1 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,631 NARRATOR: When a U.S. Battalion is surrounded by Germans, 2 00:00:07,967 --> 00:00:11,929 Soldiers of a segregated Japanese-American unit fight to reach them. 3 00:00:13,556 --> 00:00:16,267 Pinned at the base of what they would call Suicide Hill, 4 00:00:17,060 --> 00:00:19,645 No one moves when given the order to charge. 5 00:00:21,731 --> 00:00:24,984 Until an unlikely hero steps up to lead the way. 6 00:00:31,699 --> 00:00:33,618 NARRATOR: On June 6th, 1944, 7 00:00:34,285 --> 00:00:36,996 Allied forces finally land troops in Normandy 8 00:00:39,290 --> 00:00:40,208 to open the western front. 9 00:00:43,169 --> 00:00:48,049 But Nazi fanatics and diehards continue to fight ferociously for survival. 10 00:00:54,055 --> 00:00:55,515 D-day was a battle. 11 00:00:58,059 --> 00:00:59,393 They still need to win the war. 12 00:01:12,073 --> 00:01:17,912 NARRATOR: Friday, October 27th, 1944. The Vosges mountains, France. 13 00:01:23,417 --> 00:01:25,586 American sergeant Shiro Kashino 14 00:01:25,586 --> 00:01:29,465 leads his soldiers along a narrow path deep in the forest. 15 00:01:31,717 --> 00:01:35,221 At 0300 hours they struggle to see their route. 16 00:01:36,764 --> 00:01:39,267 ROBERT: It's almost unimaginable how dark it is. 17 00:01:39,267 --> 00:01:42,186 The overhang of the trees, the blackness. 18 00:01:42,186 --> 00:01:46,274 The total absence of any kind of city lights that would illuminate the sky 19 00:01:47,441 --> 00:01:50,570 {\an8}makes it seem like you're in the middle of a nightmare. 20 00:01:51,696 --> 00:01:55,366 NARRATOR: Afraid the men of the 442nd regimental combat team 21 00:01:55,366 --> 00:01:57,160 will lose their way in the forest, 22 00:01:57,660 --> 00:02:02,123 they pin squares of white paper to their backs for the soldier behind to follow. 23 00:02:08,379 --> 00:02:12,133 NARRATOR: Their mission is to rescue part of a battalion of American soldiers 24 00:02:12,133 --> 00:02:14,760 completely cut off by German forces. 25 00:02:20,266 --> 00:02:23,519 The other battalion is five miles away as the crow flies, 26 00:02:24,478 --> 00:02:28,482 but the valleys dip and peak, to greatly increase the distance. 27 00:02:32,278 --> 00:02:33,738 When they volunteered for the army, 28 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:39,076 many soldiers of the 442nd lived as detainees in incarceration camps. 29 00:02:42,747 --> 00:02:44,290 NARRATOR: After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, 30 00:02:44,749 --> 00:02:47,960 an executive order signed by President Franklin Roosevelt 31 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:51,464 forced Japanese-Americans on the mainland from their homes. 32 00:02:53,299 --> 00:02:57,178 Anyone with 1/16th Japanese heritage is incarcerated, 33 00:02:57,178 --> 00:03:00,765 Including thousands of children, the elderly and disabled. 34 00:03:01,807 --> 00:03:06,103 ROBERT: The government built ten so-called permanent relocation camps 35 00:03:06,103 --> 00:03:11,317 spread across the United States and these were basically army shelters. 36 00:03:11,317 --> 00:03:14,237 They were big barracks with common latrines, 37 00:03:14,737 --> 00:03:17,823 set in the middle of nowhere, and surrounded by barbed wire, 38 00:03:17,823 --> 00:03:22,453 and this would be the home for more than 100,000 Japanese Americans 39 00:03:22,453 --> 00:03:24,538 for the next three years of their lives. 40 00:03:25,539 --> 00:03:30,294 NARRATOR: Japanese-Americans serving in the military on December 7th, 1941 41 00:03:30,920 --> 00:03:34,632 are discharged or reassigned in February 1942. 42 00:03:36,592 --> 00:03:39,136 But many young men in the camps still volunteer 43 00:03:39,136 --> 00:03:44,976 when Roosevelt activates the segregated 442nd regimental combat team a year later. 44 00:03:48,104 --> 00:03:50,273 ROBERT: Well you have to remember, these were boys. 45 00:03:50,273 --> 00:03:56,696 They were youth ranging from 17, 18 years old to 21, 22 year old. 46 00:03:57,697 --> 00:03:59,031 Some of them were patriots. 47 00:03:59,031 --> 00:04:02,159 They wanted to fight to prove themselves to their country. 48 00:04:02,576 --> 00:04:06,330 Some of them just wanted to get out of the camps. It was a terrible environment. 49 00:04:08,499 --> 00:04:11,085 NARRATOR: After training, the 442nd fights in Italy, 50 00:04:11,085 --> 00:04:13,421 and then lands in southern France. 51 00:04:15,131 --> 00:04:17,800 ROBERT: They were literally dodging bullets abroad 52 00:04:17,800 --> 00:04:20,594 and they knew they had to win to save their lives. 53 00:04:22,221 --> 00:04:27,059 On the other hand they also knew they were representing something about themselves 54 00:04:27,059 --> 00:04:31,439 and their people who were still in the camps or were still in Hawaii. 55 00:04:31,439 --> 00:04:36,444 And they understood that this was a test of who they were as Americans. 56 00:04:43,451 --> 00:04:45,369 NARRATOR: After their 3:00 am start, 57 00:04:45,369 --> 00:04:49,248 the 442nd arrives at their jump off point in the late morning. 58 00:04:50,207 --> 00:04:53,753 The unit they must rescue is still three miles away. 59 00:04:59,008 --> 00:05:02,762 The lost battalion is from the 141st infantry regiment, 60 00:05:03,512 --> 00:05:08,267 a sister regiment to the 442nd, within the 36th infantry division. 61 00:05:09,727 --> 00:05:12,897 {\an8}The 36th Division was pretty highly combat experienced by this time. 62 00:05:15,441 --> 00:05:19,028 JOHN: It had led the way in the invasion of South France in August 1944. 63 00:05:19,695 --> 00:05:23,157 It had plunged into the Vosges by September. 64 00:05:23,157 --> 00:05:27,161 And here's where the figurative fun began to kind of end. 65 00:05:28,162 --> 00:05:31,957 {\an8}NARRATOR: As the 141st attacked to take hill 5-9-5, 66 00:05:32,958 --> 00:05:35,294 {\an8}First battalion pulls too far ahead. 67 00:05:35,878 --> 00:05:39,298 {\an8}Germans close in from behind and separate them from their regiment, 68 00:05:40,049 --> 00:05:43,719 {\an8}Cutting them off from reinforcement, resupply and relief. 