- Tanaka. - Ho!
- Fugimoto. - Yo!
- Iuanaga. - Here.
- Mosashi. - Here.
- Okamoto. - Here.
Kanakas. The ones from Hawaii.
You know what they call us mainlanders?
Kotonks.
The way they tell it, if you rap on our heads,
it's like hitting a coconut.
Hollow heads, you know.
Kotonk, kotonk, kotonk.
Look where you're going, will ya?
Ninety-day wonder.
Still got the original shine on those bars.
Lieutenant Grayson to see the adjutant.
He's not in, sir.
The colonel said he'd see you himself.
Thank you.
You can go right in, sir.
Thank you.
Lieutenant Grayson reports for duty, sir.
At ease, lieutenant. Welcome to Camp Shelby.
Thank you, sir.
This your first assignment since receiving your commission?
Yes, sir.
Well, lieutenant, it's a rough one.
The platoon you're taking over is just ready to start training,
and, as you may have noticed,
our facilities are not all that they might be.
We're short of officers, short of equipment,
short of everything except trainees,
and they're coming in by the carload.
This is a brand-new outfit. A new kind of outfit.
No precedent for it except one battalion
that was activated in Hawaii
and they haven't been tested yet.
What do you think of the idea, lieutenant?
Well, sir, I'd like to make a request.
What is it?
I'd like your permission, sir, to put in for a transfer
to the 36th Division.
You see, sir, I'm from Texas--
What has that got to do with it?
Nothing, sir, except that the 36th
is an old Texas National Guard outfit,
and I've been in it ever since I got in the Army.
That is, until they sent me to OCS.
I never would have gone if I'd thought--
Sir, I just took it for granted that I'd go back to the 36th.
You're sure that's the only reason you have
for wanting a transfer?
Yes, sir.
No objection to working with the kind of troops
we have here?
Because they're Japs?
Oh, no, sir. Nothing like that at all.
Now, let's get a couple of things straight, lieutenant.
First, there's not gonna be any transfer.
You're staying here. Have you got that?
Yes, sir.
Second, they're not Japs. They're Japanese Americans.
Nisei or, as they call themselves, buddhaheads.
All kinds of buddhaheads, lieutenant.
From Hawaii, Alaska, California, New York, Colorado.
Yes, and even some from Texas.
They're all American citizens, and they're all volunteers.
Remember that.
And another thing.
We officers are referred to as haoles not white men.
Any questions?
No, sir.
Report to your company commander.
The sergeant major will show you to his orderly room.
That'll be all, lieutenant.
Sorry to keep you waiting, lieutenant.
Oh, Captain Solari.
That's right.
That's our regimental slogan.
"Go for broke"?
It's Pidgin English for shoot the works.
Pull up a chair, lieutenant.
Thanks.
I'll be with you in a minute.
Tell me, sir, do you use live ammunition
in the rifle range?
A Jap's a Jap, eh?
All I know is they were put under armed guard
in relocation centers last year.
Maybe the Army just had some surplus barbed wire
they wanted to use up, was that it?
The Army was facing an emergency at the start of the war.
A possible invasion by Japanese troops.
So all Japanese Americans
were evacuated from the West Coast.
There was no loyalty check, no screening, nothing.
If there were any spies among them,
I can assure you they're not in the 442.
Every man in this outfit has been investigated,
reinvestigated and re-reinvestigated.
Now, I suggest you start getting acquainted.
Your platoon sergeant's over in the supply room.
Ohhara.
O'Hara!
That's right. Takashi Ohhara.
Hey, wait a minute.
Come back here.
How long you been in the Army, soldier?
Let me see now.
Maybe I-- I been inside, uh, two, three months.
How long you been inside, lieutenant?
Don't you know you're supposed to hold your salute
till an officer returns it?
Oh, sure. Sometime forget.
"Sometime forget" to say sir, too, don't ya?
Sometime.
Well, don't forget it anymore.
No, sir.
That's your own uniform?
Sir, that's the smallest size he got, the supply sergeant.
Sir.
Well, roll those sleeves down.
I hold salute, sir.
Why are you wearing leggings with a class A uniform?
To keep my pants up, sir.
Long like that.
Well, get 'em cut down.
