442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

[ewatada]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I would like to preface by saying: How dare you mock the integrity of the 442nd/100 battalion by even thinking that they would disgrace the US Army uniform and be called a traitor! They were the most decorated unit in the US Army for bravery. What made the Nisei become soldiers in the US Army was one of pride and honor to their country, the United States of America.

My grandfather (Issei immigrated from Japan) was so distraught that his homeland was bombing Hawaii where so many nationals were living. Many Issei felt a strong feeling of abandonment from Hirohito that they swore their allegiance to the United States of America. I had two uncles (one from my Mom's side and the other from my Dad's side) that served in the 442nd/100 Battallion or Club 100 as they are known. My uncle Paul is still alive but my uncle Tsuneo died several years ago.

One of the more popular Club 100 member is of course our beloved Senator Inouye. It is for that reason I believe is why Hawaii is such a democratic state. Many Nisei felt compelled to support Inouye because he represented what Japanese Americans felt, frustrated yet willing to prove their allegiance to America.

Many Nisei Japanese living here vote loyally (and blindly sometimes) voting for democrats because of Inouye's participation. Same reason why the typical car of the Nisei is the Toyota Camry.

My father, my older brother and myself are all US Veterans. We joined the military (even my brother who could have been drafted into the Vietnam war, volunteered for service to his country) to show our patriotism to America and our loyalty to my grandfather.

My third oldest boy just came back from Honolulu after passing the physical exam for entrance into the US Marines. The patriotism of latter Japanese Americans live on thru our children.

Now everyone knows now why I as a Sansei born and raised here in Hawaii still has this distaste of being labelled Japanese when I never been there and quite honestly don't have any allegience towards. My grandfather felt betrayed when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. I live for his honor.

watanabe san, I sorry. If you understand Japanese well, maybe I write you in Japanese, its easier for me. I was only questioning out of wanting to know. Watanabesan, would your oldest boy who now Marine GI, be okay with working in Okinawa? US is today Japan's Ally.

I want to know Watanabe san, if the 442 RCT actually was asked to prove real loyalty to fight against Japan in Iwo Jima, would they have? How about you, yourself if put back in time?

Watanabe san, please understand. I like USA very much and want to become American myself. There is more variety here. I do not have to really give up my Japanese because I am Issei. It means I have to fly back to Japan and pull out my koseki and my Juminhyou to renew my passport every 10 years. I know one Japanese Canadian born Osaka, but raised in Vancouver. He has US Green card, Canadian citizenship, and Japanese nationality. He go to Sea Tac airport to go to Japan. He shows imigration officer his green card with his Japanese passport so the next time he returns to Japan, they don't ask him how he stayed over 90 days without a visa. He shows green card, and they never ask him about his canadian. Even he be in Canada from 5 years old, they stop asking seeing green card, because his Japanese is very poor, he gets asked how he is Japanese lots. Nissei, they have hard time. The counsulate office asks every nissei if they abandoned their nationaity and check thorough. I think also, because I can speak normally Japanese (english is problem, so they wont think Im American.

[Miulang]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I thought Okinawans not only dislike Americans and the Marines, but they also dislike Japanese, too? (at least the Okinawans I know don't like being referred to as being Japanese).

Miulang

[ewatada]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I thought Okinawans not only dislike Americans and the Marines, but they also dislike Japanese, too? (at least the Okinawans I know don't like being referred to as being Japanese).

Miulang

But how about Nissei or Sansei American Okinawans becoming US Marine to work there? Maybe I can be US citizen by becoming US Marine to work at III Marine in Okinawa when I get green card. I can become translator, by majoring English in America. But I fear taking higher English than the Americans here. I told people in Japan I want English BA from America, but they laughed saying I cannot beat white people in English because I come to America too old. I find it amazing seeing Japanese Americans with Japanese face talking English like white people so perfectly. I want to be like this.

I don't know if some people here might think its crazy, but I think America is better than Japan to live.

I am scared of English major. People say I will be lucky to even pass 1st year university English competing with native born Americans. Many people in my highschool have better English writing and speaking than my English teacher in Japan with BA in English.

[Miulang]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

But how about Nissei or Sansei American Okinawans becoming US Marine to work there? Maybe I can be US citizen by becoming US Marine to work at III Marine in Okinawa when I get green card. I can become translator, by majoring English in America. But I fear taking higher English than the Americans here. I told people in Japan I want English BA from America, but they laughed saying I cannot beat white people in English because I come to America too old. I find it amazing seeing Japanese Americans with Japanese face talking English like white people so perfectly. I want to be like this.

I don't know if some people here might think its crazy, but I think America is better than Japan to live.

