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Barbara Watanabe
808-585-8484
barbaraw@goforbroke.org
Speech by Keynote Speaker Capt. Marty Higgins - June 11, 2005
Go For Broke Educational Foundation
June 11, 2005
Thanks to the Go For Broke Educational Foundation, I am having my fourth opportunity to thank the men of the 442nd RCT for the rescue of the 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment, and 36th Division. Also, to express my sincere regrets, for the losses you suffered in that operation.
How many of those men are here today? Will you please stand up? Thank you, I propose a minute of silence. Not only to pray for your fallen comrades but for every American who paid the ultimate price, giving their lives for our country. I would like to shake hands with each of you after the ceremony to say, “I am truly sorry for the loss of your comrades.”
This past April, I spoke to the JACL, Japanese American Citizens League, Houston group. My opening line was: “Greetings, it is great to be here. At my age, it is great to be anywhere.” That expression is applicable today. The Houston experience was fabulous, I met a number of old friends and made a ton of new ones. I look forward to meeting more at this function.
With your indulgence, I want give some highlights of previous speeches. 1.) On March 25, 2000 there was a 57th Memorial Service at the Punch Bowl, the National Cemetery in Honolulu, Hawaii. I gave the details of our cut off Battalion, on a day-to-day basis. If you interested in the full text, Christine can have a copy for you.
This is unbelievable but true. We never knew the extent of your losses until 1997, when the book, “Lost Battalions,” by Franz Steidl, was published. Mike Masaoka came to Chicago in 1948, to ask me to intercede in getting your parents’ citizenship. He never discussed the issue of casualties, other than to say his brother, Ben, was killed in that action. Thanks to George Oiye, 522nd FAB, copies of those letters I wrote to the Congressmen controlling the bill and their replies are in your national Museum in the archive section. When we made the invasion of Southern France, August 15th our Battalion had 18 line officers. BY the time we were cut off, I was the only one left. I am not a very religious person, yet I feel “God works in mysterious ways.” Consider this, our 36th Division was one of the finest to serve in Europe. When they could not extract us, you were given that task. Your unit suffered tremendous casualties in Italy and the liberation of Bruyeres. The press either suppressed those losses or did not consider them news worthy. The fact that you rescued a battalion of the 36th Division gave you the credibility and recognition you truly deserved.
I am not sure if I could have done what you did. To volunteer to fight for the country that took away your constitutional rights. I concluded with the statement, “All of you deserve THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL,” you distinguished yourselves in combat.
When I spoke at dinner, given by the JAVA group in Washington D.C., during the WWII Memorial dedication, May 2004, I related this true story. It was not part of the prepared text; it was later called a Preamble. On the Friday before the Punch Bowl ceremony, Ed Ichiyama, 522nd FAB, chairman of the event, brought Ted Rodriguez and me out for a rehearsal. Ted was going to present a wreath. He is a dedicated friend of the Japanese Americans.
When they were in San Antonio, TX to attend one of our reunions, he had them all out to his ranch for barbecue. When we got to the National Cemetery, the Colonel in charge walked us over to the grave markers. He told his men he wanted a flag on each marker. We could tell by the dates whether it was for the liberation of Bruyeres or our rescue.
The next morning I woke up at 4 a.m., all I could see was a field of waving flags. I started to cry, no way, could I give my speech. I changed the opening line to, “At the age of 84, this is the most awesome moment of my life.” Missy, my daughter, was sitting next to me on the dais and Tommy Abrunzo, my son-in-law, was in the first row. They thought I brought the wrong speech. Tommy had gone to the University of Hawaii, and then married Missy. He went back to attend their medical school. She taught in a private school. He had placed the Hawaiian words in phonetics. When I said “Aloha Pumehana,” they relaxed.
Now one of the strangest events of my life took place. Just before I was called to the podium, I felt a warm glow permeate my entire body. I went up, spoke slowly, as I finished, I felt weak in the legs, sat down and cried. Senator Inouye shook my hands, I knew then, he understood how deeply grateful we are for the heroic actions of the 442nd RCT.
When I later told my Japanese American friends about the warm feeling, they said it was ZEN. It had never happened before or since. I say again “GOD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.”
May he continue to bless us all.
Marty Higgins.
Commanding Officer of the Lost Battalion
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