Masanobu Eugene Kawakami

Able Company, 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

Early Life

Masanobu Eugene Kawakami was born on October 21, 1913, in Honolulu, the second of seven children. His father immigrated from Fukuoka, Japan, in 1900, and his mother arrived as a picture bride from Kurume in 1911. The family lived in Puʻunui on Oʻahu, where his father worked as a cook for a private household. His parents spoke Japanese and little English, while Eugene and his U.S.-born siblings spoke mostly English. From childhood, he went by his middle name, Eugene.

He began school at Maemae Elementary and later attended Lincoln School through the ninth grade. Established in 1924, Lincoln was Hawaiʻi’s first “English Standard School,” a selective program for students proficient in English. Admission required passing an entrance exam, and Eugene remained proud of having attended it.

He continued to McKinley High School, completing the tenth grade in 1930. At age 16, he began working as a salesclerk at Piggly Wiggly and soon left school to support his family. During the 1930s, he advanced to assistant manager at Piggly Wiggly and also worked as a law clerk, bookkeeper for W. Tip Davis, and office manager. He furthered his education by completing a bookkeeping course through the YMCA in Honolulu.

Eugene remained active in sports and community life. He served as president of the Puʻunui Athletic Club and manager of its baseball team, and was elected secretary of the Junior Republic of Hawaiʻi. An avid golfer, he was active in the Pālolo Japanese Golf Club. He also participated in the Sea Scouts, completing leadership training and earning a certificate in Scoutmastership, and was a member of Saint Mary’s Episcopal Church.

Like many Nisei of his generation, Eugene held dual citizenship in the United States and Japan, as Japanese citizenship was automatically conferred on children of Japanese nationals. In 1933, he formally renounced his Japanese citizenship. Proud to be American, he showed his commitment through leadership, athletics, and service to his community.

Military Service: 298th Infantry Regiment

On October 26, 1940, at age 27, Eugene registered with the Selective Service following passage of the Selective Training and Service Act. Around this time, a close friend from the Sea Scouts introduced him to his wife’s cousin, Yoshiye “Gladys” Sasaki, and the two soon began dating.

In February 1941, Eugene received notice that he had been classified as “Class 1-A,” making him eligible for military service. After informing his employer, he was advised that war seemed likely and encouraged to marry if he planned to do so. Eugene proposed to Gladys, and she accepted.

After passing his physical examinations, Eugene reported for induction on March 24, 1941. He was among the first men inducted from Oʻahu under the Second Draft quota, and was sent to Schofield Barracks for basic training. He was assigned to the 298th Infantry Regiment of the Hawaiʻi National Guard in the U.S. Army.

While in training, Eugene took leave to marry Gladys in May 1941. That November, he was promoted from Private to Corporal in Company F, 298th Infantry, then two weeks later was transferred to the Enlisted Reserve Corps, as men age 28 and older were released from active duty. He and his wife continued living with his family in Puʻunui.

On the evening of December 6, Eugene and Gladys attended a wedding for his friend from the 298th Infantry, Yozo Yamamoto, who would later serve in the 100th Infantry Battalion. There, Eugene heard he might soon be called back to duty because war seemed likely.

The next morning, December 7, 1941, they were awakened by planes and loud noises. Realizing the sounds were too close and frequent to be normal military practice, Eugene looked out the window and saw lots of black smoke billowing. He immediately said, “I have to go… this is real war!” and quickly got dressed to report for duty.

After noticing a roadblock, he returned home, put on his uniform, and successfully passed through. He reported to ʻIolani Palace and assisted throughout the day, returning home late that night and continuing the next morning. On December 8, 1941, Eugene officially entered active service with the 298th Infantry Regiment.

In April 1942, Eugene was promoted to Sergeant of Company F, 298th Infantry. The next month, he and other Americans of Japanese ancestry in the Hawaii National Guard were reorganized into the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion.

