindig somewhere in San diego. The news anchor from Vietnam was married to a veteran that became a singer after the war. She herself is also a singer, that put her in the spotlight to carry on the torch for her husband. This shindig was a reunion for all the veterans of Vietnam. These were all Vietnamese people that are 100% American. They love that the Vietnamese American soldiers have for our country is far more than our politicians have.
Thank you for service, sacrifice and courage for freedom 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 God Bless you & your family.❤️
What a humble and honorable man to look up to.
So proud of these AMERICANS, treated badly by their government yet still willing to fight for America!!
They weren't the only ones. Black Americans endured racism and outright hate but still fought bravely on all fronts.
Don't forget the Finish Americans.
pride comes from serving and coming home, words from a very humbled man. God bless this man
Sir, thank you endlessly for your service and may God bless you always!!!! ✝️🇺🇸✝️
Outstanding unit history and valor in WWII. I met some members at UWAJIMIA store and food court in Seattle International District. I knew what the unit # 442 on hat meant, where they fought and accomplished. USMC retired. If you have chance to meet members of unit, treat them and listen to their words closely. Semper Fidelis to 442.
Neeson Japanese Americans proving the loyalty. Like the Tuskegee airman. Makes me proud of these men.
Thank you all for your heroic service!!!
The fighting in Italy in and around Monte Cassino was hellacious and 442nd fought ferociously and proudly. Thank you all. My uncle was a colonel under General Mark Clark in Italy
Thank you Sir
Thank You For Your Service Sir
I’ve had the good fortune to meet Mr. Yoshihashi several times. I march with the 442nd contingent in the annual Nissei Parade in LA - wearing his uniform as a representation for the veterans who used to march in decades past. I remember when he first saw me in uniform he remarked that I looked just like they used to at 18/19 - except taller! Really glad to see him tell his story here.
RESPECT!
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your service to a grateful nation,sir.
And this guys awesome I love hearing their stories
My dad was already in the army in Florida before the war broke out, so he served state side while the rest of his family was intered a Minidoka. My uncle was injured before the Gothic line at the battle for the lost battalion. We are very proud of the sacrifices of the men who served in the 442nd!❤
Thank you for your service. God bless you sir
I'm proud 👏 of this man, he's a true 👍 American hero. I am extremely disappointed in the internment camps. They did similar to my ancestors with the reservations.
My mother was 4 years old, living in California, when she and her family along other Japanese-Americans were put on trains and moved to camps. My mother’s family ended up at Tule Lake until the end of the war. My older brother and I both served in the military. As far as I can remember, she never spoke negatively about the United States or the military. She didn’t want us to join but we weren’t discouraged from it. I do remember when she got a check from the government for 20K and that was the only time I remember her talking with my father and she did let herself become angry about the forced move to the camps. After that, I never heard about it again. I was the only one in my history class that raised his hand when the class was asked about the camps.
A Salute to you Brother. 🇺🇸
There’s a 1951 film called “Go for broke”, which is about the Japanese Americans who fought
in Italy, etc.
It’s actually pretty good and tells a good story, plus some/many of the actors were actual veterans.
“Go for broke” is the motto of the 442nd.
I'll watch the movie again.
@@paulfreeman7719 it was on TCM during Memorial Day weekend. I recorded it to DVR, along with a bunch of other good ones they played that weekend.
God bless you💐🤗👍
Thank You so much for your service Dear Sir, Go My Beautiful USA!!!!!😊😇🥰😍🤗❤🤍💙💪👍
Thank you sir for your service and God bless you
I salute you Sir!
Thank you for your service
I love the work this channel is doing documenting history amazing job
I appreciate this interview especially because it isn't full of grandiose tales. It demonstrates the diversity of experience of various soldiers. And this man is no less a hero in my opinion.
Thank you so much for you service sir your right!! You are an American 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲
What isn't mentioned in this video is that the 442nd often got the more dangerous assignments because they were more aggressive against the Germans.
You are right on this point, as history has documented and valor awards prove.
Also supposedly the only US Regiment that Adolf Hitler wanted to know their location at all times 🤣
Not really. If your unit has "infantry" attached to its name, then you're guaranteed to be assigned dangerous objectives. The 442nd didn't really see any more or any less combat than the other dogface outfits that fought for as long as they did.
The internment of Japanese Americans was an ugly thing to have happen. Yes all those Japanese people were loyal Americans. But during that actual time American people were angry and in California they were worried about an invasion. My mom was born in Stockton Ca in 1931 She remembered her dad was pitching pennies on the sidewalk when the news of Pearl Harbor came over the radio. The very next day she said there were NO Japanese kids in school. Also two of my moms cousins are still on the Arizona, Harry and Jimmy Robinson, they were brothers.
wow we never hear stories about internment camps
Of course not. Would make the US look a lot less of a "good guy".
