Gender

Male

Birth date

1918-10-15

Place of birth

Torrance CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1941-4-7, San Pedro CA

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Combat

Units served

53rd Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, Fort Ord, CA
442nd Regimental Combat Team

Military specialty

Combat Infantryman
Process P.O.W.s

Stationed

USA:California, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi
Other Countries: Oran, North Africa; Italy; France

Separated

Washington DC

Unit responsibility

Combat Infantry

Personal responsibility

Platoon Sergeant/Platoon Leader
Commanding Officer 442nd RCT

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Europe - Italy (Rome-Arno, Northern Apennines)- France (Rhineland, Bruyeres, Vosges, Lost Battalion, Champagne Campaign) - back to Italy (Po Valley). Five Campaign Bronze Stars.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

Combat Infantryman's Badge
Purple Heart
4 Bronze Battle Stars
Bronze Star
Distinguished Unit Badge w/ 1 or 2 Oak Leaf Clusters
Sharp Shooter Medal
One AWOL from hospital for going back to my unit without permission.
Knocked out two times by concussion.
Once buried in my fox-hole by artillery fire. I think my boys dug me out.

Living conditions

Fort Ord, CA - Barracks first class.
Guard duty SP RR Norden, CA & Hawthorne, Nevada - very cold.
Fort Snelling - lots of snow.
Camp Crowder, Missouri - muddy & cold.
Camp Shelby, MS - The roof leaked a lot.
Combat - fox-holes, blown out house.
Bathed once a month with change of clothes.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Greatest scare! My brother Jim Masamitsu 'A' Co. 100th Bn.. laying on a stretcher on a Jeep Ambulance. Unconcious - during the 'Lost Battalion Rescue'. 'Million dollar wound', the Jeep driver 'Fumi Sano' shouted.
Happiest moment of the war.

Most Honored 'Company Commander 'D' Co. 100th Bn. 442nd RCT marching down Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House to receive the Presidential (7th) Unit Citation from President Harry S. Truman.

Missed most whilst in the military

Home cooking, family, friends

Additional information

Assigned 2/2/1943 to 442nd RCT, as one of the first cadre members to arrive at Camp Shelby, MS. as a corporal and Acting Sgt., 2nd Battalion Anti-tank Platon. Made Sgt. Trained recruits until April 1944.

Appointed to go to Fort Benning, GA by Col. Pense, Regiment Commander to Officer Candidate School in Mar. 1944. Col. Pense gave me a choice of going to OCS or overseas with the 442nd RCT. Turned down appointment to OCS to leave states with 442nd RCT.

Landed in Oran, North Africa after 30 days, zig-zagging across the Atlantic. Took British Troop Transport to Sicily. British rations??? US Army 'C' rations never tasted so good.

Received a shrapnel wound in my thigh, walked over to the aid station and had the medic take out the shrapnel, tape my leg and ask if I wanted to go to the hospital. After looking at all the other wounded soldiers, I said 'no thanks.' Less than a week later I was in the field hospital with an infected thigh. Stayed about 5 days and left AWOL to rejoin my group. Col. Hanlly mentioned that a soldier was reported AWOL from a hospital south of Florence, Italy during a 1993 reunion but didn't mention his name.

I am also the other Sgt besides 1st Sgt. Jack Wakamatsu, 'F' Company that turned down a field commission.

Capt. Bert Nishimura, CO HQ, 2nd Battalion, 442nd RCT called me right after the 'Lost Battalion' battle to tell me he was putting my name in for a field commission again. He told me of the fringe benefits, the pay, whiskey rations, even the ladies were better looking. Ah-so. Thank you Bert.

Received a battlefield commission as a 2nd Lt. in the US Army, in France, for outstanding performance and duty in the face of the enemy.

Returned to USA, June 1946 with 442nd RCT to march down Pennsylvania Ave. to the White Hoouse lawn to receive a Presidential Unit Citation from President Harry S. Truman. I was honorary company commander of 'D' Company, 100th Battalion.

I was discharged as a Captain , 442nd RCT on June 26, 1946 with 90 day terminal leave.

My father had 4 sons in the US Army during WW II. Three , James D. Masamitsu, Tom Masamitsu and Kenneth Masamitsu were in the 100th Battalion, 442 RCT. The fourth son, Kaino B. Masamitsu was in MIS from 1942 - 1945, Korea from 1950 - 1952 and has since passsed away.