69 00:05:46,806 --> 00:05:49,558 NARRATOR: The encirclement kicks off the Second World War version 70 00:05:49,892 --> 00:05:51,477 of the Lost Battalion saga. 71 00:05:52,478 --> 00:05:54,647 JOHN: It was a term left over from World War I, 72 00:05:54,647 --> 00:05:57,566 when you had a similar kind of situation, 73 00:05:58,901 --> 00:05:59,944 where you've had a unit, 74 00:06:00,277 --> 00:06:03,656 not really lost because loss would indicate that, you know, 75 00:06:03,656 --> 00:06:05,825 they're gone, or you never know what happens to them. 76 00:06:05,825 --> 00:06:08,702 No, you know precisely where they are. You just can't get to them. 77 00:06:11,247 --> 00:06:13,290 NARRATOR: Lieutenant Martin Higgins establishes 78 00:06:13,290 --> 00:06:16,168 a defensive perimeter to secure their position. 79 00:06:23,384 --> 00:06:28,347 For three days, the cut off battalion fends off a series of German attacks. 80 00:06:32,643 --> 00:06:36,605 All attempts to fight their way out, or for the regiment to fight their way in, 81 00:06:36,605 --> 00:06:37,523 have failed. 82 00:06:45,114 --> 00:06:48,200 NARRATOR: As their remaining rations and ammunition run low, 83 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:51,579 the situation for the Texan regiment grows desperate. 84 00:06:52,121 --> 00:06:54,915 It's not clear how long they can hang on. 85 00:07:03,591 --> 00:07:06,594 NARRATOR: Sergeant Shiro Kashino and the members of "I" company 86 00:07:06,594 --> 00:07:10,139 fight for every advance in the forest during the rescue attempt. 87 00:07:14,393 --> 00:07:18,564 As they lead the American assault, the Germans launch a fierce counter-attack. 88 00:07:22,276 --> 00:07:24,904 "I" company's left flank becomes exposed. 89 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:33,120 Kashino identifies a platoon pinned by a machine gun nest on the slope above. 90 00:07:35,331 --> 00:07:39,877 ROBERT: Kashino was a Japanese American who grew up in Washington State, 91 00:07:39,877 --> 00:07:45,174 and he was by all accounts a kind of all-American boy. 92 00:07:45,633 --> 00:07:47,051 He played on the football team. 93 00:07:48,052 --> 00:07:53,307 He found himself uprooted and sent to the Minidoka relocation camp in Idaho. 94 00:07:53,849 --> 00:07:57,436 And I think he was impatient to get out of Minidoka, 95 00:07:57,811 --> 00:08:01,774 and he saw the army as an opportunity to prove himself. 96 00:08:04,735 --> 00:08:08,739 NARRATOR: Suddenly, Kashino bursts out to relieve pressure on the trapped platoon. 97 00:08:12,910 --> 00:08:15,829 He rushes uphill giving the Germans a moving target. 98 00:08:29,510 --> 00:08:34,557 ROBERT: Kashino distinguished himself as consistently rising to the challenge. 99 00:08:35,849 --> 00:08:39,186 If that meant risking his own life for the soldiers he was serving, 100 00:08:39,186 --> 00:08:41,522 he would do it and he did it, time and time again. 101 00:08:43,732 --> 00:08:44,984 NARRATOR: Kashino succeeds. 102 00:08:45,442 --> 00:08:49,572 He draws the German fire to himself, so the other men are able to advance. 103 00:08:52,157 --> 00:08:55,452 He motions for them to loop around and take out the machine gun nest. 104 00:08:57,621 --> 00:08:59,665 Still under intense fire himself, 105 00:09:00,082 --> 00:09:03,335 he uses his Thompson submachine gun to cover their attack. 106 00:09:04,003 --> 00:09:08,591 ROBERT: I think that kind of action both endeared him to his men 107 00:09:08,591 --> 00:09:13,012 and proved that soldiers were capable of doing things, 108 00:09:13,178 --> 00:09:14,972 you know, beyond their imaginations. 109 00:09:16,432 --> 00:09:18,601 NARRATOR: With the Germans distracted by his fire, 110 00:09:19,018 --> 00:09:21,312 the others can eliminate the machine gun nest. 111 00:09:32,448 --> 00:09:34,074 NARRATOR: As the Americans fight ahead, 112 00:09:37,703 --> 00:09:40,289 a German tank creeps into position above them. 113 00:09:43,751 --> 00:09:47,171 The noise and chaos of the battle have masked its arrival. 114 00:09:53,260 --> 00:09:56,930 Tech sergeant Al Takahashi spots the beast at the last second. 115 00:09:57,514 --> 00:10:00,059 - NARRATOR: As its muzzle flares... - Feuer! 116 00:10:01,352 --> 00:10:03,228 He throws himself to the side. 117 00:10:09,401 --> 00:10:13,322 NARRATOR: The shell fired by the tank lands in the dirt beside Al Takahashi, 118 00:10:13,781 --> 00:10:17,409 but does not explode. Thankfully it's a dud. 119 00:10:17,910 --> 00:10:21,830 But had he jumped in the other direction, the impact would've surely killed him. 120 00:10:25,292 --> 00:10:27,378 The Americans fight an entrenched enemy, 121 00:10:27,378 --> 00:10:31,048 spurred to make any Allied advance as costly as possible. 122 00:10:31,507 --> 00:10:35,219 {\an8}PETER: It's relatively rare in the war in 1944 123 00:10:35,219 --> 00:10:38,097 {\an8}that the Germans encircle an entire Allied battalion. 124 00:10:39,765 --> 00:10:43,519 And this chance now is too good for the propaganda to lose. 125 00:10:43,519 --> 00:10:48,065 So, German troops are ordered to stop any rescue attempts 126 00:10:48,065 --> 00:10:49,817 from the Americans of this battalion. 127 00:10:51,443 --> 00:10:55,447 NARRATOR: Special mountain units are assigned to reinforce German positions. 128 00:10:57,199 --> 00:10:59,118 PETER: Gebirgsjäger, or Mountain Troops, 129 00:10:59,535 --> 00:11:03,706 were already founded in the First World War to defend the Austrian Alps. 130 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,085 They are trained to fight under severe weather conditions. 131 00:11:08,585 --> 00:11:10,754 To fight at high altitudes. 132 00:11:12,047 --> 00:11:13,590 The peculiarity of the Gebirgsjäger 133 00:11:13,590 --> 00:11:17,845 is that they are mostly recruited from the alpine areas, 134 00:11:18,262 --> 00:11:20,139 from Austria and from Bavaria. 135 00:11:22,808 --> 00:11:27,646 NARRATOR: Major Franz Seebacher commands the Heeres-Gebirgsjäger battalion 2-O-1. 