442nd Regimental Combat Team

The 442nd Infantry, formerly the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army, was an Asian American unit composed of mostly Japanese Americans who fought in Europe during the Second World War. The families of many of its soldiers were subject to internment. The 442nd was a self-sufficient fighting force, and fought with uncommon distinction in Italy, southern France, and Germany. The unit became the most highly decorated military unit in the history of the United States Armed Forces, including 21 Medal of Honor recipients, earning the nickname “The Purple Heart Battalion.”

The 442nd RCT became the most decorated unit in U.S. military history for its size and length of service, with its component 100th Infantry Battalion earning the nickname “The Purple Heart Battalion.” The 442nd RCT received 7 Presidential Unit Citations (5 earned in one month), and its members received around 18,000 awards, including:

21 Medals of Honor
The first Medal of Honor was awarded posthumously to PFC Sadao Munemori, Company A, 100th Battalion, for action near Seravezza, Italy, on April 5, 1945. In June 2000, 20 Japanese American veterans were upgraded from other awards to the Medal of Honor (along with two other Americans of Asian descent). The recipients were:

Pvt. Barney F. Hajiro
Pvt. Mikio Hasemoto
Pvt. Joe Hayashi
Pvt. Shizuya Hayashi
Second Lieutenant Daniel K. Inouye
Tech. Sgt. Yeiki Kobashigawa
Staff Sgt. Robert T. Kuroda
Pfc. Kaoru Moto
Pfc. Kiyoshi K. Muranaga
Pvt. Masato Nakae
Pvt. Shinyei Nakamine
Pfc. William K. Nakamura
Pfc. Joe M. Nishimoto
Sgt. (later Staff Sgt.) Allan M. Ohata
Technician Fifth Grade James K. Okubo (combat medic)
Tech. Sgt. Yukio Okutsu
Pfc. Frank H. Ono
Staff Sgt. Kazuo Otani
Pvt. George T. Sakato
Tech. Sgt. Ted T. Tanouye

52 Distinguished Service Crosses (including 19 Distinguished Service Crosses which were upgraded to Medals of Honor in June 2000
1 Distinguished Service Medal
560 Silver Stars (plus 28 Oak Leaf Clusters for a second award
22 Legion of Merit Medals
15 Soldier’s Medals
4,000 Bronze Stars (plus 1,200 Oak Leaf Clusters for a second award; one Bronze Star was upgraded to a Medal of Honor in June 2000
9,486 Purple Hearts




The 442nd[www.the442nd.org]
Forgotten Honor Tournament[www.forgottenhonor.com]