Oh, yes, sir.
Payday I'll go see the tailor, sir.
You'd better see somebody today before I see you again.
All right, men.
All I wanna see is backbones and elbows.
Come on.
- And he made it. - Little Phoebe.
Pretty little Phoebe.
Watch that stuff, huh?
Get your money down, suckers.
It all rides. Go for broke.
Gee, break 'em up. Break 'em up.
New lieutenant outside.
Must be the one for us.
Oh, boy.
Eight feet tall and mean like anything.
Number-one manini kind. Chicken.
Well, the honeymoon's over.
Mix me up. All Nisei outfit.
How come haole officers?
That's just to make us a little more miserable.
First, they pick out the crummiest camp
in the United States.
Why'd you ever enlist? That's what I wanna know.
Why? Because a wise guy college man like you
snowed me under with a lot of fancy talk.
You guys from relocation centers.
Okay, you probably got it better here.
But me, I was on the outside. Iowa.
A free man. Knocking off 500 bucks a month.
Five hundred buck? No.
Five hundred buck, yeah.
Chick sexing.
I can look at a day-old chick
and tell you if it's a he or a she.
Ha, ha. Now, who'd want to know that except another chick?
You pay for the poultry feed and you'd wanna know.
A he ain't no good at all when it grows up.
Only the shes.
How come chicken farmers no can find out themselves?
Too bashful?
You funny man.
Chick sexing is a science.
It was developed in Japan, and it's one field
where buddhahead gets a break.
Mean to say ya never heard of it?
I just got as far as the birds and the bees.
These college guys are sharp, you know that?
Four years at USC and he's a bona fide,
recognized fruit peddler.
Yes, sir.
A fruit peddler with an architect's degree.
I could have got a job as an architect if I kept trying.
Well, why didn't you?
It's just my eyes.
Couldn't handle all that close work.
Yeah, eye trouble, that's what it was.
All you need is corrective glasses
to take the slant out of your eyes.
Hey, kotonk. Take it easy, huh?
Huh, Chick?
Come on, get it down. Buck and a half.
One more, one more.
Boy, oh, boy.
You one lucky kotonk.
Wish I got packages like that.
You and me both.
You send package?
Yeah. Hand me those cans, will you?
Where you gonna send?
Brother in the Army in Pacific?
Uh-uh.
Family in a relocation camp in Arizona.
Arizona, U.S.A.
You think that chow here is bad... Brother.
You can even get soap? Oh, sure.
They've got a canteen loaded with stuff.
Anything you want,
if you can get there before they're sold out.
Yes, sir, all the comforts of home.
And only one block from the barracks
to the toilets and showers.
Barracks?
Everybody all thrown together?
Got partitions.
Separate room for each family.
My folks are lucky.
Only five of them since I left.
Treat you like that,
hard to figure why a guy volunteer for the Army.
We have to do something,
so we never get a deal like that again.
We show 'em.
We show 'em us buddhaheads good soldiers, good Americans.
That's the idea. I hope it works.
Sure it works.
Already a lot of stuff in newspapers about the 442.
Yeah, all we need now is casualty lists.
Gee, that's a pretty girl.
What her name?
Terry. Terry.
Nice name.
Your wife?
Not yet.
Why you wait?
This is a great time to be starting a family, isn't it?
You kotonks, funny guys.
Boy, if I had a girl like that,
they gotta draft me. No volunteer.
No, sir, draft me and drag me away.
- Once more, once more. - Go for broke!
Once more, that's all I ask.
That's all!
Seven! Let me see those dice.
Attention!
At ease.
Men, this is Lieutenant Grayson, our platoon leader.
Pick up that money.
Pick it up.
Yes, sir.
Donation for the company fund, sergeant.
Give it to Sergeant Ohhara.
Can he do that?
It's my money.
I want that man's name, sergeant.
There's no talking after the command at ease.
Yes, sir. This man, no dog tags,
needs haircut, window unwashed, uniforms hanging wrong way.
Haircut, shave, bunk out of line, dog tags,
window, beer can on shelf,
dirty floor, dirty boots,
haircut, window,
bowl of milk on floor.
Bowl stolen from mess hall.
Brought cat into barracks.