Military Service: 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)

On June 5, 1942, following orders to keep the deployment a secret, Eugene quietly departed Hawai‘i on the USAT Maui with the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion, not even informing his family. He did not know their destination or assignment.

When they arrived in California on June 12, the soldiers were placed on three separate trains with the windows covered. The trains took different routes but all arrived at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin. There, they began training as part of the newly formed 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate). This was the first segregated combat unit of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry (AJA), and was composed almost entirely of soldiers from Hawaiʻi. Having witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor, Eugene and the other men in the 100th were eager to defend the United States and protect their families.

Eugene was assigned to Company A and promoted to Staff Sergeant on August 1, 1942. The 100th underwent intense physical, marksmanship, and tactical training. After regular training, they often stayed behind to practice more. The men knew they were being closely watched and were determined to show that AJAs were loyal and could be trusted in combat. They took pride in representing their communities in the U.S. Army.

During their free time, Eugene and his friends explored nearby towns such as Sparta, La Crosse, and Madison. They also visited the Wisconsin Dells and traveled to Chicago and Minnesota. Eugene enjoyed playing golf and sometimes even played barefoot.

In December 1942, Eugene and friends visited the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) at Camp Savage, Minnesota, to see comrades who had transferred there. Members of the 100th had been tested in translating Japanese, and those who passed were sent to MISLS. Eugene did not score above the required 70 on the test but qualified in spoken Japanese. He noticed that at Camp Savage speaking Japanese was required, while at Camp McCoy it was forbidden.

On January 6, 1943, the 100th left Camp McCoy for Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for advanced training. In April, the 100th took part in field maneuvers at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana, returning to Camp Shelby in June, where the 442nd Regimental Combat Team had arrived during their absence. The battalion earned an outstanding reputation for its training record. Its motto became “Remember Pearl Harbor,” and Eugene said they always kept the people of Hawai‘i in their hearts.

In August 1943, the 100th left Camp Shelby for Camp Kilmer, New Jersey, where they received embarkation orders. The 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) departed on August 21 for Oran, North Africa. Eugene was in the Third Platoon of Company A. On September 19, 1943, they departed Oran for Salerno, Italy, attached to the 34th Infantry Division.

The 100th moved into combat on September 26, advancing against German forces through rain and mud. On September 29, they came under heavy attack from machine guns, mortars, and artillery — their first experience in active combat. That day, Sgt. Joseph Shigeo Takata (Co. B) and Pvt. Keichi Tanaka (Co. B) became the first members of the 100th to be killed in action. The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) hold an annual memorial service in September on the Sunday closest to September 29. Eugene strongly advocated for keeping it on this date, in remembrance of these first two fallen soldiers in the 100th, and the many who were lost afterward.

The 100th crossed the ice-cold Volturno River twice, and on October 20, 1943, launched a late-night attack near Alife, with Company A leading in pitch darkness. Eugene described it as extremely dangerous, with German observation posts above. They were hit with heavy gunfire, and Eugene was badly wounded during this battle. He spent October 21, his 30th birthday, lying in a foxhole. He suffered a machine gun laceration through his back and chest, lung injuries, and fractured ribs. He took the “sulfa” (sulfanilamide) pill they were provided, but his canteen had been struck by bullets, leaving him without water. While waiting for first aid, he was wounded again in the upper right arm.

On October 22, Eugene was taken to an aid station near Alife. Because hospitals were segregated, his race was listed as “white,” as Japanese American soldiers were grouped with white troops. He was later moved to a hospital in Caserta, Italy. Records show it took about 40 hours before he received first aid and 44 hours before he received definitive treatment.

He was later transferred to a hospital in North Africa, where he was admitted on November 9, 1943. Back in Honolulu, Gladys was first told her husband was missing in action, then received a letter on November 13, confirming that he had been wounded in action in Italy and hospitalized.