I am scared of English major. People say I will be lucky to even pass 1st year university English competing with native born Americans. Many people in my highschool have better English writing and speaking than my English teacher in Japan with BA in English.

Look at it this way, Einosuke: you know Japanese better than any Japanese speaking person born in America (even if their parents speak Japanese). The best way to learn English is to be someplace where no one can speak Japanese. Then you learn English really fast! America is not the golden shore you may think it is. It has many of the same problems Japan has, so don't think that moving to America will solve all your problems, because it won't. It might solve some of your problems, for every problem that is solved, I bet a new one pops up for you. Getting a green card or student visa should be fairly easy to do. American citizenship takes a lot of studying. In fact, it has been said that people who become American citizens know more about the American Constitution than most Americans do, because it's not really taught in the schools in this country.

If you want to be someplace where you will probably not look like very many other people, as opposed to being in Japan, where most people do kind of look the same, then come to America. But don't go into the US Marines or Army thinking that that will get you automatic American citizenship, because what if instead of going to Okinawa, you get shipped to Iraq or South Korea? They don't need Japanese translators in Iraq, they only need people who can learn how to carry guns. You want to be shot at by people you can't understand?

My nephew is teaching English to Japanese students somewhere outside of Nagoya right now. He will be there for 2 years. Everybody in his class of teachers who came from Japan was joking with him that his Japanese wasn't so hot. But then again, he only has had 6 years of formal Japanese language training. And to translate Japanese into English sometimes takes a lot of practice because it's not a word-for-word direct translation, unless it's a Japanese word that came from English in the first place, like baseball (domo arigato, Gen. McArthur).

You could never be Nisei or sansei Japanese American even if you became an American citizen. You would always be Issei; your children would be nisei.

Miulang

P.S. Or you could try finding a job in Japan with a branch of an American company like IBM. That way you get the best of both worlds: you don't have to leave Japan but you could still eventually transfer to Hawai'i or maybe California.

[Kahalu'u Kid]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I thought Okinawans not only dislike Americans and the Marines, but they also dislike Japanese, too? (at least the Okinawans I know don't like being referred to as being Japanese).

Miulang

I shouldn't speak for the Okinawans, but I don't think they have anywhere near as much dislike for Japan as they do America and our military. At least currently speaking. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, do some research and you'll see why.) I think they don't like being referred to as Japanese because there's enough of a difference in culture and language to clearly distinguish between the two. The different prefectures in Japan have their subtle differences in dialect and culture, but Okinawa is special in that it's "the most different" if you know what I'm saying. They use a lot of words that don't even sound Japanese to me, and that the average Japanese from the main islands wouldn't understand either. Okinawans' physical appearance is also quite different from the typical Japanese.

But how about Nissei or Sansei American Okinawans becoming US Marine to work there? Maybe I can be US citizen by becoming US Marine to work at III Marine in Okinawa when I get green card. I can become translator, by majoring English in America. But I fear taking higher English than the Americans here. I told people in Japan I want English BA from America, but they laughed saying I cannot beat white people in English because I come to America too old. I find it amazing seeing Japanese Americans with Japanese face talking English like white people so perfectly. I want to be like this.

I don't know if some people here might think its crazy, but I think America is better than Japan to live.

I am scared of English major. People say I will be lucky to even pass 1st year university English competing with native born Americans. Many people in my highschool have better English writing and speaking than my English teacher in Japan with BA in English.

I agree with Miulang in that you should reconsider joining the military only to try and become a US citizen. Too dangerous, and I think that's the wrong kind of motivation to join.

And don't be afraid to major in English. You shouldn't be trying to "beat" or "compete" with white people, you're just trying to develop a skill to the best of your ability.

Regarding Japanese-Americans, why do you find their English ability "amazing?" English is our native language, so of course we speak it well. On the other hand, I find it "amazing" that so many J.A.s cannot speak Japanese, and have no interest in Japanese culture. Totally and completely Americanized, so to speak. Many go so far as to say they don't like Japan or its people, and deny their roots and heritage. (Of course, to each his own, but I don't understand the logic.)

I also agree with you about America being a better place to live. This is only my personal opinion, though.

And please don't be scared of majoring in English. You said it yourself, and I know it for a fact: Many Japanese high school students can speak, read and write better than their teachers with BA's in English. If the teachers were able to get a BA, you should have no problem.

Finally, don't be so concerned with "becoming" American. Know who YOU are. Stay rooted and be proud of your Japanese heritage. Japan is a beautiful country with an incredible culture, and it's people are among the most warm-hearted, hard-working, respectful and honest people in the world.

Good luck and aloha.