136 00:11:28,897 --> 00:11:32,901 PETER: Franz Seebacher is a relatively young battalion commander. 137 00:11:32,901 --> 00:11:36,321 He's only 26 years old when he takes over command. 138 00:11:36,905 --> 00:11:40,492 He is an Austrian, initially enters the Austrian army, 139 00:11:40,492 --> 00:11:43,120 later is transferred into the German Army, 140 00:11:43,579 --> 00:11:47,249 and pursues a distinguished career in the Second World War. 141 00:11:49,126 --> 00:11:51,962 NARRATOR: Seebacher moves into position with 1,000 men 142 00:11:51,962 --> 00:11:55,549 armed with machine guns, light artillery, and mortars. 143 00:11:56,508 --> 00:11:58,510 PETER: The Germans have got the maps. 144 00:11:58,844 --> 00:12:03,390 They know the region, they know the strength and weaknesses of the terrain, 145 00:12:03,390 --> 00:12:07,811 and they position their troops on the defense line on the top of the hills 146 00:12:07,811 --> 00:12:10,481 and can fire down on the Americans in the valley. 147 00:12:12,858 --> 00:12:15,110 NARRATOR: The German counter attack continues 148 00:12:15,110 --> 00:12:16,862 with more tank and artillery fire. 149 00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:18,363 Feuer! 150 00:12:24,536 --> 00:12:26,747 NARRATOR: Trees explode around the soldiers 151 00:12:26,747 --> 00:12:29,541 of the 442nd regimental combat team. 152 00:12:30,834 --> 00:12:35,547 ROBERT: Without exception, every soldier I spoke to spoke about the tree bursts. 153 00:12:35,547 --> 00:12:37,049 They were terrified of them. 154 00:12:38,634 --> 00:12:41,470 {\an8}If you can imagine being in a forest with pine trees 155 00:12:41,470 --> 00:12:44,890 {\an8}stretching 60, 70 feet above you, and then suddenly, 156 00:12:44,890 --> 00:12:50,896 {\an8}out of nowhere, artillery fire opens up and explodes in the trees, 157 00:12:50,896 --> 00:12:54,858 so you're vulnerable not just to the hail of lead, 158 00:12:54,858 --> 00:12:59,196 but to the branches that had been burst off by this explosion. 159 00:13:03,492 --> 00:13:06,328 NARRATOR: Under intense pressure from German snipers and shells, 160 00:13:06,328 --> 00:13:08,455 the Americans must withdraw. 161 00:13:10,999 --> 00:13:12,334 Fall back! 162 00:13:14,586 --> 00:13:16,463 NARRATOR: They halt the German counter attack, 163 00:13:17,756 --> 00:13:21,260 but also cede some of the hard fought gains of the day's fighting. 164 00:13:22,261 --> 00:13:23,804 It's a painful set back. 165 00:13:28,308 --> 00:13:31,603 NARRATOR: Saturday, October 28th, 1944. 166 00:13:32,980 --> 00:13:35,440 With their rescuers still three miles away, 167 00:13:36,233 --> 00:13:38,819 Lieutenant Martin Higgins and the remains of his battalion 168 00:13:38,819 --> 00:13:43,407 of the 141st infantry regiment face mounting challenges. 169 00:13:46,660 --> 00:13:51,957 After four days of isolation with very limited rations, they're slowly starving. 170 00:13:57,212 --> 00:13:59,506 But drinking water is their biggest concern. 171 00:14:01,717 --> 00:14:03,886 JOHN: You just simply have to have access to it. 172 00:14:03,886 --> 00:14:05,888 If your soldiers are dehydrating over time, 173 00:14:05,888 --> 00:14:08,724 it doesn't necessarily mean they're going to keel over dead any minute 174 00:14:08,724 --> 00:14:11,143 {\an8}but it does mean as they're more and more dehydrated, 175 00:14:11,143 --> 00:14:13,186 {\an8}they become less combat effective. 176 00:14:15,439 --> 00:14:16,440 NARRATOR: Just beyond their perimeter, 177 00:14:16,440 --> 00:14:19,902 a muddy puddle provides their only source of drinking water. 178 00:14:21,153 --> 00:14:23,697 And worse, they have to share it with the enemy. 179 00:14:25,574 --> 00:14:28,201 A dead body would contaminate the supply. 180 00:14:29,119 --> 00:14:32,623 So, both sides avoid shooting any one nearby. 181 00:14:33,916 --> 00:14:37,294 But even without a corpse, it may not be safe to drink. 182 00:14:38,128 --> 00:14:39,087 JOHN: There's a recognition, 183 00:14:39,087 --> 00:14:41,757 that you're going to have to get stream water, river water, 184 00:14:41,757 --> 00:14:45,135 all those kinds of things where there are microorganisms that can make you sick. 185 00:14:45,969 --> 00:14:50,641 So, Halazone tablets were vital to purify the water that you're drinking. 186 00:14:52,267 --> 00:14:54,144 NARRATOR: Halazone is a chemical compound, 187 00:14:54,144 --> 00:14:56,730 that uses chlorine to kill bacteria and parasites. 188 00:14:57,773 --> 00:14:59,816 Debate over the effectiveness of chlorine 189 00:14:59,816 --> 00:15:03,445 delayed Halazone's widespread use until 1944, 190 00:15:03,987 --> 00:15:06,198 when research proved it safe and effective. 191 00:15:07,282 --> 00:15:10,869 Two dissolved halazone tablets make a canteen of water drinkable 192 00:15:10,869 --> 00:15:12,287 in about 10 minutes. 193 00:15:13,538 --> 00:15:16,041 Four tablets can be used for muddy water. 194 00:15:17,167 --> 00:15:20,379 It's a low tech, portable water purification system. 195 00:15:24,883 --> 00:15:29,054 NARRATOR: The lost battalion's initial supply of tablets only lasted for one day. 196 00:15:29,805 --> 00:15:32,808 They desperately need more Halazone, food, 197 00:15:32,808 --> 00:15:37,312 medical supplies for the wounded, and batteries for the radio. 198 00:15:38,313 --> 00:15:40,816 The first attempt to resupply by air failed 199 00:15:40,816 --> 00:15:44,486 when cloud cover made it impossible to identify their location. 200 00:15:47,489 --> 00:15:49,449 But the pilots remain determined. 201 00:15:50,325 --> 00:15:53,161 - Now with the sound of P-47s in the air... - Alright, guys. 202 00:15:53,495 --> 00:15:56,373 Higgins and the men get ready for the delivery of provisions. 203 00:15:57,749 --> 00:16:01,545 They've prepared a visual cue to alert the aircraft of their position. 204 00:16:02,879 --> 00:16:05,632 JOHN: They're going to try and signal by taking off anything 205 00:16:06,008 --> 00:16:10,053 that's light colored or white colored that they can use to string together 206 00:16:10,053 --> 00:16:13,724 that might catch a pilot's eye as he's flying over. 207 00:16:15,642 --> 00:16:17,185 NARRATOR: The fabric creates a signal. 208 00:16:17,936 --> 00:16:20,480 With the lost battalion surrounded by Germans, 209 00:16:20,480 --> 00:16:23,900 the pilots must drop the canisters in the right spot. 210 00:16:34,911 --> 00:16:38,498 NARRATOR: Higgins and the men watch as the containers float down from the sky. 211 00:16:49,051 --> 00:16:52,429 And one by one, they land in enemy territory. 212 00:17:00,604 --> 00:17:03,482 All the supplies fall into German hands. 213 00:17:06,485 --> 00:17:07,819 JOHN: You talk about going from the high to the low, 214 00:17:09,362 --> 00:17:11,948 Here comes the planes, here comes our supplies. 215 00:17:11,948 --> 00:17:15,786 Awesome. I'm going to get to eat, I'm going to get maybe some water 216 00:17:16,203 --> 00:17:20,082 and it's like, "No, I'm not getting that. My mortal enemy is getting that." 217 00:17:23,210 --> 00:17:24,461 NARRATOR: Without re-supply, 218 00:17:24,461 --> 00:17:27,798 the lost battalion's situation grows more desperate. 219 00:17:30,133 --> 00:17:33,762 JOHN: Higgins is probably worried about the steady decline of his command. 220 00:17:34,221 --> 00:17:36,306 He's got more and more people wounded. 221 00:17:36,306 --> 00:17:38,225 Fewer medical supplies to take care of them. 222 00:17:38,975 --> 00:17:42,604 He's probably worried about conserving his ammo. And there's the unknown. 223 00:17:42,979 --> 00:17:44,523 Is help going to be able to get to you? 224 00:17:47,484 --> 00:17:49,903 NARRATOR: Suddenly, the Americans in the perimeter 225 00:17:49,903 --> 00:17:52,614 hear the sound of an incoming artillery shell. 226 00:17:53,323 --> 00:17:55,158 (explosion) 227 00:18:02,040 --> 00:18:04,709 NARRATOR: As part of the 36th infantry division, 228 00:18:04,709 --> 00:18:09,464 the lost battalion is under the command of American Major General, John Dahlquist. 229 00:18:09,464 --> 00:18:10,590 The 141st is pinned down, sir. 230 00:18:11,174 --> 00:18:14,970 Annoyed that the 141st could not rescue their own men, 231 00:18:14,970 --> 00:18:20,475 Dahlquist had called in the 442nd regimental combat team to do the job. 232 00:18:22,310 --> 00:18:25,564 He continues to be frustrated by the failure of the rescue 233 00:18:25,564 --> 00:18:27,357 and floundering relief attempts. 234 00:18:27,357 --> 00:18:28,942 Let's go! Let's go! 235 00:18:28,942 --> 00:18:31,236 JOHN: I think his impatience is pretty understandable. 236 00:18:32,529 --> 00:18:34,823 He's got a battalion of his guys that's cut off. 237 00:18:34,823 --> 00:18:38,493 He's got other units that need to fight their way to them. 238 00:18:39,369 --> 00:18:41,371 The last thing on Earth that he wants 239 00:18:41,371 --> 00:18:45,250 is one of his battalions to be destroyed, obviously for its own sake, 240 00:18:46,042 --> 00:18:49,671 but this also can be devastating to a division's morale, 241 00:18:50,130 --> 00:18:51,756 to its fighting prowess. 242 00:18:52,299 --> 00:18:55,093 NARRATOR: To deliver essential rations and supplies, 243 00:18:55,093 --> 00:18:59,556 Dahlquist plans to fire artillery shells on his own men. 244 00:19:01,641 --> 00:19:05,687 Well behind the line, items like concentrated food rations, 245 00:19:05,687 --> 00:19:08,481 water purification tablets and medical supplies, 246 00:19:08,481 --> 00:19:11,359 are carefully wrapped and inserted into hollow shells. 247 00:19:14,696 --> 00:19:15,864 You fire them into the perimeter, 248 00:19:15,864 --> 00:19:17,532 because you don't really have to worry about weather 249 00:19:17,532 --> 00:19:20,869 and your observers know where the isolated battalion is. 250 00:19:21,870 --> 00:19:24,581 {\an8}But it is, you know, a reasonably ingenious kind of solution to this, 251 00:19:24,581 --> 00:19:26,583 but it's only a very temporary patch, 252 00:19:27,292 --> 00:19:32,047 {\an8}it's designed to get you by for a few more hours until you figure out a better way. 253 00:19:34,257 --> 00:19:38,261 NARRATOR: A smoke shell lands outside the lost battalion's defensive perimeter. 254 00:19:42,265 --> 00:19:45,185 It has been fired to confirm the coordinates of their camp. 255 00:19:49,564 --> 00:19:52,609 With a series of adjustments from their artillery observer, 256 00:19:54,236 --> 00:19:57,239 The shells start to explode overhead. 257 00:20:00,492 --> 00:20:03,745 They land in the trees and spill rations on to the ground. 258 00:20:12,545 --> 00:20:17,217 Once collected, the meagre supplies are shared amongst more than 200 soldiers 259 00:20:17,217 --> 00:20:19,177 who continue to hold out on the hilltop. 260 00:20:25,850 --> 00:20:29,604 NARRATOR: Meanwhile, the rescue force continues their approach. 261 00:20:31,898 --> 00:20:34,693 With little ground gained, Sergeant Shiro Kashino 262 00:20:34,693 --> 00:20:38,571 and the other men of the 442nd regimental combat team 263 00:20:38,571 --> 00:20:41,324 dig in for the second night of their relief mission. 264 00:20:43,952 --> 00:20:48,873 In contrast to the Sergeant, Private Barney Hajiro grew up in Hawaii, 265 00:20:48,873 --> 00:20:50,500 and was not incarcerated. 266 00:20:51,710 --> 00:20:55,130 And unlike Kashino, Hajiro's considered a problem soldier. 267 00:20:56,631 --> 00:20:59,551 ROBERT: Barney Hajiro was a fascinating character 268 00:20:59,551 --> 00:21:03,680 because he had a reputation from the day he was in the army 269 00:21:03,680 --> 00:21:08,935 {\an8}of being both a kind of slacker and a kind of trouble maker. 270 00:21:09,519 --> 00:21:12,814 He was a fiery youth who got in fist fights, 271 00:21:12,814 --> 00:21:18,236 and constantly was in trouble both with his peers and with his commanders. 272 00:21:18,236 --> 00:21:20,655 Okay guys. Prepare to move out. 273 00:21:21,072 --> 00:21:24,576 NARRATOR: Now he and the others face another long, wet night. 