Floor, boots, dog tag, haircut.
Dust on rafters, window, haircut, dog tags, boots,
bunk out of line, litter on floor, boots.
Forget the book, sergeant.
They're all on the list.
You men will fall out for a speed hike
at 8:00 tonight.
Before that I want this hutment GI'd.
Get them started on it right away, sergeant.
Floors scrubbed, rafters dusted, windows washed,
boots shined, bunks made.
I want those blankets stretched so tight
that when you drop a quarter on them it'll bounce.
I'll be back twice a day from now on
with a pair of white gloves and a quarter.
You're a chicken expert.
What do you make of him?
¶ I wanna go back To my little grass shack ¶
¶ Back in Kealakekua Hawaii ¶
¶ I wanna be with all The kanes and wahines ¶
¶ That I knew long ago ¶
¶ I can hear The old guitars playing ¶
Bakatare!
What did he say?
I didn't hear anything, sir.
Bakatare. What does that mean?
Sorry, sir. I don't speak Japanese.
Boots, dog tag, window,
dust on rafters, floor, boots.
Boots, floor, boots.
Blankets not tight enough.
Shirt unbuttoned, boots, window, floor.
All right.
Up and over.
Go back and try it again.
I'm gonna wait right here till everybody makes it.
Hey, you guys, beat it, quick.
In combat, anything goes.
That's why we teach you dirty tactics.
I will now demonstrate a grip against which
there is absolutely no defense.
The sergeant will now try to get free.
Well, sergeant?
You want me to try, sir?
Of course I want you to try.
Very well, sir.
Eyes right!
Eyes front!
Eyes right!
Eyes front!
Eyes right!
Eyes front!
Eyes right!
Eyes front!
Eyes right!
That was the kiss of death, brother,
the kiss of death.
Yeah, the big brass figures were ripe.
I can smell that salt air already.
Take another sniff, will ya, and see if it's the Pacific.
Yeah, that's what I'm sweating out.
You and me both.
Nobody wanna go Pacific but me.
Well, I keep trying.
Every time they ask for volunteers--
Tommy, you have to speak perfect Japanese.
It's for combat intelligence, interpreters.
They don't want buddhahead riflemen in the Pacific.
Why?
Look, Tommy, a million guys fighting an enemy
that looks like us.
What if a GI sniper spots you or me?
He see uniform.
Yeah, and probably figure we're spies.
Sam, I tell you something.
I don't like talk about it, but I'm gonna tell you.
Pearl Harbor day the planes they come.
You can only read it.
I can see it.
Pretty soon, I go volunteer for the 100th Battalion.
Too young.
By the 442 come up, I volunteer again.
Too small.
Next time, I stand on my toes a little bit.
Okay, I'm in.
They send us Europe.
Sure, I go and fight.
More better do I fight the ones who bomb the islands.
It's the same enemy, Tommy.
Maybe for you.
Pearl Harbor day, two people visit friends near Honolulu.
They both been killed.
My mother, Sam. My father.
Mail call.
Guchizaki. Here.
Hey, this is from my brother in the 100th Battalion.
Nawaguchi.
Mail call, Tommy.
You go.
No mail for Tommy.
Come on, close it up, close it up.
Here's the list, lieutenant.
Thanks, captain.
Nagashook-- Shooki.
William J.
- Nishigoka. - Leonard S.
Uchigakiuchi.
Harry. Ikagani.
Joseph T.
- Kamakura. - Sam W.
Toyotomi.
Tomatsu.
Guchizaki.
Satoshi.
Shimabukarotenshugi.
Shima--
Shimabukarotenshugi.
Shima-- SOLDIER 4: George W.
Thanks.
- Fugimoto. - Thomas H.
Any scuttlebutt on where this scow is taking us?
I was just gonna ask you, lieutenant.
¶ Aloha ¶
¶ I'm sending my thoughts Back home to you ¶
Hey, Sam, how you know so sure we're going to England?
Because that's where the line forms
for the invasion of France.
And it's coming off any day now.
That's us. Shock troops.
Just in time.
They used up the 100th Battalion at Cassino.
But anyway, it won't be the Pacific.
How do you know?
You ever hear of the Panama Canal?
