Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner

Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner was the first commanding officer of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Born in Hilo, Hawaii, he was the Executive Officer of the 298th Infantry Regiment, Hawaii National Guard, at the time of the December 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Five months later, when the decision was made to create a battalion composed of Nisei soldiers, he was one of several officers who volunteered to command this new unit.

Firmly believing in the Nisei’s loyalty to the United States and in their ability to be an outstanding combat unit, Colonel Turner did not hesitate to correct senior officers if disparaging remarks were made about “his boys.” He continually advocated for them to be treated in the same manner as any other American soldiers. As an indication of their respect and high regard for him, “the boys” affectionately called him the “Old Man.”

In October 1943, a month after the 100th Infantry Battalion had arrived in Italy, Colonel Turner was relieved of his command. At 48 years old, he was older than the norm for a combat battalion commander, and the stress of seeing so many of “his boys” seriously and mortally wounded in battle took its toll.

When he returned to Hawaii, Colonel Turner visited the families of 100th soldiers and remained active in Club 100. He was highly respected and admired, not only by the Japanese American community, but the greater community of Hawaii. He returned as Vice President to Lewers and Cooke, a large building supply company in Honolulu. Before he died in 1959, Colonel Turner was appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower and served six years as Secretary of the Territory of Hawaii. This position was the second highest government position in Hawaii after the governor.

Courtesy of Albert (Bert) Turner, the son of Colonel Turner, this collection consists of over 100 letters written to Colonel Turner in 1944 and 1945, most of them by 100th Infantry Battalion officers and enlisted men who had been under his command.

S/Sgt J Akamine, March 11, 1944 envelope image S/Sgt. J. Akamine
March 11, 1944

R.M. Allen
December 15, 1944

Col. W A. Anderson
November 27, 1944

Col. W.A. Anderson
January 30, 1945

Pvt. Lee H. Blood
October 23, 1946

Lt R.A. Drolet
September 4, 1945

George (Bud) Faulder
October 17, 1944

Geo (Bud) Faulder
March 28, 1945

George (Bud) Faulder
March 31, 1945

Andy Fraser
November 24, 1944

Capt. Andy Fraser
April 24, 1945

Capt Mits Fukuda
November 2, 1943

1st Sgt John K Hatori
February 14, 1945

Blair Henderson
December 1, 1944

Lt. Col. Blair E Henderson
December 22, 1944

Lt. Col. Blair E Henderson
March 15, 1945

Col. Blair E. Henderson
June 29, 1945

Pvt. Edward T Hirokawa
July 16, 1944

Lt. Colonel John H. Hougen
August 4, 1944

Lt. Col. John H. Hougen
March 26, 1945

Leroy A. Howland
January 3, 1947

Pfc Roy Izumi
June 14, 1945

Izumi
Date unknown

Capt R.T. Kainuma
August 20, 1944

Kaji
July 19, 1944

H Kajikawa
October 26, 1944

WOJG Hideo Kajikawa
August 13, 1944

WO Hideo Kajikawa
October 7, 1944

Eugene Kawakami
November 15, 1944

H. Kawano
July 16, 1945

Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
June 27, 1945

Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
Date unknown

Mitsuyuki Kido
October 24, 1944

Capt K Kometani
May 24, 1944

Capt K Kometani
September 7, 1944

Capt K Kometani
October 5, 1944

Capt K Kometani
October 25, 1944

Capt K Kometani
November 10, 1944

K. Kometani
December 12, 1944

Captain K. Kometani
December 14, 1944

Capt K Kometani
December 15, 1944

Capt K Kometani
January 6, 1945

Capt K Kometani
February 28, 1945

Capt K Kometani
April 16, 1945

Capt K Kometani
May 14, 1945

Capt K Kometani
June 1, 1945

George Landy
April 24, 1945

Col. Phil F. Lindeman
May 24, 1945

Major James W. Lovell
June 25, 1945

Maj Jim W Lovell
July 1, 1944

Maj Jim W Lovell
July 6, 1944

Maj Jim W. Lovell
December 18, 1944

Maj Jim W Lovell
January 14, 1945

Maj. Jim W. Lovell
September 27, 1944

Maj Jim W Lovell
October 23, 1944

Maj Jim W. Lovell
December 28, 1944

Maj. Jim W. Lovell
February 18, 1945

Capt Frank Marzano
November 11, 1944

Capt. Rocco G Marzano
January 16, 1945

Capt. R J Mac McKelvy
February 9, 1945

Jack Mizuha
October 1944

Capt Jack Mizuha
January 10, 1945

Capt Jack H Mizuha
December 30, 1944

Captain Jack H Mizuha
April 6, 1945

T/Sgt Wallace T Morioka
June 28, 1944

Walter Nakamoto
May 3, 1945

WOJG Nick FM Nakamura
June 28, 1951

Pvt Edward K Nashiwa
November 14, 1944

Yoshiharu Nishida
June 27, 1944

Cpl John Ito Ogura
December 11, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
August 14, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
September 20, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
October 17, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
December 3, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
December 24, 1944

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
February 20, 1945

T/Sgt Tad Ohta
May 24, 1945

T/Sgt Andrew M Okamura
June 5, 1945

Pfc Y Omiya
Date unknown

Lt. Col Jos. I. Orville
February 18, 1945

Ken Otagaki
July 9

W Bill Overbeck
July 26, 1945

Maj W Bill Overbeck
Date unknown

Capt. Philip B. Peck
December 19, 1944

Chaplain/Lt. Col. Edward M. Pennell, Jr.
January 17, 1945

Wm S. Pye
January 8, 1946

Cpl. Shinobu Tofukuji
October 29, 1944

Cpl. Shinobu Tofukuji
November 23, 1944

T/5 Shinobu Tofukuji
December 20, 1944

Pfc. R Tomita
June 8, 1944

Pfc R Tomita
October 5, 1944

Farrant Turner
July 29, 1944

Sgt Gary Uchida
August 21, 1944

Lt Col, AGD Dee M White
April 16, 1945

Pvt. John M Yamanoha
July 18, 1945

T/4 H Yamashita
June 6, 1945

Chaplain I Yost
September 20, 1944

Israel A.S. Yost
February 26, 1946

Doc (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
Date unknown

Howard
Date unknown

Jim (Major James Lovell)
September 3, 1944

Jim (Major James Lovell)
May 21, 1945

Kai (Dr. Richard Kainuma)
July 2, 1944

Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
October 31, 1944

Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
November 15, 1944

Kome (Dr. Katsumi Kometani)
May 5, 1945

Steve
July 10, 1944

Unknown author
November 8, 1944

Unknown author
October 9, 1944

Unknown author
November 29, 1944

Unknown author
April 6, 1945