Club 100

Origins of Club 100

The origins of “Club 100” (pronounced “Club One-Hundred”) took root at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin where the men of the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) were sent for training in June 1942. Dr. Katsumi Kometani, the battalion’s morale officer, was credited by Executive Officer Major James Lovell as the person who initiated the proposal to form a postwar organization that would allow members to maintain their camaraderie.

Members of the battalion voted to accept this proposal and agreed to contribute to a fund for a post-war organization and clubhouse. Subsequently, the soldiers began contributing $2 from their monthly pay, which was collected and recorded by each company clerk.

As the funds grew, the question of safekeeping arose. The battalion decided to entrust the money to Charles Hemenway, a prominent Honolulu community leader and strong supporter of the Japanese community in Hawaiʻi. He was entrusted with safeguarding the funds until the soldiers returned home, and the money was sent directly to him for investment.

As the amount increased, however, Hemenway realized the need for a formal depository in the name of club members. He drafted an agreement outlining the organization’s purposes and objectives and established Hawaiian Trust as trustee. The document was sent to the battalion while it was in Italy and adopted on August 12, 1944 after being signed by about 600 members. By that time, the fund had grown to more than $30,000.

In September 1944, while stationed near Naples, Italy, before moving into France, representatives from each company met to approve the charter and bylaws of their veterans’ club. They elected Katsumi “Doc” Kometani as president, Sakae Takahashi as vice president, Andrew Okamura as secretary, and Hideo Yamashita as treasurer. Charles Hemenway, Hawaiʻi’s Delegate to Congress Joseph Farrington, and community advocate Leslie Deacon were elected as the first honorary members of their organization. By the end of the war, the fund had reached $50,000.

Incorporation and Clubhouse

Property was acquired, and the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Clubhouse was completed in July 1952. Since then, it has remained in continual use by the veterans and their families. The members pledged never to forget those who gave their lives during the war and dedicated the building to the memory of their comrades of the 100th Infantry Battalion, United States Army, who died in defense of their country during World War II. A Memorial Wall made of marble from Carrara, Italy, where the battalion fought during the battle of the Gothic Line, was installed in the Clubhouse with the names of these men inscribed upon it.

Before the Clubhouse was completed, the club’s motto “For Continuing Service” was selected, reflective of their commitment to promote the unity and welfare of the local community. The veterans also sought to promote mutual assistance and social relationships amongst its members, their families, and the families of their comrades who gave their lives in the war. The members diligently worked towards carrying out these objectives quietly and effectively, while carrying on their camaraderie.

For many years, most events such as family picnics and holiday parties were organized along the original battalion company structure. But sports such as bowling, softball and golf and classes for various hobbies increased friendships across company lines. As the veterans retired, it was also a gathering place to play cards and “talk story.”

100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100)

In 2001, the Board of Directors recommended changing the organization’s name from Club 100 to the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans, and the change was approved by a majority vote at the general membership meeting. Yet for many veterans, families, and members of the Hawaiʻi community, the organization continues to be affectionately known simply as “Club 100” — a name that still carries memories of friendship, sacrifice, and lifelong bonds forged during the war.

The purpose of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) today remains to honor its motto of “For Continuing Service.” The organization also continues its longstanding commitment to perpetuate the identity and legacy of the 100th Infantry Battalion, promote community service, patriotism, and social welfare for the people of Hawaiʻi, and provide support for the men of the 100th and their families, including the families of those who gave their lives in World War II.

Events and activities have a focus on education, with an emphasis on preserving the battalion’s history and passing their stories on to the rising generation of descendants and youth worldwide. An Education Center featuring an extensive collection of photographs and documentation of the 100th Infantry Battalion history can be accessed worldwide through its website, and locally through displays and presentations at the Clubhouse.

Membership includes veterans who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, their wives/widows, lineal descendants/bloodline relatives and spouses, and honorary members.