Hey, Sam, what you think? Maybe so, huh?
Well, if it's the Pacific, we've been sailing three days
in the wrong direction.
The navigator don't know.
Nobody knows.
Drives you nuts.
Oh, I'll get it. Thank you, lieutenant.
For 20 years the Italian people have been fed on bunk.
Their propagandists declared that all of our people
look upon Italians with contempt,
regarding them as a race
of hand organ men and banana peddlers.
We know that such statements are lies.
Racial prejudice is abhorrent
to our American concept of democracy.
Naples with its old world history, majestic Vesuvius,
the Castle of St. Elmo, the famous churches,
the magnificent harbor,
second to none in all the world.
These and many other historic sights are of interest
to the soldier.
Take advantage of this opportunity.
See as much as you can.
You've got a great chance to do now,
major expenses paid,
what would cost you a lot of your own money
after the war.
You'll want to poke around in quaint,
out-of-the way places
and the only way to do that is to walk.
Be sure to allow plenty of time in Naples
so you can take it all in at a nice leisurely pace.
Start your promenade at the harbor.
The Italian practice is to have a siesta hour
sometime between 1 and 4:00 in the afternoon.
If this custom remains in vogue during occupational period,
you'll save time and patience
by confining your shopping to other hours.
Mama, Mama.
Come on, come on. Don't hog it all.
Let's go.
Off your seat and on your feet.
Continuing our tour of picturesque Italy,
we come to the Via Casilina, which leads directly to Rome.
The districts around Rome
are full of places of historical interest,
and transportation is excellent.
Take a break.
Take 10.
Everybody rides but the buddhaheads.
That's the 100th Battalion.
Masami.
Hey, Masami.
Hi, you paisan.
My brother. Him okay?
Not even a scratch. He's a few trucks back.
Hey, haven't got an extra top string, have you?
I don't think so. Where you going?
Same place as you, paisan.
Haven't you heard?
We been attached to the 442.
One big, happy family.
No kidding.
Ride on, boy. Here. Top string.
Bakatare!
What was that?
I said very sorry.
Sorry, sir.
Within easy reach of Rome,
are the medieval towns of Tuscany,
sleepy little villages,
scarcely touched by the march of civilization.
Take 10.
Hello, Joe.
Oh, buon giorno, signorina.
...Americana...
No capisce.
Ooh. No capisce Italiana?
No, but I'd like to learn.
The door open?
The door. The door.
It's open, lieutenant.
Grazie, signorina.
The lady is gonna mend this for me.
Call me when the word comes down to move out.
Yes, sir.
¶ The eyes of Texas Are upon you ¶
¶ All the livelong day-- ¶
You know, I got a hunch we're coming into a bottle of vino.
Maybe.
Yeah, I just got a feeling the lieutenant's
gonna take care of us.
Grazie.
Break's over.
Let's go.
All right. On your feet.
Lieutenant Grayson.
I forgot to tell him we're moving out.
Holy mackerel.
What'll I do?
Close it up.
Si, signorina.
Per-- Per favore?
Bravo.
Grazie, signorina.
Salute.
Come again, per favore.
Amico. Friend.
No, I don't know him.
Your friend, huh?
Sì, Smith.
John Smith.
Capitano, John Smith.
Glad to meet ya, sir.
John Smith.
Don't tell me where you got that good-conduct ribbon.
Let me guess.
How about some more vino, huh?
Darling.
That's my old outfit.
Where did you get this?
Who gave it to you? John Smith.
John Smith, huh?
Is he still around here?
When did you see him last?
Oh, cosa dice.
I gotta find somebody who can talk English.
I'll be right back.
Joe.
Grayson.
Your platoon's dug in over there.
Come here a minute, will ya?
I've got a message for ya from the colonel.
He was up here inspecting our positions.
The colonel?
That's right.
He said to tell you he was particularly pleased
with the way your platoon was deployed.
Thanks for covering up.
And now I'm supposed to say "you're welcome"
and that's that until the next time, eh?
There won't be any next time.
Don't worry about that.
I'll tell ya when to leave.
You're such a stickler on military courtesy for your men.
From now on, you and I are going by the book, understand?
Yes, sir.
