World War II Honoree

Haluto Moriguchi

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

San Francisco, California

Honored By

Doreen J. Lew & June Moriguchi

Relationship

Niece & Sister

PRIVATE FIRST CLASS. ENLISTED IN THE U.S. ARMY AT FORT DOUGLAS, UTAH ON MAY 29, 1944. STARTED HIS MILITARY TRAINING AT CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI IN JUNE 1944. DURING TRAINING HE WAS AWARDED THREE EXPERT MEDALS CARBINE, RIFLE AND BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE (BAR). IN EARLY NOVEMBER 1944 HE WAS SENT OVERSEAS TO MENTON, FRANCE AS A REPLACEMENT IN THE 100TH BATTALION, 442ND REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM, COMPANY C WHERE HE PATROLLED THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF FRANCE FOR GERMAN TROOPS FROM NORTHERN ITALY. HIS UNIT SHIPPED OUT TO ITALY IN LATE MARCH. HE WAS A RUNNER FOR THE COMPANY COMMANDER, LIEUTENANT WALTER JOHNSTON, AND THEREFORE WAS WITH THE COMPANY C HEADQUARTERS. BEING A RUNNER, HE CARRIED AMONG OTHER THINGS, A CARBINE AND WALKIE TALKIE. IN THE PO VALLEY CAMPAIGN IN NORTHERN ITALY AFTER THE 100TH BATTALION, 442ND REGIMENTAL COMBAT TEAM'S ALL NIGHT ASCENT OF THE ALMOST VERTICAL, STEEP MOUNT FOLGORITO, DURING THEIR SURPRISE ATTACK AT DAWN 0500 HOUR AGAINST THE GERMAN GOTHIC LINE ON GEORGIA HILL, A MORTAR SHELL FELL BETWEEN LIEUTENANT JOHNSTON AND HALUTO DURING THEIR ASCENT OF GEORGIA HILL. LIEUTENANT JOHNSTON, BEING 20 YARDS AHEAD OF HALUTO WAS SPARED, BUT HALUTO TOOK THE BRUNT OF THE FRAGMENTS. HE WAS KILLED IN ACTION BY MORTAR SHELL FRAGMENTS ON APRIL 5, 1945 AND WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART. HE ALSO RECEIVED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL, COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE, THE AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN CAMPAIGN MEDALS, GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL AND THE WORLD WAR II VICTORY MEDAL.