World War II Honoree

Yutaka Nakahata

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Hawaii

Honored By

Fumio Serikawa

Relationship

Friend

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 442ND INFANTRY REGIMENT; TOOK BASIC TRAINING AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI. WAS THEN REASSIGNED TO JAPANESE-LANGUAGE SPECIALIST TRAINING IN MINNESOTA. COMPLETED TRAINING AND WAS ASSIGNED TO MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (MIS) MARS TASK FORCE, 12TH CAVALRY REGIMENT.