For trapped Texan NG, real heroes were Japanese-Americans

Antipodean Andy · Jul 20, 2008

For Texans in 'Lost Battalion,' real heroes were Japanese-American | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Texas Regional News - video at link

After more than 60 years, they remember the cold rain and the ferocity of combat in a fog-shrouded forest straight out of a fairy tale. Most of all, they remember the shared joy of survival.

In October 1944, 270 soldiers of a battalion of the 36th Division of the Texas National Guard were trapped by a much larger German force in the Vosges Mountains of France. Desperately low on food, water and ammunition, the Texans resisted for six days. On the seventh day, help came from an unexpected source.

During World War II, a Texas National Guard unit was surrounded by the German Army in France. They were rescued by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit composed of Japanese-Americans, after six days of fighting.

Members of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, composed of Japanese-Americans, many whose families remained locked up in relocation camps in California, fought a grinding battle inch by inch up the mountains to reach the "Lost Battalion." They did so at a terrible price, suffering as many casualties in the relief effort as they saved.

Today and Saturday, the Texas Military Forces Museum at Camp Mabry in Austin will exhibit newly found artifacts and hear talks by veterans of the battle. It is a reminder, said museum director Jeff Hunt, of how bravery and dedication to duty triumphed over intolerance on a cold, miserable battlefield 64 years ago.

"It is a story of courage, dedication and sacrifice," Mr. Hunt said. "It shows that for soldiers in combat, skin color, religion or ethnicity doesn't matter. Whatever residual animosity some may have held against Japanese-Americans was wiped away by the 442nd's performance on the battlefield."

In late 1944, the 36th Division spearheaded a drive through the forests of the Vosges as part of a planned strike into the German Rhineland. The 1st Battalion, 141st Infantry – the Alamo Battalion – was at the spear's tip.

The battalion's push eastward toward Colmar was supposed to be fast and well-supported. It wasn't. When a much larger German force encircled them Oct. 24, the Texans had food and ammunition for only a few days. The only water they carried was in their canteens.

1st Lt. Martin Higgins took command, ordering his 270 soldiers to dig in and prepare to fight.

"Dad had been an accountant before the war and was an intensely modest man," said his son, Michael Higgins. "He suddenly found himself part of something that is the stuff legends are made of."

Spit and spirit

Erwin Blonder, then a young lieutenant serving as a forward observer, remembers that the Germans began firing tree bursts – artillery shells set to detonate in the treetops that sent steel shrapnel and needle-sharp wood fragments down on the Texans, sounding like so many angry bees.

"We dug in and then we dug some more, covering our holes with tree branches," he said. "At 6 feet, 4 inches, I had to dig a lot longer than most."

Lt. Blonder had the only working radio in the battalion. Its batteries normally lasted two days in combat. He made them last six days as he sent out cryptic messages for help and to coordinate targets for headquarters artillery.

"It was a matter of prayer and an old Boy Scout trick," said Mr. Blonder, 87, of Palm Beach Garden, Fla. "I remembered that if you spit on the batteries, you could get a little more electrical charge."

Each day, the Lost Battalion underwent probing infantry attacks and more artillery shelling. Lt. Blonder's messages were brief: Send food. Send ammo. Send help.

"We had no idea what would happen," he said. "We were told help was coming. So we kept waiting."

The Army attempted to send them food and supplies packed into dummy artillery shells and fired into their position. Those that made it into their lines contained chocolate bars.

The 405th Fighter Squadron got the mission of attempting supplies by air. 1st Lt. Eziel "Arch" Archilla and other P-47 Thunderbolt pilots would have to fly through bad weather and drop spare fuel tanks filled with food, ammo and medicine to the beleaguered Texans.

"The weather was foul. We had to find them through the fog and trees, then dive-bomb the supplies at low altitude under intense German fire," said Mr. Archilla, 84, of Dallas.

"We were thrilled to be the squadron to do the job," he said. "We were all in our 20s and didn't think much about the danger. That kept us going."

Two attempts to reach the besieged Texans failed. The 36th Division commander then ordered the 442nd Regimental Combat Team to try.

'The heroes of this story'

The Japanese-American unit had already experienced a hard war. Some were kicked out of the Army after Pearl Harbor as security risks. Many others were moved with their families to U.S. relocation camps.

When the Army accepted volunteers for a 4,000-member regiment, about 1,500 volunteered from the camps. The 442nd fought in some of the hardest combat during the invasion of Italy and had just come off months of combat when ordered to rescue the Texans.

On Oct. 25, 1944, the 442nd set off in a cold rain, encountering fierce German resistance all the way. German artillery rained down constantly, and the 442nd suffered heavy casualties.

Kenneth Inada, 85, remembers as a young sergeant the intensity of the combat.

"We fought from tree to tree. It was really hell. Afterwards, you'd just shake, wondering when it would end," he said. "But in war, you take care of the guy next to you. We couldn't leave the Texans behind."

On Oct. 30, the exhausted 442nd broke through to the Lost Battalion. Pvt. Matsuji Sakumoto approached the stunned Texans and asked, "Do you guys need any cigarettes?" The Japanese-Americans were suddenly swamped by dirty, bearded GIs who hugged them and shook their hands.

Lt. Blonder sent one last message to headquarters: "Patrol from 442 here. Tell them we love them!"

"I can't describe the feeling," Mr. Blonder said. "We owed them our lives. As bad as we had it, we didn't suffer like those guys. They're the heroes of this story."

'The price we paid'

Terry Shima, 85, a veteran of the 442nd and executive director of the JapaneseAmerican Veterans Association, recalled the prejudice and distrust the unit encountered.

"You'd think we'd be bitter," Mr. Shima said. "But we did it because we were soldiers and because we wanted to prove loyalty to a government that had disowned us."

In the five days of the rescue effort, the 442nd had 54 soldiers killed and 156 wounded. One company was reduced to 17 men, while another had only eight still standing. "That was the price we paid," Mr. Shima said.

The 36th had three killed and 66 wounded.

For the 442nd, there was a reward, too. The rescue helped change attitudes about Japanese-Americans.

"That one battle showed that Japanese-Americans were simply American soldiers, beyond bigotry and suspicion," Mr. Shima said. "It helped level the playing field for future generations."

After the war, 442nd veterans asked Martin Higgins to help obtain citizenship for their parents who had been detained. He did, lobbying Congress successfully.

"Dad never forgot the men who helped save his life and the men of his command," Michael Higgins said. "All his life, he cherished them."

When Martin Higgins died last year at age 91, he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full honors. The floral tribute at his grave was bright crimson Hawaiian anthuriums from the 442nd veterans.
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