100th Infantry Battalion Lineage and Honors

Author: unknown
Club 100 45th Anniversary Reunion, June 1987

Fact Sheet: Describes the lineage of the 100th from 1942 when it was the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry to its inactivation on August 15, 1946 to its reactivation on May 29, 1959. A briefing of their campaigns and honors are also included.

LINEAGE:

Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion

100th Infantry Battalion (Sep)

100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment

Constituted 4 June 1942 in the Army of the United States at Schofield Barracks, Wahiawa, HI as the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion with predominantly DRAFTEE personnel of Japanese ancestry from the 298th and the 299th Hawaii National Guard Regiments (both Federally MOBILIZED in June 1940) and while on REST status at Schofield Bks, having been relieved of beach and installation guarding throughout the 8 principal islands, since the outbreak of WW II, December 7, 1941!

This Provisional Battalion was shipped out of Hawaii, 5 June 1942 on board the USAT Maui, a converted Matson Navigation Company freighter.

Activated June 12, upon arrival in Oakland, CA REDESIGNATED as the 100th Inf. Bn. (Sep). Staged in Camp McCoy, Wisconsin and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. Participated in the Spring Louisiana Maneuvers of 1943 before being shipped overseas, Aug. 11, POE — Camp Kilmer, NJ. Aug. 20 — on board the JAMES PARKER, a converted troopship from a Banana and tourist carrying freighter. And, arrived in Oran, Africa, 2 Sept. 1943.

Assigned to the 133rd Rgt. of the 34th “Red Bull” Inf. Div., Gen. Charles W. Ryder, Commanding. The 133rd’s 2nd Bn. was on SPECIAL GUARD DUTY at Gen. Eisenhower’s HQ in Algiers. So, the 100th became the 2nd Bn. of the 133rd Rgt. of the 34th Inf. Div. 5 Sept. 1943 the 100th moved into 34th Div’s 100 acre bivouac, a few miles outside of Oran, from Fleurus (Goat Hill).

19 Sept. 1943 — Troops of the 34th moved to Oran for the Salerno Invasion. On 22 Sept. 1943, on board the SS Funston, the 100th landed on Salerno Beach with the 34th Div., whose mission was to secure a bridgehead over the Volturno River. Subsequently, it fought with the Red Bull in attacks on Monte Cassino.

Replenished and rested, the 100th was then sent to the Anzio Beachhead. The 100th accomplished the needed breach and break-through to Rome. The 442nd Rgt. (Minus the 1st Bn.) landed in Anzio on 9 June 1944, but the lOOth’s drive was so rapid that the newly arrived 442nd Rgt. (less one Bn.) did not link up with the 100th until past Rome, in the town of CIVITAVECCHIA. On June 10 the 100th was attached to the 442nd 20 Inf. Rgt. still as the 100th Inf. Bn. (Sep). It was not until Aug. 10 that the 100th was REDESIGNATED — the 100th Inf. Bn., 442nd Inf. Rgt. The (Sept.) had been dropped, but official orders retained the designation of: 100th Inf. Bn. It became the 1st Bn. of the 442nd Rgt.

The 442nd Inf. was inactivated on 15 Aug. 1946 at Honolulu, Hawaii. On 31 July 1947, the 442nd was reactivated in Hawaii as an element of the Army Reserve (then called the Organized Reserve). On 29 May 1959 it became a Parent Regiment under the Combat Arms Regimental System. The 100th Inf. Bn., 442nd Inf. Rgt. today serves in Hawaii as part of the “Round-out Brigade” supporting the 25th Inf. Div.

The 442nd Inf. Rgt. was activated at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, on 1 Feb. 1943 using American-Born personnel of Japanese Ancestry, both from the mainland USA and from Hawaii, then a Territory. This original group consisted entirely, or almost, that is, of VOLUNTEERS! The Rgt. trained and served with other Japanese-Americans of the 522nd Fd. Arty. Bn., the 232nd Eng. Combat Co, and the 203rd Army Ground Forces Band — all components as — the 442nd COMBAT TEAM!

In late May 1944, the 1st Bn. remained behind when the Rgt. sailed overseas. It then became the 171st Inf. Bn. but was later disbanded. On its arrival in Italy, at Anzio on 9 June 1944 the 100th having effected a complete breakthrough, was headed for Rome, “full speed ahead”, and so the 442nd did not meet up with the 100th until after Rome, finally linking up in the town of Civitavecchia!

The 100th could have been the first in Rome, but orders came down to let the motorized units enter Rome first, and then there were “rumors” that the 442nd had arrived “in town!”

For its “baptism of fire” the 442nd Rgt. was assigned the task of capturing BELVEDERE. But, for a flanking movement executed by the 100th to envelope the enemy defenders, this first encounter could have aborted the rise to glory of the Go-For-Broke 442nd Rgt.! The 100th was awarded its FIRST Presidential Unit Citation for its part in this battle!

The rest of the story of the 100th/442nd is IN RECORDED HISTORY. Because of the 100th, the 442nd CAME TO BE!

Honors & Campaign Streamers

NAPLES-FOGGIA

9 Sept. 1943 to 21 Jan. 1944 — 100th Less 442nd Rgt.

ANZIO

22 Jan. 1944 to 24 May 1944 — 100th Less 442nd Rgt.

ROME-ARNO

9 Sept. 1944 to 22 Jan. 1945 — 442nd Rgt. with the 100th attached RHINELAND

15 Sept. 1944 to 21 Mar. 1945 — All units of the 442nd Rgt. NORTHERN APENNINES

10 Sept. 1944 to 4 Apr. 1945 — All 442nd Less 522nd Fd. Arty.

PO VALLEY

5 Apr. to 6 May 1945 — All 442nd Less Fd. Arty. Bn.

Presidential Unit Citation Streamers

BELVEDERE

100th Inf. Bn.

BIFFONTAINE

100th Inf. Bn.

GOTHIC LINE

All 442nd less 2nd Bn.

Dept. Of Army’s Goofs!

2nd Bn. awarded FRANCE & ITALY PRESIDENTIAL UNIT AWARD (streamer) for its extraordinary action in taking Hill 617 near Biffontaine in France and capture of Pariana near San Terenzo in Italy.

SOUTHERN FRANCE with ARROWHEAD streamer. (Arrowhead reserved for units that actually landed on D-Day on any of the beachheads.) Antitank Company of the 442nd ONLY UNIT entitled to wear Bronze Arrow on their Campaign Ribbon. The Antitank Company was attached to the 517th Parachute Inf. Rgt. and landed in Le Muy, France in gliders. PASS IN REVIEW!!