PERSONAL FOCUS:
BARNEY HAJIRO - 442nd Regimental Combat Team
On
June 21, 2000, President Bill Clinton awarded Barney Hajiro the
nation's highest military honor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic
actions during World War II as a member of the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team. Barney was first recommended for the Medal of Honor
and the British Victoria Cross in 1944. However, he received the
second-highest decoration, the Distinguished Service Cross. His
recognition was long overdue.
In October 1944, Pvt. Barney Hajiro was fighting to rescue the
"Lost Battalion." During this fierce battle, Barney
displayed great courage; it was not the first time.
In awarding Barney the nation's highest award, his commendation
noted:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity
at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Private
Barney F. Hajiro distinguished himself by extraordinary heroism
in action on 19, 22, and 29 October 1944, in the vicinity of Bruyeres
and Biffontaine, Eastern France. Private Hajiro, while acting
as security guard on top of an embankment on 19 October 1944,
in vicinity of Bruyeres, France, rendered assistance to allied
troops attacking a house 200 yards away by exposing himself to
enemy fire and directing fire at an enemy strong point. He assisted
the unit on his right by firing his automatic rifle and killing
or wounding two enemy snipers. On 22 October 1944, he and one
comrade took up an outpost security position about 50 yards to
the right front of their platoon, concealed themselves, and ambushed
an 18-man, heavily armed enemy patrol, killing two, wounding one,
and taking the remainder as prisoners. On 29 October 1944 in a
wooded area in the vicinity of Biffontaine, France, he initiated
an attack up the slope of a hill referred to as "Suicide
Hill," by running forward approximately 100 yards under fire.
He then advanced ahead of his comrades about 10 yards, drawing
fire and spotting camouflaged machine gun nests. He fearlessly
met fire with fire and single-handedly succeeded in destroying
two machine gun nests and killing two enemy snipers. As a result
of Private Hajiro's heroic actions, the attack was successful.
Private Hajiro's extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty are
in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and
reflect great credit upon him, his unit, and the United States
Army.
Barney is a Nisei, a second generation Japanese American, the
second of seven children. He was born in Maui, Hawaii on September
16, 1916. His parents were sugar plantation workers struggling
to make a living.
In school, Barney enjoyed sports, especially the 800 meter run.
In addition to his regular schooling, Barney also attended Japanese
school for which his parents paid tuition. However, he never learned
much Japanese. As soon as he was old enough, Barney went to work
to help his family. He worked in the fields, cutting grass and
after working a 10-hour-day, the $1 he earned would be given to
his parents. Later, Barney took a job as a "park keeper,”
taking care of the baseball field. Hoping to make more money,
he later moved to Honolulu on the island of Oahu where he worked
in a cannery, washed dishes, and ultimately took any kind of job
he could find.
Barney was in Oahu when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941. He witnessed the Japanese aircraft attacking
and the battleship Arizona burning. Barney remembered, "When
the war started, they thought we were the enemy. I didn't like
that." One month later, he was drafted. He was 25 years old.
Initially he was placed in the 1399th Engineers who were responsible
for laying barbed wire and preparing airfields in Hawaii. Later,
he was assigned to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and ordered
to the mainland for training.
With training complete, the 442nd shipped out to Europe in May
1944. Barney and the 442nd arrived in Naples, Italy, and joined
up with the experienced 100th Battalion in Civitavecchia. On June
26, 1944, the untested 442nd found itself in its first battle
near the town of Belvedere. For the next three months the 100th/442nd
would fight in Northern Italy.
Barney was a bit of a maverick and was no stranger to trouble.
In one instance, he helped a Caucasian soldier in a fight with
civilians, and was disciplined for his actions. He was assigned
to I Company. In I Company, he switched weapons to a Browning
Automatic Rifle (BAR). The sergeant of I Company, Sergeant Kubota,
initially didn't want him, but Barney turned around and stopped
making trouble. Later, Barney was to prove his value to I Company.
Barney made many friends in I Company; tragically most would be
killed or wounded.
In September 1944, the 442nd was sent to France. In mid-October,
the 100th/442nd fought in the battles of Bruyeres and Biffontaine,
sustaining heavy casualties. Finally, it was ordered back for
some well-deserved rest. The rest period was brief. The 442nd
was ordered to rescue the 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment
of the 36th "Texas" Division. Pinned down on a hill,
previous attempts to rescue them had failed and the newspapers
began calling the Texans, the "Lost Battalion."
The freezing weather and dense forest of the area made conditions
very difficult. On October 29, 1944, the effort to rescue the
Texas "Lost Battalion" was going badly. Pfc. Hajiro's
platoon was under heavy fire from German machine guns, which had
killed eight and wounded 21 in his unit. He has vivid memories
of that day, and recalled, "My sergeant, Goro Matsumoto said,
'Let's go,’ and when we stood up, the German machine guns
cut him down. The Germans had us all pinned down in no man's land."
Barney had had enough. Suddenly he picked up his BAR and charged.
He wiped out two machine gun nests and killed two snipers before
he was hit by a third machine gun. He was hit three times: one
hit his face, one hit his shoulder, and the last one hit his wrist.
Though wounded, he refused aid until 40 other soldiers were treated
first. In recalling the rescue, Barney remarked, "I was lucky
to survive. That was one bloody battle. And after the battle I
cried -- all my buddies got killed. That was October 29, 1944,
in the afternoon, 2 p.m." Of the 200 men of I Company who
started the rescue attempt, only 10 survived.
The
100th/442nd suffered hundreds of casualties to rescue the 211
surviving members of the Texas Battalion. (During the previous
34 days, fighting had been almost nonstop. During this time, the
100th/442nd total casualties were 216 men dead and more than 856
wounded.)
When Barney finally received his Medal of Honor, he paid tribute
to his friend, Takeyasu "Thomas" Onaga, who died next
to him during that last battle.
"That's my guy. I will never forget when he loaded my [Browning
Automatic Rifle]," Hajiro said. "A few minutes later
he was dead."
Barney Hajiro was a survivor when so many around him died. He
took time to acknowledge his fallen comrades who paid the ultimate
sacrifice for their country.
ACTIVITIES
Framework Standards Context
California Standards
Grade 11
11.7 Students analyze the American participation in World War
II