Eugene continued to recover and was moved to another hospital in North Africa on December 28. After recovering, he returned to duty near Rome on May 25, 1944, but was not ready for combat. On June 9, he was sent to the evacuation hospital, and after more medical treatment, he was reclassified to “Class B” limited duty on August 15, 1944.

Eugene returned to the United States on September 26, 1944, and was assigned to Fort Ord, California. A letter that he wrote to Lt. Col. Farrant Turner from Fort Ord, dated November 15, 1944, briefly describes his experiences there. He returned to Honolulu on December 11, 1944, and served at Schofield Barracks until he was honorably discharged on June 12, 1945. For his service and sacrifice, he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal.

Club 100 Years

Following the war, Eugene began a civilian career with the Internal Revenue Service, where he worked until retiring in 1973. He and his wife, Gladys, had two children and remained active members of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans organization, “Club 100,” throughout their lives. Eugene served as Club 100 Treasurer in 1952, the year the 100th Infantry Battalion Clubhouse was completed, as 2nd Vice President in 1964, and as President of the Able Chapter in 1962, 1984, and 1985.

In 1962, Eugene and Gladys visited Japan for the first time on the Club 100 Japan Tour with fellow 100th veterans and their spouses. As Able Chapter President, Eugene led “Group 1,” including members of the Able and Charlie Chapters. They were honored to meet then Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko, and were warmly received throughout their trip, visiting cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka. During the visit, the Club 100 tour group members participated in a memorial service at Ryōzen Kannon, a war memorial in Kyoto, honoring the 100th Infantry Battalion and World War II soldiers worldwide, who died in service to their countries.

Eugene remained closely connected to his fellow 100th veterans and was active in Club 100’s Golf, Century Golf, and Bowling clubs. He and Gladys also participated in the Dance Club, where Eugene served several terms as chairman. Gladys was active in the Cooking, Ukulele, Karaoke-kai, and Craft clubs, serving as Chairperson of the Cooking Class and President of the Karaoke-kai. They both organized and volunteered at many club events, including Club 100 Memorial services, banquets, carnival, lūʻau, as well as Able Chapter Christmas Parties and Family Nites.

Eugene regularly contributed to the Club 100 newsletter, “Puka Puka Parade,” serving as reporter for the “Able Chapter News” in 1982 and writing the “Golf News” column for several years. He also produced the Golf Club’s newsletter.

Eugene Kawakami passed away on October 29, 1985, at age 72, from complications during open-heart surgery. At his service, the hall was filled with 100th Infantry Battalion veterans in their white-collared Club 100 shirts, gathered to honor a life defined by service, leadership, and loyalty, and to say aloha to their friend and comrade.

At the service, Mitsuyoshi “Mits” Fukuda (Co. A), master of ceremonies, said, “Eugene’s outstanding trait was the wholehearted and dedicated manner with which he accepted his responsibilities… Eugene will leave a void in our lives. We shall all miss him. He was a worthy friend and trusted comrade.”

In his eulogy, Bob Takashige (Co. B) said, “Eugene was a rare person who gave so much of himself unselfishly—not for glory or praise, but for the satisfaction of serving others. He lived his life to the fullest and left no regrets. We are fortunate to have had a man like Eugene as a member of Club 100. He was a man of conviction who spoke up for what he believed was right, even when it was unpopular.”

In the Puka Puka Parade Able Chapter news column, Tom Fujise (Co. A) said, “We will all miss his newsletters, his searching questions on Club affairs, and his willingness to help with any activity. Able Chapter will have to look far and wide to find someone who can approach his dedication. And if anyone in the chapter deserves a 21-gun salute, it’s Eugene.”

From his early years in Pu‘unui to his wartime service as an original member of the 100th Infantry Battalion, and later to his work with the IRS and Club 100, he left a lasting impact on his family, friends, and community. He never forgot his fallen comrades, honoring their memory by dedicating the rest of his life to his community, to Club 100, and to the lifelong bonds he shared with his fellow veterans.

Read Masanobu Eugene Kawakami’s Memoir