442nd Infantry Regiment (United States)

442nd Regimental Combat Team 第442歩兵連隊
Historic distinctive unit insignia of the 442d RCT
Active	1944–1946
Country	United States
Branch	United States Army
Type	Regimental combat team (historical)
Role	Infantry
Size	~4000
Nickname(s)	Purple Heart Battalion belongs to the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)[1]
Motto(s)	"Go For Broke"
Colors	Blue and white
Engagements	World War II Naples-Foggia Rome-Arno Southern France Rhineland Northern Apennines Central Europe Po Valley
Commanders
Notable commanders	Col Charles W. Pence Col Virgil R. Miller
Insignia
Shoulder sleeve insignia[2]

The 442nd Infantry Regiment (Japanese: 第442歩兵連隊) was an infantry regiment of the United States Army. The regiment including the 100th Infantry Battalion is best known as the most decorated in U.S. military history,^[4] and as a fighting unit composed almost entirely of second-generation American soldiers of Japanese ancestry (Nisei) who fought in World War II. Beginning in 1944, the regiment fought primarily in the European Theatre,^[5] in particular Italy, southern France, and Germany. The 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) was organized on March 23, 1943, in response to the War Department's call for volunteers to form the segregated Japanese American army combat unit. More than 12,000 Nisei (second-generation Japanese American) volunteers answered the call. Ultimately 2,686 from Hawaii and 1,500 from mainland U.S. internment camps assembled at Camp Shelby, Mississippi in April 1943 for a year of infantry training.^[6] Many of the soldiers from the continental U.S. had families in internment camps while they fought abroad.^[7] Meaning to risk everything (even your life) in order to win, the unit's motto was "Go For Broke".^{[8][4][5][6][9][10][11]} Before they left Mississippi, the 100th was given permission to use the slogan it wanted, "Go For Broke," the crapshooters' cry to "shoot the works."^[12][8][13]

Created as the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (Japanese: 第442連隊戦闘団,^{[14][9] [15][16]} Dai Yonhyakuyonjūni Rentai Sentōdan) when it was activated 1 February 1943, the unit quickly grew to its fighting complement of about 4,000 men by April 1943, and an eventual total of about 10,000 men^[11] served in the combined 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd RCT. The combined units^[6] earned, in less than two years, more than 4,000^[6] Purple Hearts and 4,000 Bronze Star Medals. The unit was awarded seven Presidential Unit Citations (seven between 1944 and 1946,^[10] five earned in one month).^[17] Twenty-one of its members were awarded the Medal of Honor.^[5] In 2010, Congress approved the granting of the Congressional Gold Medal to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and associated units who served during World War II,^[18] and in 2012, all surviving members were made chevaliers of the French Légion d'Honneur for their actions contributing to the liberation of France and their heroic rescue of the Lost Battalion.^[19]

Arriving in the European Theatre, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, with its second and third infantry battalions, one artillery battalion and associated HQ and service companies, was attached to the 34th Infantry Division. On 11 June 1944, near Civitavecchia, Italy, the 100th Infantry Battalion, another all-Nisei fighting unit which had already been in combat since September 1943, was transferred from the 133rd Infantry Regiment to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Because of its combat record, the 100th was allowed to keep their original designation as the 100th Infantry Battalion.^[20] The related 522nd Field Artillery Battalion liberated at least one of the satellite labor camps of Dachau concentration camp and saved survivors of a death march near Waakirchen.

Nearly a century later, "the "Remember Pearl Harbor" 100th Infantry Battalion, and the "Go For Broke" 442d Regimental Combat Team is still the most decorated unit in U.S. military history. Members of this World War II unit earned over 18,000 individual decorations including over 4,000 Purple Hearts, and 21 Medals of Honor. The Combat Team earned five Presidential Citations in 20 days of Rhineland fighting, the only military unit ever to claim that achievement. General of the Army George C. Marshall praised the team saying, "they were superb: the men of the 100/442d... showed rare courage and tremendous fighting spirit... everybody wanted them." General Mark W. Clark (Fifth Army) said, "these are some the best... fighters in the U.S. Army. If you have more, send them over.""^[4][21]

The 442nd RCT was inactivated in 1946 and reactivated as a reserve battalion in 1947, garrisoned at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. The 442nd lives on through the 100th Battalion/442nd Infantry Regiment, and is the only current infantry formation in the Army Reserve. More information about the current 100th Battalion/442nd Infantry Regiment and its current alignment with the active 25th Infantry Division, the reserve 9th Mission Support Command, and its combat duty in the Vietnam War and the Iraq War can be found at 100th Infantry Battalion (United States).

The 100th/442nd's current members carry on the honors and traditions of the historical unit. In recognition of its storied combat record, the 100th/442nd was also one of the last units allowed to use its individual shoulder sleeve insignia.^[22]