Roy Hiroshi Matsumoto Military Intelligence Service, U.S. Army Photographed for the book, The Go For Broke Spirit by Shane Sato.

This was the beginning of my journey...

#Repost @goforbrokespiritbook • • • • • • Leighton “Goro” Sumida saw many horrors of war. A German soldier taking his last breath. A new kid in a fox hole had an artillery blast blow his brains into his helmet, eyeballs in the trenches, legs all torn up and twisting in the wrong direction. And worst of all, fellow dying soldiers asking him to kill them to save them from suffering. When battling to Rome he remembers the 442 cleared the last roadblock but were then ordered to withdraw so that the White American troops could come in and “save the city.” So they stood by and watched as the Haole (Caucasian) troops rode by and took the credit as the city’ s saviors. When he arrived in France, the fighting was still fierce and the 2nd Platoon was practically lost with heavy casualties. The Germans were over on the next bank and shelling the soldiers. The forest was so thick that the “tree bursts” would shower them with burning branches and shrapnel. Once in Bruyères, France, they were greeted with hugs from the locals. To this day there is an annual celebration called “Cérémonies de la Libération de Bruyères par le 442 RCT” or Ceremonies of the Liberation of Bruyères by the 442 RCT and a monument honoring these Japanese Americans, whom they thank for their liberation. It’s ironic and disappointing that there is no celebration of this kind in the United States. . Read the rest of his and other Nisei veterans stories in "The Go For Broke Spirit". Details at our link in bio. . #100thbattalion #GoForBrokeSpirit#442nd#JapaneseAmerican#AsianAmerican #AsianPride#AsianAF #USArmy #WWII #Nisei#internmentcamp #americanhistory#goforbroke #eo9066 https://www.instagram.com/p/BwRzKbXhA1H/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=eaargx14s8z2

#Repost @goforbrokespiritbook • • • • • • After studying welding, Fumio Steve Shimizu got a job working on a secret, underground fuel-storage facility at Pearl Harbor. His quest to better himself would result in having a front-row seat to one of the most infamous events in history. Steve and the men of his dayshift crew were waiting for the elevator to come up at 8:00 am, standing along a mountain ridge overlooking the harbor. “From where we stood you could see all the ships lined up,” he recalled as he spoke of the planes breaking formation to sweep down on their targets. “The first one was the Arizona, which took a direct hit.” The pilot had crashed his plane into the smokestacks, resulting in a huge explosion and causing the ship to capsize. The speed at which all this occurred is why so many sailors were trapped inside and many others died instantly. Of the 2,400-plus military and civilians who died during the attack, 1,177 were from the USS Arizona. Steve said that the USS Oklahoma was attacked in the same way. . Seeing an attack of this magnitude would either inspire patriotism in you or make you never want anything to do with a battle. For Steve, the choice was clear but the ability to volunteer would not be afforded to him, as he would soon be reclassified as an Enemy Alien. Steve lost his job at Pearl Harbor because of his Japanese heritage, yet his skills as a welder were in high demand, especially now that the US was in a state of war. Steve’s opportunity to join the 442nd came along in 1943 and he went to the mainland for training. . #100thbattalion#GoForBrokeSpirit#442nd#JapaneseAmerican#AsianAmerican#AsianPride#AsianAF#USArmy#WWII#Nisei#internmentcamp#americanhistory#goforbroke#eo9066#shanesato#militaryintelligenceservice https://www.instagram.com/p/BvfZSyGBAGn2Q9kiTJ19n7xOvQgVnITCZWPUoc0/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=ub4xd8bauezf

Some BTS (behind the scenes) from the first book. We’re currently working on the second book and hope for a Fall 2019 or Spring 2020 release.

Over the weekend I was working at the Japanese American Bar Association Annual Fundraising Gala. A fantastic organization that supports lawyers and speaks about issues with Japanese influences. Every year they have a great show with well deserved awardees. This year I was happy to meet Scott Fujita , Super Bowl Champion, producer from the award winning documentary Gleason, and creator of the “Ice Bucket Challenge.” There was a long line of ladies wanting to take a picture with him…..If I just had a quarter for each picture this year! He told his story about growing up in Oxnard the adopted son of Rodney and Helen Fujita, and he spoke about how his friends came over and most of them were too afraid to try sushi. Everyone in the room was captivated with his story about how he feels in touch with Japanese American heritage, and how he considers himself half Japanese. With the Saints he stood up to a teammate in the locker room who called Japanese Americans “Japs”, and how without getting too upset he was able to educate him by telling him about the true stories about the Japanese ordeal. He speaks fondly about his grandfather Nagao Fujita who was a member of the 442. Finally, he inspired a room full of lawyers how important they were at this time of political turmoil, and how it was “their time to shine” At 6’5 Scott Fujita is a commanding presence, but his speech and charisma was even more powerful. 

Read more about Tosh and the other men at The Go For Broke Spirit.

Reposted from @goforbrokespiritbook - Saburo Nishime remembered during training what Captain Mizuna always emphasized to the men: “As Nisei soldiers we need to get into combat, to make the necessary sacrifices before we can hold our heads up as Americans.” Saburo took this to heart as he saw the first action the 100th was ever involved in Italy. The first morning as they were approaching the enemy, he saw a “bayonet driven into the ground with a helmet draped over the gun.” It had a “neat hole through the helmet.” This was Joe Takata’s rifle and helmet, and he was the first 100th soldier to be killed in action. . Read more of his story as well as others in 'The Go For Broke Spirit" available for purchase at the link in our bio or www.thegoforbrokespirit.com. . #100thbattalion#GoForBrokeSpirit#442nd#JapaneseAmerican#AsianAmerican#AsianPride#AsianAF#USArmy#WWII#Nisei#internmentcamp#americanhistory#goforbroke#eo9066#shanesato https://www.instagram.com/p/BstZaTBhvu6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=76atokcm9qph