274 00:21:33,501 --> 00:21:36,588 In the middle of the forest there are no comfortable billets, 275 00:21:36,588 --> 00:21:38,131 comfortable billets, or structures of any kind. 276 00:21:38,673 --> 00:21:44,220 ROBERT: It was the end of October. It was starting to turn into winter. 277 00:21:44,220 --> 00:21:49,017 It was cold, it started to rain, and their nightly routine 278 00:21:49,017 --> 00:21:52,771 was to dig a trench, huddle into it, 279 00:21:52,771 --> 00:21:57,817 hope they were protected against tree bursts, and just tuck in for the night. 280 00:22:00,320 --> 00:22:04,240 NARRATOR: Another ongoing problem is supplying the 442nd with food. 281 00:22:05,241 --> 00:22:09,829 As with the lost battalion, the rescuers also have had an unstable supply line. 282 00:22:11,414 --> 00:22:15,210 The isolation and the terrain makes it difficult for trucks to reach the front. 283 00:22:17,545 --> 00:22:20,590 3rd battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Pursall 284 00:22:20,590 --> 00:22:24,928 calls for volunteers to retrieve rations delivered to a nearby road, 285 00:22:27,222 --> 00:22:29,724 Kashino agrees to lead the supply run, 286 00:22:32,185 --> 00:22:34,687 but is reluctant to depart immediately. 287 00:22:35,605 --> 00:22:42,362 ROBERT: Kashino sensibly pointed out that the noise of the supply trucks 288 00:22:42,362 --> 00:22:44,864 would attract the attention of the Germans. 289 00:22:46,783 --> 00:22:48,326 NARRATOR: He wants to wait for an hour, 290 00:22:48,326 --> 00:22:51,079 in case the Germans target the delivery location. 291 00:22:52,497 --> 00:22:56,376 But Pursall disagrees and issues a direct order. 292 00:22:56,960 --> 00:23:00,213 Alright guys, listen up! I need five volunteers. 293 00:23:00,213 --> 00:23:04,217 ROBERT: So, he got up and gave his men the order to follow him down the trail 294 00:23:04,217 --> 00:23:06,261 to the supply trucks. 295 00:23:12,308 --> 00:23:15,937 NARRATOR: Kashino leads his men through the dark, quiet forest. 296 00:23:28,992 --> 00:23:33,246 NARRATOR: In the distance, the supply trucks make their way up a narrow road. 297 00:23:45,842 --> 00:23:51,556 Before the soldiers can advance more than 200 yards, there is a massive explosion. 298 00:23:55,852 --> 00:23:59,481 NARRATOR: As Sergeant Shiro Kashino leads his men down a dark mountain path 299 00:23:59,481 --> 00:24:00,857 to meet their supply trucks, 300 00:24:02,108 --> 00:24:04,444 the forest around them bursts into flames. 301 00:24:06,946 --> 00:24:10,992 {\an8}Exactly what Kashino predicted would happen did happen. 302 00:24:10,992 --> 00:24:16,039 The Germans were able to locate the troops from the noise of the supply train 303 00:24:16,289 --> 00:24:17,957 and they opened fire. 304 00:24:24,047 --> 00:24:27,675 NARRATOR: The soldiers of the 442nd regimental combat team 305 00:24:27,675 --> 00:24:29,260 do not have time to find cover. 306 00:24:30,637 --> 00:24:32,680 The barrage is too intense. 307 00:24:39,437 --> 00:24:41,648 The blast injures eight men. 308 00:24:45,193 --> 00:24:48,321 When the fire lifts, Kashino and the others less injured 309 00:24:48,321 --> 00:24:50,573 help the wounded to the aid station. 310 00:24:56,663 --> 00:24:59,916 Later, when Kashino arrives at the battalion command post, 311 00:24:59,916 --> 00:25:03,336 he finds Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Pursall. 312 00:25:06,256 --> 00:25:08,591 NARRATOR: Kashino calls out his commanding officer 313 00:25:08,591 --> 00:25:11,469 for putting them in a needlessly dangerous situation. 314 00:25:11,469 --> 00:25:12,929 Those men died out there because of you! 315 00:25:12,929 --> 00:25:14,514 He adds that any of the men would rather starve 316 00:25:14,514 --> 00:25:17,684 than for others to suffer the casualties caused by the order. 317 00:25:18,601 --> 00:25:22,105 From a military perspective, Kashino crosses a line. 318 00:25:22,105 --> 00:25:24,274 Sergeant, that's how the army works. 319 00:25:24,274 --> 00:25:27,944 ROBERT: It's a complete violation of military law. 320 00:25:27,944 --> 00:25:32,198 A junior ranking non-commissioned officer 321 00:25:32,198 --> 00:25:37,078 cannot question the direct orders of a superior. 322 00:25:44,377 --> 00:25:46,588 NARRATOR: With the attack on the supply detail, 323 00:25:46,921 --> 00:25:50,883 casualties amongst the Japanese-American soldiers continue to mount 324 00:25:50,883 --> 00:25:54,137 across their front, after two days of fighting to rescue 325 00:25:54,137 --> 00:25:56,431 the members of the 141st infantry regiment. 326 00:25:59,892 --> 00:26:04,480 {\an8}And the lost battalion still remains about two miles past their present location. 327 00:26:06,983 --> 00:26:09,485 ROBERT: They would advance through the dark forest, 328 00:26:10,153 --> 00:26:14,490 they would meet a hail of machine gun fire, duck for cover, 329 00:26:15,992 --> 00:26:18,328 and then they would crawl up the hill a little bit more. 330 00:26:22,457 --> 00:26:25,918 As a result, the men really never knew where they were. 331 00:26:26,836 --> 00:26:30,632 They just knew that somewhere out there someone was firing a gun at them, 332 00:26:30,632 --> 00:26:32,050 and they had to keep going. 333 00:26:39,932 --> 00:26:42,935 Sunday October 29th, 1944. 334 00:26:45,563 --> 00:26:46,689 In the morning fighting, 335 00:26:46,689 --> 00:26:50,151 the soldiers from the Japanese American unit gain a little ground 336 00:26:50,151 --> 00:26:52,278 against the entrenched German defenses. 337 00:26:54,989 --> 00:26:59,369 But for 36th infantry division commander Major General John Dahlquist, 338 00:26:59,661 --> 00:27:00,953 this is not good enough. 339 00:27:03,414 --> 00:27:06,084 Dahlquist believes that there should be more progress. 340 00:27:08,252 --> 00:27:11,714 He takes the unusual step of visiting the front during the battle. 341 00:27:11,714 --> 00:27:12,632 Forward! Come on! 342 00:27:13,466 --> 00:27:15,426 JOHN: He does not trust his leaders. 343 00:27:15,426 --> 00:27:19,097 And in that sense, perhaps he's more of a micromanager than is necessary. 