Remembering My Dad on Veterans Day

My Dad, Wallace Sadanori Yamagata was 19 years old when he volunteered for the 442nd Infantry "E" Company on 3/18/43 and later volunteered to join the 100th Battalion as they had lost many men in Europe and needed replacements. He was discharged on 12/31/45 after the 442nd and 100th Battalions suffered high casualties in France and Italy and were known as the "Purple Heart Battalions.
My Dad was one of the soldiers who survived the rescue of the "Lost Battalion" in the Vosges Mountains in France. About 200 soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the 141st Infantry Regiment from Texas were hopelessly surrounded by heavily fortified German soldiers on a mountain top and were in danger of being annihilated. This is from an interview from a 442nd Vet Rudi Tokawa: " General Dalquist came to Colonel Pursall and I heard him say" 'Order your men to fix bayonets and charge.' Pursall go real angry, literally lifted the general up and shook him. I saw this with my own eyes. He told the general, 'Those are my boys you're trying to kill. You're not going to kill my boys. I won't let you kill my boys. If there's any orders to be given for my boys to attack, I'll give the orders personally and I'll lead them.' To make a long tragic story short, General Dalquist persisted and the 442nd and 100th Battalions battled their way up the mountain, suffering many casualties at every advance and when all seemed to be lost, got up, yelling and charging up the mountain where the Germans artillery and soldiers were entrenched. With soldiers falling and dying, the German soldiers were so shocked that they abandoned their post and that is how the Lost Battalion was rescued. To rescue 200 men, the 442nd and 100th Battalions suffered 800 casualties. This is a picture of my Dad, one the many brave Japanese-American soldiers, many from Hawaii who fought bravely and sacrificed their lives to a country that had imprisoned their own Japanese-Americans citizens in Internment Camps in California and Nevada. Till this day the 442nd and 100th Battalion remain the most decorated combat units the US Army.
This is a picture of my Dad as an American soldier with the 442nd Battalion:
Thanks Dad for your bravery and courage and I know how much you and fellow soldiers suffered from PTSD after coming back home. You will always be my HERO!!!

After all this, I cannot bear to comprehend that we have just elected a President who is a racist, never served in the Armed Forces and has dishonored minorities and people of color. I thought that we have come a long way from that…..

Michael Sadao Yamagata
Oakland, CA
November 11, 2016
Veterans Day

 

My greatest honor as a vet is that I am in company of men such as your father. 

Great story.  Thanks for posting.

Excellent story. Thank you to all vets.

The 442 had something to prove and they did it! Those Texans didn't care how their saviors looked or what race they were. If I'm not mistaken every one of the 442 are considered honorary Texans.
Happy Veterans Day

Thank you for your post and for honoring your Dad who voluntarily was willing to possibly give up his LIFE for his country.

A true Warrior !

 

Alex

Wow, even to know such a man would be an honor.  You're his son.  His DNA is in you.  That's gotta be special.

Mahalo NCKA Bruddahs!!

Thanks for sharing Michael.

btw, you look very much like your dad!

Thanks Ryan,
I am glad that you read my story about my Dad. I don't want their bravery, courage and sacrifice forgotten.
Take Care,
Michael