World War II Honoree

Allan I. Nakamura

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hawaii

Honored By

Fumio Serikawa

Relationship

Acquaintance

FEBRUARY 25, 1942-JANUARY 31, 1943. VOLUNTEERED FOR THE VARSITY VICTORY VOLUNTEERS, A GROUP OF JAPANESE AMERICANS RECLASSIFIED AS '4C'; ALIENS INELIGIBLE TO SERVE IN THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES; PLEDGED TO DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO REGAIN OUR RIGHT TO SERVE IN THE MILITARY TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY; ASSEMBLED PREFAB HOUSES, CLEARED DRAINAGE DITCHES, BUILT ROADS, CRUSHED ROCKS FOR THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND PARTICIPATED REGULARLY IN BLOOD DRIVES AND WAR BOND PURCHASES UNTIL THE VARSITY VICTORY VOLUNTEERS WAS DISBANDED TO ALLOW ITS MEMBERS TO VOLUNTEER FOR THE NEWLY CREATED, ALL NISEI, 442ND INFANTRY REGIMENT. ON MARCH 25, 1943, INDUCTED INTO THE ARMY; ASSIGNED TO HEADQUARTERS BATTERY, 522ND FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION; TOOK BASIC AND ADVANCED TRAINING AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI; SHIPPED TO THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS; BECAME A PART OF THE 442ND REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM; MADE THE 522ND FIELD ARTILLERY BATTALION ONE OF THE FASTEST, MOST EFFICIENT ARTILLERY UNIT IN THE EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS; WAS THE ONLY JAPANESE AMERICAN COMBAT UNIT TO FIGHT ON GERMAN SOIL; LIBERATED JEWISH SURVIVORS OF THE DACHAU SUB-CAMPS; SERVED IN THE FOLLOWING MILITARY CAMPAIGNS: NORTH APENNINES, ROME-ARNO, CENTRAL EUROPE AND THE RHINELAND.