![]() But both the Nazis and the mountains proved formidable.Īs bone-chilling rain settled over the region, the Nisei arrived still kitted in their summer-issue uniforms. Under the command of Major General John Dahlquist, they fought aggressively to liberate French towns and push the Nazis back across the German border. When the 442nd arrived in France on October 8, 1944, they were attached to the 36th Infantry Division, which also included the Texans. Liberating French Towns: Bruyères and Biffontaine military history for its size and length of service. When the mission was over, the 442nd had amply lived up to its chosen motto “Go For Broke,” becoming the most highly decorated regiment in U.S. But the Nisei fought ferociously in close combat, slogging through the muddy forest and mine-laden roads in ugly weather, sometimes outnumbered four to one. The trapped Texans were running dangerously low on ammunition and rations. Previous attempts had failed, incurring heavy losses. The Nisei men knew many wouldn’t return from the rescue mission. During their French campaign, the 442nd included the 100th Infantry Battalion (a mostly Nisei unit from Hawai’i that had its own storied history before merging with the 442nd), the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion and the 232nd Engineer Company-all of which played crucial roles. to imprison many of them and their families in wartime incarceration camps. A segregated unit under the command of white officers, the Nisei had faced intense racism and discrimination at home, especially after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor prompted the U.S. The Japanese Americans, known as Nisei, served in the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team (442nd). Sent into the harsh terrain of the Vosges mountains of northeastern France-a region not breached militarily since the Roman Empire-they were ordered to extract a Texas National Guard unit trapped deep in the forest, surrounded by 6,000 Nazi troops. In October 1944, as Allied forces fought to expel the Nazis from France, a unit of Japanese American soldiers deployed on a seemingly impossible mission. WWII’s Battle of the ‘Lost Battalion’ has been hailed as one of the fiercest-and most heroic-ground battles in American military history. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |