The following tribute is in memory the veterans of the 100th/442nd RCT who have left us in 2012. It is with honor and gratitude that we dedicate our ongoing efforts to promote their legacy and all they stood for. Read more »
Congressional Gold Medal at Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum
The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum hosted a previewing of the Congressional Gold Medal exhibit on March 9, 2013 for the Nisei World War II veterans. The museum is one of only seven museums in the country to host the Congressional Gold Medal exhibit. For your viewing, photos of the event:
Honouliuli Tour
Click here for information about the tour: Honouliuli Tour
SCHEDULE FOR HONOULIULI TOUR:
8:00 am Check-in at the 100th Infantry Battalion clubhouse
Show 11-minute video on Honouliuli presented by JCCH.
(Restroom break)
8:30 am Leave for Honouliuli via Robert’s bus
9:15 am Arrive at Monsanto
(Restroom break)
9:30 am Honouliuli Tour via 5 mini-buses (12-13 people in each bus)
Water bottles provided by Monsanto.
10:30 am Return to the Monsanto building
(Restroom break)
10:45 am Return to 100th Clubhouse via Robert’s bus
11:30 am Arrive at 100th Clubhouse.
Please note that this tour is geared for veterans, wives, widows, and caregivers.
Due to limited seating, priority will be given to this group when registering for this event.
Speech on 70th Anniversary of the 100th Infantry Battalion
Thank you to Judge Thomas K. Kaulukukui, Jr. for allowing us to post the speech he gave at the 100th Infantry Battalion’s 70th Anniversary Banquet on July 8, 2012 at the Honolulu Country Club.
Good Morning to All.
I humbly offer all honor and respect to the Great Spirit who has made this day and who has given us a humble part in it; and to the sands of your birth, wherever that may be; to the memory of our ancestors; to the elders who are present; and to the leaders and other guests in attendance; and most of all, I bow in respect to the veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, and to their descendants and other family members here today, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the 100th Battalion.
I was invited to offer my thoughts on the contributions of the 100th Battalion to the community. I was born in 1945, so I am a member of the “baby boomer” generation—the generation after the 100th Battalion veterans. This is the vantage point of my perspective. Most of you already know the specifics of some or most of the contributions of these veterans, but I humbly offer my own brief but broad perspectives on this topic. I have entitled my remarks “The Essence (S-sense) of the 100th Battalion’s Contributions to the Community.” I say “S-sense” because I will speak of 3 Ss. Read more »
100th’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
The 100th Infantry Battalion held it’s 70th Anniversary celeration at the Honolulu Country Club on Sunday, July 8, 2012. About 350 people attended the milestone event, including a large group from Maui. The luncheon centered around the event’s theme, “For Continued Service, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”. Veterans from the 442 joined in the celebration.
Here are a few photos of the event, compliments of Wayne Iha, Clyde Sugimoto and Pat Thompson.
CGMA Kona Event
KONA, Hawaii — A Congressional Gold Medal Award Ceremony honoring the World War II Nisei veterans was held June 15, 2012 at Kekuaokalani Gym in Kona. More than 700 veterans, family members and friends attended the event. Major General Robert G. F. Lee (retired) made the presentation to the veterans. In addition, replica gold medals were given family members in honor of those who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd RCT and the MIS.
The Rafu Shimpo, Los Angeles Japanese Daily Newspaper, published a great article on the event, titled, “Big Island Salute”. Click here to read the article
The following photographs were taken by Akinori Imai:
Some Thoughts on the Congressional Gold Medal
Here is an article by Edgar Hamasu reflecting on the recent Congressional Gold Medal events. It was published in the Hawaii Pacific Press.
Mitsuo “Ted” Hamasu, 100th Infantry Battalion Veteran, standing before his unit’s photo at the 100th Club House with brother Edgar Hamasu (on the right), Korean War Veteran and past President of Military Intelligence Veterans of Hawaii.
Article courtesy of the Hawaii Pacific Press (January 15, 2012). Photo courtesy of Edgar Hamasu.