I knew a man who was interned. Amazing guy. He said a lot of Japanese families couldn’t pay their property taxes during internment and lost property. Am sure some glib Democrat with pronouns in their bio is sitting on some of it right now
These men are true American heroes. They fought for an ideal they believed in.
Thank you Sir for your service to our Country.
Just another great American.
The Japanese make badass products, they have a very unique cool 😎 engineering style in everything
Fun fact or just a stupid comment?
Nice
As a veteran myself when he said we called him spud I laughed my ass off. American all the way.
The Japanese are very brave people.
Didn't you get it, He is an American not Japanese!
Badass.
I think your video link says it is only available to those with a link? Perhaps that’s why this has 0 likes (had, I’m glad to be the first! Lol) and 3 views. I got here via another one of your videos. But just letting you know!
These guys were studs. Tougher than a $2 steak and kept their socks up with thumb tacks.
What a great guy! He's interned and then serves honorably in the military.
Your country is determined by your heart and who you stand for. Australia’s greatest sniper of ww1 is Billy Sing. A Chinese heritage with a heart of a lion. He is an Australian and a legend
Very cool!! This man does not seem his age, he could pass for 65 or 70. Thanks for your service!!!
5:57 "We called him 'Spud' because he liked potatoes so much"
Spud: There is no greater love than one who gives there life for their friends
🇺🇸🗽we are all citizens.
What a fabulous history.
Argh, those camps were definitely a smudge on our history. Bless his patriotic heart.
Geeze, the nerve of the govt. to draft out of the camps lol...
Lop!
As a nisei myself, these guys are titans to us.
men of courage. Respect
The internment camps are a disgraceful chapter in the history of our great nation. These men are/were true heroes and deserve our utmost respect. 🇺🇸
Sharp as a tack!
I commend you for your service sir. At the same time it’s crazy to think at this time black Americans were still thought to be inferior. Our leaders in the war department and Military ranks were so reluctant on allowing black infantry to serve on the frontlines. The 92nd infantry division saw deliberate combat and a few units in the pacific. It’s still mind boggling.
Fun Fact or just a woke moment?
More than 1 million AA men and women served in WW2 in every capacity. They included the Tuskegee Airmen, the 761st and the 784th tank battalions, and the 800+ 6888th Central Postal Directory battalion. They served and fought for freedoms denied to them in the US. BTW African-Americans have been fighting for this country since the Revolutionary War
i
They should make an updated film of the 442nd. Only one I know is the black and white film.
My family changed their last name from Scherer to Shearer during WW1 because people did not treat German Americans very well. I always thought it must have been rather obvious though with them having thick Eastern European accents .
All of us Americans are from somewhere else, glad he got to describe his toil during those years having to prove himself. An American thru and thru!
what happened to our american japanese friends and neighbors was absolutely crimanal.
My Father was with the P.P.C.L.I in Italy and was wounded, captured and was a POW on the Hitler Line. He didn't talk too much about the war until I Join the Patricias..... Then he opened up because we were now Bothers in arms!!
Never forget the japanese american men of the 442nd true American heros glad I was able to hear his story in his own words
Japanese are an honorable people, they were fierce. The Japanese fighting for the US embodied the warrior spirit more than anyone else
The man was sent to a detainment camp, then got drafted. Good old uncle sam
I've always held the men/American Patriots of the 442 as the standard for U.S. military conduct. Hind sight being 20/20. The camps were understandably justified yet not really warranted. People are not perfect. Everyone makes mistakes.
American Hero!!!
Putting Japanese in camps was bad but I think the tougher minded people of those days understood and I'm sure they caught some Japanese loyalists who could've done damage. I'm sure it was a small number but Japanese of that time were willing to die for the empire.
🇺🇸
Most decorated in the US army
Most decorated regimental combat team*
There were other units that were more decorated.
Go for Broke!
These men had to sign their lives away just for the opportunity at getting their civil rights back. I had relatives that refused to fight and later in life I was just as proud at the decisions they made as the men that chose to fight.
We defeated the wrong enemy
TRUE AMERICAN HEROES
Japanese internment was an embarrassing time for America.
I apologize to this man sincerely.
Why would you put George bush in the intro and sully this hero’s spotlight?
I'm from az. They cooked those poor folks. I understand having to watch out for Japanese but they should have picked a more hospitabl environment to put them in protective custody if I can call it that
An all Japanese ground unit. The 442nd Infantry Regiment is best known as the most decorated in WW2.
Thank you Sir