I don't mind telling you, Grayson, if there was any chance
of getting a replacement for you,
I'd have had you court-martialed for this.
Ever since you joined the outfit,
you've been the one man in this company who's been out of step.
You'd better pick it up, lieutenant, and pick it up fast,
or you're gonna find yourself volunteering
for every dirty detail that comes up. Is that clear?
Yes, sir.
That'll be all.
¶ It wasn't the moon above ¶
Did you do a good job, lieutenant?
¶ That made me fall in love ¶
¶ It was just those eyes ¶
¶ Those beautiful eyes ¶
Where's Kamakura? Sam?
Out looking for water, lieutenant.
How do you like that?
Dying of thirst in the middle of a river.
I wanna see him the minute he gets back.
Yes, sir.
Hiya, paisan.
Masami.
Eddie.
Vino. Fresh off the vine.
Salute.
Good, eh, paisan?
Free sample. Thanks.
Eddie. Eddie!
You stay here, Tommy.
Watch us. Come on.
Keep close to the wall.
Stay here. One at a time.
Anybody home?
Keep me covered.
You okay, Masami?
Just a scratch.
Jerry intelligence officer.
They're great at disguises.
Hiya, paisan.
Shells would be coming in a lot closer
if those Jerries were still in that observation post.
One of them was an officer you say?
Oh, yes, colonel, sir.
Well, you certainly earned that.
Take this over to S2, sergeant.
Yes, sir.
Too bad about that 100th Battalion man.
What'd they say at the aid station
about the other one who was wounded?
Million-dollar wound, sir.
They're sending him back to Rome.
Good. Well, anytime you're in the neighborhood, drop in.
Thank you, sir. I mean that.
I wanna keep in close touch with you men on the line.
They been treatin' you all right?
Yes, sir.
You're sure now, no complaints?
No, sir.
Well, good luck to you.
Sir, could I have a word with you?
Well, of course.
At ease, lieutenant.
You remember, sir,
that I told you I came from the 36th Division?
I remember it very well.
Well, sir, I just happened to hear that the 36th
is somewhere in this area.
Was, lieutenant, they're way up ahead of us now.
Oh. Oh, well, in that case, sir--
Still like to get back in the Texas Army, eh?
Oh, no, sir, I was just, uh,
hoping I'd get a chance to visit them.
Well, I'll do better than that.
If we ever meet up with the 36th,
I'll try and work out a transfer.
Oh, thank you very much, sir.
Not at all. It'll be a pleasure.
That'll be all, lieutenant.
It's all right, paisan.
Maybe he know we scared too, huh?
Gives a man a nice feeling
knowing you can always go to the old man
if you're not gettin' a fair shake, huh, lieutenant?
Sir, I feel bad about forgettin' to call you
when we moved out of that town this afternoon.
Look, you see the way it happened--
Forget it. Forget it.
I can't. It was all my fault.
And they might have had you up for desertion.
But, it'll never get out.
The men'll keep it quiet.
I'll see to that, sir.
Thanks, thanks.
Squad leaders, up front.
Are you from the 100th Battalion?
Yeah.
What happens when a man gets hit?
Sometimes they yell.
Sometimes they don't.
Squad leaders don't last long.
I mean the medics. How do they get to you?
Medics! Medics!
Get on the other side of the road.
Hit it.
Let's go, boy.
Squad leaders, up front.
What are you waiting for, sergeant?
I forgot.
Bakatare!
Hey, you'd better move, Sam.
Maybe he gonna shake.
Have a good time, Frank.
How can I miss? Rome...
The greatest architecture in the world.
Twenty-four-hour passes.
Big-hearted, ain't they?
I'm gonna see a lot of things in the next 24 hours
I've dreamed about all my life.
The Forum, Saint Peter's, the Pantheon...
Any other outfit, I bet they get three-day passes.
Yeah, and not just one man at a time, either.
Ah, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick.
Relax.
That reminds me, Tommy,
I hear we having chicken for dinner.
No joke?
Yeah, I was talking to one of the cooks.
Fried chicken. Good, boy.
That's what I like best.
Not me.
You know what I like best?
Barbecued pork, yes, sir.
There's nothing like barbecued pork.
Especially the way I make it.
