442nd Veteran Here Tells Story Of Frontline Fighting By Nisei Troops

By Jack Furumura

Pvt. Sanai Kageta, wounded 442nd veteran on convalescent leave, is visiting his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Isaburo Kageta and sister, Mitsuko, at 7-14-D. Kageta, who went overseas in August 1944 as a replacement for the nisei combat team was struck in the right leg by mortar fire as he was going to the aid of a wounded buddy in the vicinity of Biffontaine in northern France. He was attached to a company first aid unit, members of which are commonly called “medics.”

Most of the wounded, says Kageta, are very calm and self-possessed when hit and manage to treat themselves with sulfathiazole powders and sulfadiazine pills before the medics reach them. The first thing we do, he said, is administer morphine to stave off the danger of shock and ease the pain.

“The casualties usually occur far up in the front lines,” says Kageta, “so we have to work most of the time under fire. It isn't so much the small arms fire that bothers me as the whistling sounds of the approaching 88 shells and the resulting explosions.”

Speaking of small arms, our automatic riflemen seemed to be the first casualties because of the Germans’ fear of the deadly accuracy and firepower of our automatic weapons. In fact, the Germans think we also have automatic artillery because our rate of fire is so fast, he added.

The 442nd is highly respected especially by the regiments fighting on either side of the unit, stated Kageta. The members are commonly called “morale lifters.” Whenever the fellows discover that they are fighting beside the famed 442nd, morale skyrockets, for many units are familiar with the exploits of our regiment.

“I have heard officers and enlisted men alike of other regiments praise the 442nd,” declared Kageta.

Recalling an incident which in retrospect seems funny but at the time was serious, Kageta said, “one day we went after a wounded man and lost our bearings. We saw Germans running all over the place. We bumped into a bunch of Germans who merely gestured towards us. They were fired upon by some of our men and dispersed; however, two of them walked over to us and surrendered.

“We didn't know what to make of it. Here we were, temporarily lost and unarmed as all first aid men are, and two of them walked over to us and gave themselves up. Well, The upshot of it was, we finally oriented ourselves and had the Germans carry the wounded man back to our lines.”

Kageta observed that most of the Germans are anxious to surrender but SS troops (Himmler's private army) prevent them. They never surrender en mass but individually. Citing an instance that a fellow GI related to him, Kageta said that this fellow was fast asleep when a German tapped him on the shoulder and offered to surrender. Too sleepy to care, the soldier merely turned over and continued sleeping. Came mourning and the German was still patiently waiting to be taken prisoner.

The little known and unsung nisei artillery unit the 522nd, deserves a great deal of praise, stated Kageta. They don't waste many shots before they zero into the target. And they're always ready when we need them.

As long as we're mentioning those who should be given credit, went on Kageta, the company cooks rate pretty high with the boys up front. They bring hot food at every possible opportunity and that certainly keeps the morale of the boys high, he said.

Kageta wears the Purple Heart, European theater of operations, pre-Pearl Harbor and Good Conduct ribbons. After his visit here, he will leave for Madigan General Hospital Ft. Lewis, Wash., for further treatment.