[buzz1941]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

Don't forget the 20,000 or so Japanese-Americans who were drafted into the Imperial Japanese army and navy in the '20s and '30s and fought there. Naturally, that stopped after Dec. 7, 1941. These guys were generally assigned to the Kwantung Army in northern China so they wouldn't be facing Americans.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

My boy wouldn't have a problem with Okinawa but I think Okinawans would because he's an American first, Japanese second.

But to answer your question on Iwo Jima, yes I do believe the 442nd would fight there.

And yes I would too. Remember I joined the US Military. I didn't wait until I turned 18, I didn't wait for some commercial to entice me. From birth I was engrained to defend the honor of my family name and my country. You know, it's a Japanese thing. Anything less is an embarrassment to one's integrity of Japanese descent.

The 442nd/100th Battallion was/is loyal to the United States of America and would have fought anywhere they were ordered to.

Many of the 100th from WWII are still alive and have strong feelings about their loyalty. I respect those who died and those who are still alive who climbed that hill. Their heroism will not be in vain as long as I'm alive and will defend their honor as much as I defend my grandfather's.

As for you wanting to be a US Citizen via the marines. It's up to you but let me tell you a story about my return to Hawaii on leave after joining the US Air Force.

I love Hawaii, it's my home, my birthplace, my life. I love the United States of America too. It's my country, it's my residence, it's my citizenship.

When I came home after spending a year on the mainland for basic and tech training, I was welcomed with hatred by those against US presence in Hawaii. As a member of the US Military, suddenly I was "one of them" and not a local boy from Hawaii. I felt like a man without a country and got into a few fights with braddahs who wanted to kick me out of my home.

When my pidgin came back to them they backed off a bit confused. When you hear a Japanese looking man in uniform saying: What f*cka you like beef, come on I going wipe your okole all ova dis f*ckin sidewalk. Suddenly they realize I ain't from somewhere else.

I'm Japanese but I'm not from Japan. I'm a US Citizen from Hawaii but I'm not Hawaiian. Hawaii is my home, my birthplace but being Japanese while living on the mainland brought me taunts of Pearl Harbor. Being in the US Military living in Hawaii brought me taunts of America go home. I AM HOME!!!

This is what you'll go thru by being Japanese from Japan living in Okinawa as a US Marine. A man without a country taunted by both sides while trying to understand where your honor and patriotism lies. Suddenly you realize who your true friends are.

Don't do it.

[Miulang]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

This may seem like a fairly trivial point, but do you realize how advanced the Japanese and other Asian people are in terms of technology? America is years behind the Japanese with the cellphones all of you use! We Americans look longingly at some of the inventions your scientists and companies have developed and know that we won't see for years to come in this country.

So in some ways, coming to America will feel like being in a backward country! And Japanese nationals aren't hated all around the world in the way that Americans are. Right now, I would rather travel under a Japanese passport to most countries in the world than I would with an American passport. I certainly would feel safer using any other country's passport when travelling abroad!

Miulang

[ewatada]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

My boy wouldn't have a problem with Okinawa but I think Okinawans would because he's an American first, Japanese second.

But to answer your question on Iwo Jima, yes I do believe the 442nd would fight there.

And yes I would too. Remember I joined the US Military. I didn't wait until I turned 18, I didn't wait for some commercial to entice me. From birth I was engrained to defend the honor of my family name and my country. You know, it's a Japanese thing. Anything less is an embarrassment to one's integrity of Japanese descent.

The 442nd/100th Battallion was/is loyal to the United States of America and would have fought anywhere they were ordered to.

Many of the 100th from WWII are still alive and have strong feelings about their loyalty. I respect those who died and those who are still alive who climbed that hill. Their heroism will not be in vain as long as I'm alive and will defend their honor as much as I defend my grandfather's.

As for you wanting to be a US Citizen via the marines. It's up to you but let me tell you a story about my return to Hawaii on leave after joining the US Air Force.

I love Hawaii, it's my home, my birthplace, my life. I love the United States of America too. It's my country, it's my residence, it's my citizenship.

When I came home after spending a year on the mainland for basic and tech training, I was welcomed with hatred by those against US presence in Hawaii. As a member of the US Military, suddenly I was "one of them" and not a local boy from Hawaii. I felt like a man without a country and got into a few fights with braddahs who wanted to kick me out of my home.

When my pidgin came back to them they backed off a bit confused. When you hear a Japanese looking man in uniform saying: What f*cka you like beef, come on I going wipe your okole all ova dis f*ckin sidewalk. Suddenly they realize I ain't from somewhere else.

