Fred Hosokawa

Headquarters Company, 100th Infantry Battalion

Fred Hosokawa, born on March 17, 1920, served with distinction in Headquarters Company of the 100th Infantry Battalion during World War II. As a member of a battalion composed primarily of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry (AJA), he served the United States at a time when Japanese Americans faced profound injustice and discrimination at home. Like many soldiers of the 100th, Fred carried out his wartime duties with quiet determination and humility.

During the Italian and French campaigns, Fred was part of a battalion that earned a formidable reputation for courage under fire. The 100th Infantry Battalion endured some of the war’s most intense combat, suffering heavy casualties while consistently accomplishing its missions. For his service, Fred was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious achievement or valor, the Combat Infantryman Badge, signifying his participation in active ground combat, and the Distinguished Unit Badge, reflecting the extraordinary heroism and effectiveness of the battalion as a whole.

Despite his wartime experiences, Fred rarely spoke about the war after returning home. He married Beatrice Hosokawa, and together they raised two daughters, focusing on family and community rather than recounting his military service. Only after his passing did his family discover a box stored away on a high shelf, containing photographs from his time in Italy and France — silent reminders of experiences he had chosen to keep private.

Years later, one of his daughters, Ann Shirai, joined a legacy tour to better understand her father’s service. Her most profound moment came while climbing Hill 140, also known as “Little Cassino,” the site of a brutal five-day battle fought by the 100th/442nd against heavily fortified German positions. The climb was physically demanding, but the emotional weight proved even heavier. Near exhaustion, Ann quietly repeated, “Aloha E, Aloha E, Aloha E,” a personal prayer asking permission to enter the mountain where her father and his fellow soldiers had fought and sacrificed.

Through this journey, Ann gained a deeper understanding of her father’s silence and the legacy he left behind. Fred Hosokawa’s service, and that of the men of the 100th Infantry Battalion, helped secure victory abroad while laying the foundation for greater understanding and opportunity for future generations. Their courage and sacrifice endure, carried forward by the families who remember them and by the students who continue to learn their story.