344 00:27:21,307 --> 00:27:24,727 JOHN: This is something that should be an incredible force multiplier, 345 00:27:24,894 --> 00:27:27,772 {\an8}to have a two-star general right there in the front line saying, 346 00:27:27,772 --> 00:27:30,692 {\an8}"Hey, you know what? I'm not just telling you guys to go forward. 347 00:27:30,692 --> 00:27:32,568 {\an8}"I'm leading you forward." 348 00:27:35,571 --> 00:27:38,991 As barrages descend, the men are forced to take cover. 349 00:27:43,162 --> 00:27:46,040 JOHN: Dahlquist never really adjusts to the reality of the moment, 350 00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:48,418 of saying, "Oh, now I see what you guys are up against." 351 00:27:49,711 --> 00:27:53,506 NARRATOR: Instead, he causes confusion by ignoring the chain of command. 352 00:27:53,923 --> 00:27:57,218 He engages directly with the soldiers and badgers them to advance. 353 00:27:59,220 --> 00:28:00,847 Finally, 3rd battalion commander, 354 00:28:00,847 --> 00:28:04,100 Lieutenant-Colonel Pursall reaches a breaking point. 355 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:05,017 These are my boys! 356 00:28:05,017 --> 00:28:07,061 He shouts for Dahlquist to get off his front. 357 00:28:11,941 --> 00:28:15,027 For Lieutenant Colonel Pursall to turn on the General this way, 358 00:28:15,027 --> 00:28:17,447 he would have to be completely at his wits end. 359 00:28:18,364 --> 00:28:20,199 And from an enlisted soldier's perspective, 360 00:28:20,199 --> 00:28:24,746 to see these two key authority figures bickering in this way 361 00:28:24,746 --> 00:28:30,209 does nothing for your unity and morale to go forward on this mission. 362 00:28:34,255 --> 00:28:36,883 NARRATOR: Within the lost battalion's defensive perimeter, 363 00:28:38,092 --> 00:28:40,386 The sound of planes again fills the air, 364 00:28:40,386 --> 00:28:43,473 with the goal of dispensing lifesaving supplies. 365 00:28:45,516 --> 00:28:50,605 It's the third attempt to deliver goods by air drop, and it proves successful. 366 00:28:53,065 --> 00:28:57,195 Food, medical supplies, and ammunition spill out from canisters. 367 00:28:58,654 --> 00:29:02,158 It all buys Lieutenant Martin Higgins and his men some relief. 368 00:29:04,869 --> 00:29:09,040 JOHN: It's gotten better. It's gotten more manageable, but it is not at an end. 369 00:29:09,290 --> 00:29:10,750 You hope in that time, 370 00:29:10,750 --> 00:29:13,544 that friendly forces are going to be able to fight their way to you. 371 00:29:13,544 --> 00:29:16,589 Until that happens, your crisis has not ended. 372 00:29:22,261 --> 00:29:24,847 NARRATOR: In the meantime, Sergeant Shiro Kashino 373 00:29:24,847 --> 00:29:27,934 and the soldiers of 3rd battalion of the 442nd 374 00:29:28,184 --> 00:29:30,728 have fought to close in on the lost battalion. 375 00:29:35,233 --> 00:29:38,361 {\an8}They face another advance across treacherous terrain. 376 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,073 {\an8}At the end of the ridge, just over a mile away, 377 00:29:42,323 --> 00:29:44,575 {\an8}Higgins and his men wait for rescue. 378 00:29:48,830 --> 00:29:51,958 But to get there, third battalion must clear the slope. 379 00:29:55,044 --> 00:29:58,965 The dug in German soldiers exact a toll for every gain. 380 00:30:04,428 --> 00:30:11,102 Even as they try to ascend, the German fire closes in from all around them. 381 00:30:18,776 --> 00:30:20,570 NARRATOR: After trying to outflank the Germans, 382 00:30:21,279 --> 00:30:26,242 members of the 442nd regimental combat team have stalled along a narrow front, 383 00:30:26,242 --> 00:30:28,911 in their quest to reach the lost battalion. 384 00:30:33,916 --> 00:30:36,752 ROBERT: The battle was really one of inches, 385 00:30:36,961 --> 00:30:40,214 and they were almost helplessly pinned down. 386 00:30:40,590 --> 00:30:44,135 {\an8}And not knowing where the next explosion would come from, 387 00:30:44,135 --> 00:30:46,512 {\an8}not knowing where the next grenade would be thrown, 388 00:30:46,512 --> 00:30:49,265 {\an8}not knowing where the next machine gun fire would open up. 389 00:30:52,685 --> 00:30:53,686 Fix bayonets now! 390 00:30:54,562 --> 00:30:57,899 NARRATOR: An order comes down the line: Fix bayonets. 391 00:31:00,067 --> 00:31:04,113 A bayonet is a knife blade attached to the end of a military rifle. 392 00:31:04,906 --> 00:31:08,409 Soldiers train to wield bayonets in a thrusting motion 393 00:31:08,409 --> 00:31:10,912 to cause deep and fatal internal wounds. 394 00:31:11,329 --> 00:31:12,914 But they're rarely used. 395 00:31:13,414 --> 00:31:16,042 JOHN: A lot of people would rather be in a gunfight than a knife fight, 396 00:31:16,042 --> 00:31:19,587 because a knife fight is very personal, and very much physical and all that, 397 00:31:19,587 --> 00:31:21,923 versus just trading bullets with someone in the abstract. 398 00:31:22,340 --> 00:31:25,426 The bayonet is really the desperation kind of weapon. 399 00:31:25,801 --> 00:31:28,179 {\an8}An officer gives an order to fix bayonets only under 400 00:31:28,179 --> 00:31:29,931 {\an8}the most desperate circumstances. 401 00:31:31,599 --> 00:31:33,351 NARRATOR: As the soldiers attach the blades, 402 00:31:33,643 --> 00:31:37,313 they discover that any discernible movement attracts a hail of bullets 403 00:31:37,313 --> 00:31:39,273 from the German defenders above. 404 00:31:42,109 --> 00:31:45,947 NARRATOR: Trapped and exposed, more men are shot, 405 00:31:47,865 --> 00:31:50,451 including sergeant Shiro Kashino. 406 00:31:50,826 --> 00:31:55,289 ROBERT: We don't know a lot except that he was constantly exposing himself to fire, 407 00:31:56,207 --> 00:32:00,670 and at a certain point he was wounded for the third time within a matter of days 408 00:32:04,173 --> 00:32:07,218 NARRATOR: Barney Hajiro sees that his platoon leader is bleeding. 