The all-Nisei unit was given the name the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team under the 34th Division. In June of 1944, the 100th Infantry joined with the 442nd Regiment. Like the 442nd, the 100th saw heavy combat during the latter days of World War II. The 100th Infantry Battalion was also comprised of Nisei, many of them from Hawaii and part of the Hawaii Army National Guard. They remain the highest decorated regiment in the history of the United States Army. The 442nd fought primarily in the European theater. The 442nd Infantry Regiment was a fighting force made up of Japanese-Americans, many of them Nisei or second generation Americans often born to Japanese immigrant parents, that volunteered to fight during World War II while many of their families were interned in relocation camps across the United States. Missing that day in the White House Rose Garden were members of the Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion or 442nd Regimental Combat Team who had acted in heroic ways during World War II, but had not been recognized for their service, patriotism and heroism. There are thousands of Americans who lie buried all around the globe who have been fighting for the independence of other countries and, in a larger sense, for the independence of their own In honoring you, we honor all those who bear arms in the service of their country."Īs Kennedy historians marked the fiftieth anniversary of that Medal of Honor ceremony, it would be remiss of me to not mention those who were missing from that distinguished group. "Not many Medals of Honor have been won, if any, in this country in this century.
He went on to speak of the rarity of the honor: In President Kennedy's address to those 240 recipients at the White House, he spoke of pride, pride in the men who have fought so bravely for their country. However, there were heroes missing that day, heroes who did not receive the recognition they deserved until much later. It was an impressive assemblage of American heroes. 464 men were awarded the Medal of Honor for combat during World War II alone. At the time, there were a large numbers of veterans of both WWII and the Korean War as well as at least one living veteran of the Civil War. In 1963, there were 290 living members of that exclusive club and 240 of them attended the ceremony. Kennedy invited all the living recipients of the Medal of Honor to the White House.
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