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL
By Edgar A. Hamasu, President
MIS Veterans Club of Hawaii
Introductory Remarks. When the publisher of Hawaii Pacific Press asked me to write about the December 17th celebration, I quickly replied that I was not a WW II veteran. I served in Military Intelligence Service, but it was in the Korean War. When the WW II began, I was only 10 years old. I told him that my brother, Mitsuo, fought with the 100th Infantry Battalion in WW II. But the publisher asked if I would write my impression about the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) events.
Read more »
Varsity Victory Volunteers
A Letter to Dad
A Tribute to the San Diego Japanese American Veterans of the 100th/442nd/MIS , “A Letter to Dad” video presented at the San Diego Congressional Gold Medal luncheon held on March 11, 2012.
Produced and directed by Robert P. Ito. Co-directed and narrated by Lane Nishikawa.
America’s Congressional Gold Medal Heroes
This is the first of many articles that have been published in The Hawai`i Herald. Here is the cover story on the AJA Congressional Gold Medal — Courtesy of The Hawai`i Herald.
AMERICA’S CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL HEROES
In the Twilight of their Lives, America’s AJA Veterans Still Shine
Karleen C. Chinen
The Hawai‘i Herald (November 4, 2011)
They now belong to an elite group of world citizens — honored by the Congress of the United States with the nation’s high civilian award for service — the Congressional Gold Medal. Past awardees had included U.S. presidents, astronauts, the Dalai Lama, baseball great Jackie Robinson, Pope John Paul II, and Dr. Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, among others. Google “Congressional Gold Medal” on the Internet and you will find their names — the 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service — America’s newest Congressional Gold Medal heroes.
*** Teds Corner *** SENPAI GUMI
Ted T. Tsukiyama resides in Honolulu and is an active member of the 442nd RCT Veterans Club and the MIS Veterans Club. During World War II, he was a member of the Varsity Victory Volunteers, the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion of the 442nd RCT, and the Military Intelligence Service. Throughout the years, Ted has served as a wartime historian, often writing about his own experiences.
Here is his latest article:
“Senpai” translated into English means “elder,” “senior,” “predecessor” or “pioneer,” and the word “gumi” means “group,” “team,” or “class,” so “senpai gumi” as referred to herein means “pioneer group” or “pioneer class.” “Senpai Gumi” is also the name of a historical booklet edited by 100th/MIS veteran Richard S. Oguro which tells the story of the fifty nine Nisei soldiers of the 100th Battalion who in December 1942 were transferred out from their CampMcCoytraining over to the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage (MISLS) to become the first group of Nisei from Hawaii to be trained for MIS service, hence the “senpai gumi” of Hawaii Nisei to enter the MIS.
These MIS Senpai all shared the common history of having been drafted into the army prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, were assigned to Hawaii National Guard service with the 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments until late May 1942 when they together with all other Nisei were separated out from the 298th and 299th and assembled into the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion. On June 5, 1942 the Battalion comprised of 1,432 Nisei were shipped off to the mainland when they were re-designated the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) and sent to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin for combat training.
*** 2011 Honor Roll ***
The following tribute is in memory the veterans of the 100th/442nd RCT who have left us in 2011. It is with honor and gratitude that we dedicate our ongoing efforts to promote their legacy and all they stood for.
Read more »
CGM Video Tribute
A short video was created by the Congressional Gold Medal Hawaii Committee to honor the veterans of the 100th, 442nd, and MIS in receiving the Nation’s highest civilian award. The video was presented as part of the CGM Hawaii luncheon held on December 17, 2011, to an audience of more than 3,000. The CGM Tribute was produced by Oz Go, director/writer of 1001 Stories.
Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony at Punchbowl
As part of the two day celebration of the Congressional Gold Medal Hawaii Event, service was held on Sunday, December 18, 2011, at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Over 400 attended the ceremony to honor the men of the 100th, 442nd, MIS and 1399th who are no longer with us today. Lt. General (Ret.) Joseph Peterson, former Deputy Commander, FORSCOM was the keynote speaker.
The following photographs of the event were taken by Wayne Iha.
Congressional Gold Medal Award Hawaii Event
The CGM Hawaii celebration was held on Saturday, December 17, 2011. The day began with a military parade through Waikiki and culminated with a grand banquet at the Hawaii Convention Center.
Over 3,000 people attended the luncheon, honoring the veterans of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service and the 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion.
The following photos capture the event, compliments of Wayne Iha.