Go For Broke National Education Center - Preserving the Legacy of the Japanese American Veterans of World War II

Merrill's Marauders Association Reunion

Surviving soldiers of the 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional), also known as Merrill's Marauders, convened for the 62nd reunion of the Merrill's Marauders Association, held in Atlanta on August 29, 2008. The Hanashi Oral History Program attended the event to reconnect with these brave individuals and to capture their oral histories as part of the project. Over the past few years, Hanashi has recorded interviews with Nisei Military Intelligence Service (MIS) veterans, including M/Sgt. Roy Matsumoto and T/Sgt. Grant Hirabayashi, who served with the Marauders.

(Left to right): Ed McLogan, Richard Hawkins, Grant Hirabayashi, Phil Piazza, Tim Yuge, Roy Matsumoto, Govan Yee, Vincent Melillo, Jackson Pokress and Harry Palmer

In 1943, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called this military operation a "hazardous and dangerous mission." Named after its leader Brigadier General Frank Merrill, Merrill's Marauders was charged with the perilous task of destroying Japanese supply and communications lines in Burma and reopening the Burma Road. Among the 3,000 men who volunteered for this duty, 14 of them were Nisei soldiers in the MIS who played a vital role in the success of this dangerous mission. As Japanese linguists, their job was to listen for and translate enemy dialog, messages and other language-based communications.

One former Marauders' sergeant recalled the time he led a squad that was ordered to accompany Matsumoto to a certain location at night in order to eavesdrop on the enemy.

"I have never been so scared and petrified, but Roy crawled through the bush with only a hand grenade�you know, in case he was captured. That's the thing we all worried about. Can you imagine what they would have done to him if they caught him?"

Roy Matsumoto and Grant Hirabayashi (Nisei MISers who are in Army Ranger Hall of Fame for their service with Merrill's Marauders)

The surviving veterans, many of whom were originally stationed in Central America or South Pacific, told of their harrowing experiences to overtake the Japanese in Burma. Their strategy was to use "hit and run" tactics against them, but fighting in this region was considered certain death. There was no exit strategy or escape route to follow as they bravely pushed forward towards their objective. They were outnumbered, carried no heavy artillery and marched hundreds of miles through unfamiliar and dense jungle. Not only did they have to battle a fierce enemy, they also went days without fresh food, water and supplies.

"We had to get water from bamboo trees and rain puddles formed by animal hoof prints," recalled one veteran. "Some days, we had to eat the meat from our dead mules. We suffered more casualties from disease than from enemy fire."

Of the original 3,000 men, only 200 were left to battle at the end of the first Marauders' campaign at the airfield at Myitkyina. It was not until then that replacements were flown in.

When the veterans were asked about the role of the 14 MIS'ers assigned to the mission, they all stated that without them, the mission could not have been accomplished. Many surmised that if it wasn't for the MIS'ers, there probably would not have even been 200 survivors.

Hanashi volunteers for this trip included Richard Hawkins, Govan Yee and Kirk Uchida. A special thank you to Robert Horsting for setting up the interviews.

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