I'm Japanese but I'm not from Japan. I'm a US Citizen from Hawaii but I'm not Hawaiian. Hawaii is my home, my birthplace but being Japanese while living on the mainland brought me taunts of Pearl Harbor. Being in the US Military living in Hawaii brought me taunts of America go home. I AM HOME!!!

This is what you'll go thru by being Japanese from Japan living in Okinawa as a US Marine. A man without a country taunted by both sides while trying to understand where your honor and patriotism lies. Suddenly you realize who your true friends are.

Don't do it.

Thank you Watanabe san. Right now I am just exploring various avenues. I have to think of many things. In America, I can think more freely and be more free. In Japan, I was a bit of a nakamahazure. Nakahazure is being not accept in circle. Many Japanese love America, and I always dreamed of going to USA since I was small. I noticed that some people in USA are vegetarians, something I dont hear about inside Japan. In Japan, Japanese language BA no one cares. Good Japanese language skills gets one no special position in Japan. But good English skills is important. So for Japanese Americans who have not very good Japanese, if they speak so so but perfect English, they trust your genuine English more than if I get BA so you guys get advantage. Bad Japanese and excellent Engish is better than so so English little unnatural and perfect Japanese is not as good. So I think employers would rather have Japanese American than Issei Japanese with normal Japanese speaking little bit unnatural but okay English. In Japan, if your Japanese is a bit unnatural, but perfect English, they pay you more money than they will pay me.

Japanese also get paid less than American, even in Japan. So if you Japanese Americans want to make lots of money in Japan, it will be good. I think the Japanese will come to you faster than white Americans, although we Japanese generally have higher expectation from Nikkeijin with Japanese skills than for white people. I would trade my Japanese skills for English. I think English internationally is accepted worldwide. Japanese language is limited to only Japan.

I think if I have Japanese American friends who know no Japanese, it is better so I learn my English faster. Some Japanese Americans speak Japanese, and I end up talking difficult expressing too hard in english in Japanese. Some I see speak and write better Japanese than many white guys studying Japanese in Japan I seen before. But little bit higher expectation general population has of Japanese descent Americans for Japanese than white we expect no Kanji normally.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

Nakamahazure - I wasn't familiar with that term before, thank you.

I could probably use that to describe myself, too, though I prefer the English phrase "professional sh*t-disturber."

As you know, in Japanese society, the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Good luck in your journeys and explorations, Watada-san, and please keep communicating with us here.

[ewatada]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

Nakamahazure - I wasn't familiar with that term before, thank you.

I could probably use that to describe myself, too, though I prefer the English phrase "professional sh*t-disturber."

As you know, in Japanese society, the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Good luck in your journeys and explorations, Watada-san, and please keep communicating with us here.

Yes. I also am very opinionated person. I was told even in Japan, to go to USA and I can express freely there. USA is kojinshugiteki no bunka, (individualistic vs. Shuusanshugiteki no bunka (collectivist culture).

I think suppressing individualistic's way of thinking for collectivistic's way of thinking makes people very pretendingly.

I think in America, it is more okay if I try to date girls not Japanese. It is okay also to marry someone for me not Japanese. Even if they are white, it is okay here. No tension here, and normal. In Japan, people will keep saying words like, ooh, you have foreigner wife. There is no so much here.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I think in America, it is more okay if I try to date girls not Japanese. It is okay also to marry someone for me not Japanese. Even if they are white, it is okay here. No tension here, and normal. In Japan, people will keep saying words like, ooh, you have foreigner wife. There is no so much here.

In America, you will also experience racism, and there will be those who may express displeasure with you dating someone of a different race. In certain regions of the country, this will be stronger than in other areas.

Fortunately, this is becoming less and less of an issue in more and more of the country - and it is certainly much less of a cultural issue than it still is in a more insular country, such as Japan. But it is still a problem in parts of America.

I am white, and my long-time girlfriend (over eleven years and still going) is Nikkeijin (her ancestry is actually half-Uchinanchu, so I find much of this discussion of interest); there have been places where we've gotten some sideways glances that seemed less-than-friendly, but for the most part, we tend to forget that we are technically "an inter-racial couple."

She is from Hawai`i originally, and is more in touch with her ancestral roots than most members of her family, which is why I try to learn about Japanese culture as well. She is relatively fluent in Nihongo, and lived in Kyoto for a year, studying tea ceremony at Urasenke.

[ewatada]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

Then before making such a derogatory statement he should should have asked the more appropriate question, how loyal to America were those who fought against their motherland?


To even beg that question is a slap in the face to the many who served, lived to tell and those that died in the all volunteer US Military.