409 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:10,304 He insists that Kashino seek medical care. 410 00:32:12,098 --> 00:32:17,436 Years later Hajiro would tell me, almost with incredulity that, you know, 411 00:32:18,104 --> 00:32:22,400 "Here I am, I'm a private and I'm telling a sergeant he's gotta go back," 412 00:32:22,942 --> 00:32:28,447 and he was amazed that Kashino, who had never turned away from any challenge, 413 00:32:29,031 --> 00:32:33,160 must've been so wounded that he in fact did go back. 414 00:32:53,222 --> 00:32:56,142 NARRATOR: Overlooking the ridge, Major Franz Seebacher 415 00:32:56,142 --> 00:32:58,936 observes the American forces amassing below. 416 00:32:59,562 --> 00:33:03,566 {\an8}The Americans don't receive a lot of support from the air 417 00:33:03,816 --> 00:33:05,985 {\an8}or support of armor or artillery. 418 00:33:06,569 --> 00:33:08,029 They are fighting like the Germans. 419 00:33:08,446 --> 00:33:14,827 A battle of attrition and both sides are low on ammunition and men. 420 00:33:16,078 --> 00:33:18,873 In the end, it is a brutal place to fight. 421 00:33:20,499 --> 00:33:22,793 NARRATOR: But Seebacher knows he has no choice. 422 00:33:22,793 --> 00:33:25,212 They must protect these heights of land, 423 00:33:25,212 --> 00:33:29,800 to have any chance of halting the Allied advance before they reach the Rhine river. 424 00:33:37,933 --> 00:33:41,771 Still pinned down on the ridge by heavy machine gun fire from above, 425 00:33:42,104 --> 00:33:44,440 the Americans receive the order to charge. 426 00:33:47,318 --> 00:33:51,447 But for an instant, no one, including Private Barney Hajiro, advances. 427 00:33:55,284 --> 00:33:58,996 ROBERT: Hajiro told me many years later that you can't go backwards, 428 00:33:58,996 --> 00:34:00,539 you can only go forwards. 429 00:34:01,749 --> 00:34:04,543 He looked at his men, he saw that they were pinned down, 430 00:34:05,169 --> 00:34:08,506 he knew that they would all die on that hill if they didn't do something. 431 00:34:09,256 --> 00:34:11,383 NARRATOR: With his Browning automatic rifle ready, 432 00:34:11,759 --> 00:34:13,969 Hajiro locates extra ammunition 433 00:34:13,969 --> 00:34:18,432 and turns to his assistant B.A.R. man, Private Takeyasu Onaga. 434 00:34:19,266 --> 00:34:22,603 Onaga tells Hajiro to take his P-38 if he gets shot. 435 00:34:25,898 --> 00:34:28,901 ROBERT: Hajiro remembered that very vividly, 436 00:34:28,901 --> 00:34:33,906 that a look of sadness just crossed his fox hole buddy's face. 437 00:34:34,365 --> 00:34:38,577 And it was probably in that split second before Hajiro stood up 438 00:34:38,577 --> 00:34:40,704 and started leading the charge. 439 00:34:48,003 --> 00:34:51,048 NARRATOR: With Hajiro in the lead, the rest of "I" company follows. 440 00:34:53,843 --> 00:34:56,929 ROBERT: I think the best part of him came out in battle, 441 00:34:57,179 --> 00:35:02,768 and it's one of those strange circumstances that men can be tested, 442 00:35:03,310 --> 00:35:07,439 and find within themselves resources that they never knew they had. 443 00:35:08,190 --> 00:35:11,110 And I think that was very true of Barney Hajiro. 444 00:35:15,322 --> 00:35:19,577 NARRATOR: Men are immediately cut down by machine gun fire and artillery blasts. 445 00:35:26,584 --> 00:35:31,046 Close on the heels of his friend, Assistant B.A.R. man Onaga 446 00:35:31,046 --> 00:35:34,133 stops to lift a tree that has fallen on a fellow soldier. 447 00:35:44,185 --> 00:35:46,896 Onaga then continues his advance up the hill, 448 00:35:51,984 --> 00:35:54,278 targeting enemy soldiers with a grenade. 449 00:36:03,913 --> 00:36:07,249 Without warning, a bullet rips into his throat. 450 00:36:15,007 --> 00:36:17,134 Hajiro sees his friend fall. 451 00:36:22,473 --> 00:36:26,810 ROBERT: I think he was angry. I think he was horror stricken, 452 00:36:28,229 --> 00:36:32,107 and also remember he was losing his ammunition man. 453 00:36:32,650 --> 00:36:35,986 So he knew he had a magazine to make his point, 454 00:36:44,536 --> 00:36:47,665 and he ran like a mad man firing all the way. 455 00:36:56,799 --> 00:37:00,344 NARRATOR: The soldiers of the German 201st mountain batallion 456 00:37:00,344 --> 00:37:02,638 hold steady against the American attackers. 457 00:37:06,350 --> 00:37:08,477 PETER: It's undoubtedly unnerving to see 458 00:37:08,477 --> 00:37:12,064 men coming up the hill, screaming and shouting. 459 00:37:12,564 --> 00:37:16,860 {\an8}This is a situation when the war gets purely emotional 460 00:37:17,069 --> 00:37:18,570 {\an8}and totally unpredictable. 461 00:37:25,035 --> 00:37:26,537 NARRATOR: Pinned down for days, 462 00:37:26,537 --> 00:37:30,165 the stalemate breaks and taking prisoners isn't a priority. 463 00:37:32,918 --> 00:37:36,130 Private Barney Hajiro continues his charge up the hill, 464 00:37:36,130 --> 00:37:37,631 and locates another machine gun nest. 465 00:37:41,260 --> 00:37:44,638 ROBERT: A BAR weighs 15 or 20 pounds, you're wearing you're helmet, 466 00:37:44,847 --> 00:37:47,850 you're carrying this equipment. You're running up a steep hill. 467 00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:49,518 I don't know how he did it. 468 00:37:49,977 --> 00:37:54,523 {\an8}You have to have a rush of adrenaline that just powers you through these things. 469 00:38:02,031 --> 00:38:06,160 NARRATOR: He continues to climb, but as he approaches a third machine gun nest, 470 00:38:06,452 --> 00:38:07,786 his luck runs out. 471 00:38:12,041 --> 00:38:14,877 ROBERT: Barney just felt this bullet rip through his arm, 472 00:38:15,961 --> 00:38:20,758 and he had to fall but by that time you know his men were behind him, 473 00:38:20,758 --> 00:38:22,217 they were taking out the Germans. 474 00:38:24,762 --> 00:38:29,266 What he set out to do he accomplished. That is lead this charge up the hill. 475 00:38:36,523 --> 00:38:39,526 NARRATOR: The medic wants to send Hajiro down to the first aid post, 476 00:38:39,526 --> 00:38:42,071 but he refuses. 477 00:38:44,573 --> 00:38:48,702 NARRATOR: He lost his BAR, but his fighting spirit was still there, 478 00:38:48,911 --> 00:38:51,705 he said, "If I had a gun I would've kept firing". 