Growing up in Hawaii, Gary Ikuma said, his father, a 100th Infantry Battalion veteran, shared stories about his experiences during and after World War II. That inspired Ikuma to take an interest in the military at a young age, which led him to join the Navy later on.
But more important, Ikuma said his dad’s stories instilled in him many of the values that the second- generation Japanese American, or nisei, soldiers lived by: perseverance, hard work, humility and respect.
“I knew what they went through and what my father did for the country and our community. It was a hard life he had to lead, so all of us are inspired. We tried to do our best, just like they did,” said Ikuma, whose dad, Edward Ikuma, served in the 100th Battalion’s Headquarters Company. “To this day I still have in my head what my parents told me as I was growing up. It stuck with me all these years.”
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the 100th Infantry Battalion’s formation. To commemorate the milestone, Ikuma and other community leaders want to inspire and educate the next generations about the unit’s legacy. By doing this, Ikuma said he hopes young people get the opportunities to learn about these nisei veterans, just like he did from his father, who is 103.
The youth project, organized by Ikuma and other volunteers who are descendants of 100th Battalion veterans, asks youth to identify an important issue facing Hawaii and to use the nisei soldiers’ values to create an innovative solution to it. It’s open to all Hawaii middle and high school students, and the deadline to sign up is March 29. Participants will be given prizes, and their projects will be displayed online.
Other upcoming events are planned for the 80th anniversary.
Jan Sakoda, a member of the planning committee, said it’s important to remember and perpetuate the 100th Battalion’s legacy because they helped to shape Hawaii in many ways. They were trailblazers, she said, and their success opened the door for more nisei to enlist in the Army during World War II.
Sakoda’s father, Gary Uchida, who served in the 100th Battalion’s Headquarters Company, worked at the Halekulani Hotel for more than four decades, first as the owner’s secretary in high school, making his way up to vice president before retiring. Sakoda said her dad was a good storyteller who shared his wartime experiences and made time for his kids, even though he worked a lot to provide for them. Uchida died in 2009.
“They had to overcome a lot of obstacles like prejudice. They had to prove their loyalty. They had a lot to prove,” she said. “It’s important to tell the story as like an underdog (one) so people today can see that even though the men faced discrimination and prejudice … they were able to band together and ultimately show that they were trustworthy and could make a difference in the lives of themselves, their families, the state and the nation.”
The 100th Infantry Battalion formed on June 12, 1942, as a unit made up of mostly nisei from Hawaii. The soldiers, about 1,400 from Hawaii, underwent extensive basic training in Wisconsin, Mississippi and Louisiana for more than a year. The battalion’s success and performance during training helped pave the way for the government to form the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, an all- volunteer unit of nisei men from Hawaii and the mainland.
Because of the 100th Battalion’s high number of casualties, the unit became known as the “Purple Heart Battalion.” Many also commended the 100th Battalion and the nisei soldiers for their combat skills, particularly because many of them were, on average, at least 3 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than most infantry soldiers.
The 100th and the 442nd RCT are recognized as the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in U.S. military history. In 2011 the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT and the Military Intelligence Service, Japanese American soldiers who translated and intercepted government documents, were collectively awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by Congress.
According to Sakoda, there are just eight known living 100th Battalion veterans in Hawaii.
Kathi Hayashi credits her father, Tokuichi Hayashi, who served in the 100th Battalion’s A Company, and his fellow soldiers for opening doors for people of color, including herself — she retired as a senior vice president at Verizon. Many of the nisei veterans returned home, graduated from college and became politicians and community leaders. Her dad, who died in 2015, worked for many years as an electronic mechanic at Pearl Harbor.
She also traveled to Bruyeres, France, in 2019 for the 75th anniversary of the town’s liberation from German occupation by the nisei soldiers.
“It’s just amazing. The towns that we were in, they had parades and commemorative certificates. They were so thankful for the liberation of their town by the 100th and 442. For us to forget when they are remembering, that would be really sad,” she said. “It’s a different generation, so I think sometimes we need to go back to the basics. I feel we owe a lot to these men.”
Organizers are holding a virtual informational meeting on the project Thursday. For more information, visit 808ne.ws/3N6AQMP.
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Jayna Omaye covers ethnic and cultural affairs and is a corps member of Report for America, a national service organization that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues and communities.