It's almost as bad as asking, "were there any panty-assed Samurai?" If there were then they deserved to die dishonorably. Honor is a high distinction for those of us Japanese ancestry. You don't ask how proud or honorous a person is without getting that person all upset.

You say you are not Japanese, yet, you speak of honor. Your influence is very pre-war Japanese mindset. I think in some ways, you are more Japanese than Japanese modern today.

In Japan, not everyone was willing to die for emperor. My grandfather didn't go to war, and decided to hide. Not everyone had yamatodamashi as you might think. So yes, some samurai like in Tokugawa times, some did not fight, and only cared about literature and wanted peace. Some gave up samurai and became merchant. Watanabe san, you see Japan from the outside only. We are more human than you think. I would not myself fight for Japan. Translator desk job, okay, but not combat job. I think giving money to emperor of Japan is waste of money. Better for Japan to become republic and not waste taxpayers money on stupid things like this.

You should go see Japan one day. You will be sad to see less samurai thinking. Japanese Americans were on winning side so old honor was not destroyed, even though seeing Nikkeijin speaking like hakujin is still weird for me, although I understand now. At first, I thought they were chinese or koreans hafu with Japanese hafu. Watanabe san, if you go to Japan, you get new kind of emotion you don't know in yourself. You have Japanese seed, so don't deny your own heritage. It is very important to go at least once before dying I think.

It is valentines day. I am wondering is it okay in America to say "I love you" openly to a nice young american girl and just ask direct? In Japan, this is not okay if stranger. They say it is H. A form of Sekuhara. Even just kissing on cheecks in Japan to girl to show love being stranger is sekuhara and police will come and you get trouble.

Maybe Japan, USA and Canada could join a North American Union. I like this idea. Even USA fight against their own kind, with England. Japan killed before in past Chinese and Korean who are ancestor too. Hafu children are very beautiful. I want a cute hafu child one day. Maybe I can be sit home dad, and wife can work. This is also okay. I love to cuddle my own baby one day.

[Miulang]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

Einosuke: you would probably do quite well coming to America for college. In American colleges, the students are generally more accepting of people from other countries and cultures. American college students are very independent and outspoken, that's true. So you would probably feel right at home.

The thing is, OUTSIDE of a college campus, life can be very different. Leo Lakio mentions racism. Yes, you will find plenty of racism if you don't look like the people around you or have an accent. That's what I was trying to get at. In certain parts of this country, you could still get into a lot of serious trouble just by looking Japanese. And Japanese from Japan look different from Japanese Americans (I think it might be the food we eat). If you end up in California, Hawai'i or anywhere else on the West Coast, you might not have as much trouble. But if you end up in the American South, where Japanese are not seen very often except as tourists with cameras around their necks, some people might turn against you. And it won't be your fault.

There have been times when Japanese nationals have gotten seriously hurt or killed, simply because they look different and didn't understand the English that was being spoken. There was one Japanese college student (Yoshihiro Hattori) who knocked on the wrong door at Halloween (he and his American homestay brother were going to a party that night). The poor student didn't understand English very well, and when the homeowner told Hattori to stop (he thought Hattori was a burglar), Hattori didn't understand what the man was saying and started walking toward the man, so the man pulled out a gun and shot and killed him.

Off a college campus, if you are outspoken and you don't look like everybody else, you will get in trouble. Even if you look like everybody else and are outspoken, people will shun you. If more people in America were independent and outspoken, we would not have the problems with our government like we do now. More Americans don't care what happens to anyone but themselves, which is very sad.

Miulang

P.S. If you come to America and end up marrying a gaijin woman, do not expect that she will support you. In America, you either support each other or the man supports the woman. Not many American men stay home to take care of their children. Oh yes. In America, a man does not go up to a woman he doesn't know and give her a kiss or say "I love you" without getting a slap in the face. You cannot be that bold even in this country because American women don't like that.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: 442 Regimental Combat Team and 100th Battalion

I do understand the Japanese of today are nowhere near what they were like prewar times. Here in Hawaii the Japanese culture of old is alive and well and I've heard people speak that if you really want to see what Japanese culture was like before WWII, come to Hilo where there are still a lot of Nisei who live those traditions.

I thought of a trip to Japan but I think I'd be in for a great disappointment. I dated a girl from Hiroshima and we still write to each other. She started her own translation company and is doing well there. Being from Hiroshima she still has the traditions of an earlier time by walking in my shadow, opening doors and pouring my drinks for me while I ate.

I told her, "You in America now, you don't have to do that here". To her it was dishonorable and she felt embarrassed. I felt embarrassed too but we both managed to work it out.

Japan? Maybe one day but not yet. For you tell my friend Robert Zix (Kamasami Kong) I said hi.