479 00:38:52,039 --> 00:38:54,708 - Get outta here! - I'm okay! I'll keep fighting! 480 00:38:54,917 --> 00:38:58,253 NARRATOR: In the end, Hajiro acknowledges the gravity of his injury 481 00:38:58,253 --> 00:39:02,174 and agrees to withdraw, though he refuses help. 482 00:39:11,975 --> 00:39:15,270 ROBERT: He wanted to make sure that the people who needed help more than he did 483 00:39:15,270 --> 00:39:16,188 could get it, 484 00:39:17,815 --> 00:39:23,028 and I think it's a kind of badge of honor to be the last man 485 00:39:23,028 --> 00:39:26,782 and to make sure that everybody else is taken care of before you are. 486 00:39:29,201 --> 00:39:33,747 NARRATOR: After losing Shiro Kashino and Barney Hajiro, along with numerous others, 487 00:39:34,748 --> 00:39:37,459 the 442nd pushes the Germans back. 488 00:39:39,920 --> 00:39:43,257 But they've not yet made contact with the lost battalion. 489 00:39:46,635 --> 00:39:49,263 The next morning, on Monday, October 30th, 490 00:39:50,139 --> 00:39:54,309 a patrol of Japanese-American soldiers advances through the woods. 491 00:39:57,312 --> 00:39:59,940 ROBERT: The battlefield was deserted, there was a strange calm, 492 00:39:59,940 --> 00:40:02,651 and so they inched forward, 493 00:40:02,651 --> 00:40:04,945 not knowing exactly what to expect, 494 00:40:04,945 --> 00:40:07,865 being afraid that maybe there were machine guns awaiting them. 495 00:40:07,865 --> 00:40:09,533 Maybe there was more mortar fire. 496 00:40:12,411 --> 00:40:17,916 NARRATOR: They discover a communications wire and decide to follow it. 497 00:40:23,797 --> 00:40:28,635 {\an8}When you've got two friendly units in such close proximity, it's always dicey. 498 00:40:28,635 --> 00:40:33,098 I think now also within the forest, given what's happened for almost a week, 499 00:40:33,098 --> 00:40:35,809 I think that only adds to the stress level. 500 00:40:40,856 --> 00:40:42,816 NARRATOR: They detect movement and ready themselves. 501 00:40:45,611 --> 00:40:47,905 A figure emerges from behind a tree. 502 00:40:49,448 --> 00:40:52,242 It's a fellow American from the lost battalion. 503 00:40:54,703 --> 00:40:59,458 ROBERT: Mutt Sakumoto, who was the first one to encounter the Los Battalion, 504 00:40:59,458 --> 00:41:03,420 didn't know what to say and so he just sort of fumbled and said, 505 00:41:03,420 --> 00:41:05,005 "Hey, you guys want some cigarettes?" 506 00:41:05,506 --> 00:41:09,760 And that turned out to be a just a great, humble, 507 00:41:09,760 --> 00:41:14,056 wonderful acknowledgement of what both sides had been through. 508 00:41:15,265 --> 00:41:19,228 A cigarette was just a great relief after the horrors they had experienced. 509 00:41:27,194 --> 00:41:29,613 NARRATOR: After seven days of isolation, 510 00:41:29,613 --> 00:41:35,285 the surviving members of first battalion, 141st infantry regiment, are rescued. 511 00:41:35,827 --> 00:41:40,832 Of the original 274 soldiers, 211 descend the hill, 512 00:41:41,124 --> 00:41:42,584 Including 32 wounded. 513 00:41:46,505 --> 00:41:47,589 NARRATOR: There's much press coverage, 514 00:41:48,382 --> 00:41:51,009 but the images released by the United States Army 515 00:41:51,009 --> 00:41:54,054 do not acknowledge the role of the Japanese-American soldiers 516 00:41:54,054 --> 00:41:56,598 who sacrificed so much. 517 00:42:01,228 --> 00:42:05,983 From the segregated 442nd, 52 are killed during the mission 518 00:42:06,441 --> 00:42:08,193 and 280 are wounded. 519 00:42:08,694 --> 00:42:12,072 Their casualties likely exceed the number of men rescued. 520 00:42:15,576 --> 00:42:20,872 Two weeks later, Major General John Dahlquist orders the 442nd assembled 521 00:42:20,872 --> 00:42:24,293 to award a presidential unit citation for the action. 522 00:42:25,794 --> 00:42:29,881 He's angry when the number of soldiers present was lower than he expected. 523 00:42:30,882 --> 00:42:32,676 One of his officers has to inform him: 524 00:42:33,552 --> 00:42:36,430 "That's all that's left of the 442nd, sir." 525 00:42:41,018 --> 00:42:45,314 After he recovers, Sergeant Shiro Kashino continues to fight. 526 00:42:45,814 --> 00:42:48,734 He will earn a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, 527 00:42:48,734 --> 00:42:51,403 and six Purple Hearts for his service. 528 00:42:52,195 --> 00:42:54,531 While nominated for a Distinguished Service Cross, 529 00:42:54,906 --> 00:42:58,452 He's wrongfully convicted by court martial and stripped of his rank 530 00:42:58,452 --> 00:43:00,329 and disqualified for the medal. 531 00:43:01,872 --> 00:43:06,627 More than 50 years later, a military investigation clears Kashino's name. 532 00:43:07,461 --> 00:43:09,796 ROBERT: His fellow soldiers petitioned the army 533 00:43:09,796 --> 00:43:11,757 for some recognition after many years, 534 00:43:11,757 --> 00:43:16,345 which he finally got, but unfortunately about six months after he died. 535 00:43:20,307 --> 00:43:22,100 NARRATOR: While Private Barney Hajiro 536 00:43:22,100 --> 00:43:24,519 is nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, 537 00:43:24,936 --> 00:43:27,689 He receives the Distinguished Service Cross instead, 538 00:43:27,939 --> 00:43:29,858 because of his Japanese heritage. 539 00:43:31,652 --> 00:43:34,863 It would take more than 55 years for the American government 540 00:43:34,863 --> 00:43:36,823 to acknowledge that he had rightfully earned 541 00:43:36,823 --> 00:43:39,159 the nation's highest military award. 542 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:44,665 {\an8}It was conferred on June 21st, 2000 by President Bill Clinton. 543 00:43:48,335 --> 00:43:50,003 {\an8}By the end of World War II, 544 00:43:50,253 --> 00:43:53,799 {\an8}the 442nd regimental combat team proves to be 545 00:43:53,799 --> 00:43:57,302 {\an8}one of the most highly decorated units in the United States Army. 546 00:44:00,347 --> 00:44:05,435 {\an8}They would return to Italy to break the Gothic Line in the spring of 1945, 547 00:44:05,811 --> 00:44:07,896 {\an8}while the war in Europe still raged on.