Mail call.
Jingu.
Hitrai.
Gutsizaki.
Mishima. Here! Here!
Kawaquichi.
Signore, signorina, l'amore, l'amore.
You like-a vino, Joe?
Ah, no, he no for sale.
Tre litre.
Three bottles, Joe.
Not for nothin'.
Quattro, cinque,
sei, sette, otto, Joe.
Waste time. Come on, paisan.
Fame.
Hungry. Hungry.
Okay, plenty meat on her.
No eat. No eat.
Oh, no, no.
Signore, signorina.
Papa. Mama. Bambino.
Uno, due, tre, quattro.
Ohh.
Paisan, him kind of young for papa, no?
Sì, sì, sì.
We wait. Tre mesi.
Three months.
Arrivederci.
Nine bottles, ten.
No!
No, Papa.
Hey, Tommy.
Look what I got.
Lookie.
Here, help yourself.
Paisan too.
He no like cookies.
Maybe bambinos, eh?
Sure, go ahead.
Who that from, Sam?
Your mother?
Terry. Hey, remember that town we took?
Suvereto? It was on a news broadcast, coast to coast,
and they mentioned the 442.
No kidding? I'm tellin' you.
And there've been newspaper stories, lots of 'em.
The 100th is getting the Presidential Citation
from General Mark Clark, Sassetta, Hill 140.
Hey. Let me see that.
How you like that?
They gonna let your kid brother leave relocation camp
and work on a farm.
Next month he gonna pick sugar beets in Idaho.
Well, what do ya know.
He's been trying to swing that deal for months.
Good boy.
All okay, nobody sick.
Oh, oh, excuse, Sam.
That's okay.
I'll read the rest to you.
"Honestly, Sam, you'd hardly recognize the old homestead.
"Maybe it looks the same, the barracks, the barbed wire,
"the MPs, but it isn't the same anymore.
"Nothing's the same.
"Because everybody knows what the 442 is doing.
"And what means most to me is the change
in the kids in my class."
She teaches in camp school.
I know, I know. First grade.
"They were such sad little people, never laughed,
"never made a sound.
"Today, I'm happy to say,
I have as noisy a classroom as you'll find in America."
More better now, eh, kotonk?
Looks that way, Kanaka.
Plenty better now.
"I miss you so very much, my darling.
I can't find words to tell you how dear you are to me. How..."
Arrivederci!
How was it? How was Rome?
I'll see you tomorrow.
I gotta go to the C.P. and pick up my pass.
End of the line. Everybody out.
So long, Bob, see ya later.
Take it easy now.
Just wanted to let you know we're back, sir.
Oh, good.
You're just in time.
Oh, thanks.
Sergeant, have the driver report to the motor pool, will ya?
Yes, sir. He's got a full tank, sir.
All set to go with the next batch.
I was all set to go too.
Change of orders. We're going back on the line.
That's kind of rough.
Somebody was telling me your folks came from Rome.
A little town near there.
Oh, well, I'll get to see it someday.
Sure you will.
Hey, we met up with some of your folks while you were gone.
Your old outfit. The 36th!
They passed us on their way back.
The Texas wonders had all they could take
so they called in the 442.
Where'd they go?
The word is they're being moved
to another theatre of operations.
Is that straight?
Looks like you're stuck with us for the rest of the war.
Guy gets in to fight the Japs and winds up fightin' with 'em.
It's hot one when you come to think of it.
Oh, I don't know.
A lot of us have parents who were born in enemy countries.
Italian Americans, German Americans--
That's different, sir, and you know it.
Why?
Well, it's just--
The shape of their eyes?
Or is it the color of their skin?
Tell the truth, sir,
wouldn't you rather be with some other outfit?
If I knew of a better outfit, but I don't.
Will that be all, sir?
You don't have to be so formal.
It was your idea to go by the book.
That was a long time ago.
I'll see ya later.
How was it, lieutenant?
Great.
I hope the supply sergeant takes good care of your pig.
Yep. I sure hope he feeds him good
so he'll be nice and fat when we get back off the line.
Hey, Frank, look. Look at that.
Must be an old Roman villa.
Yeah, you can tell it's Roman by those columns.
Rubble from another war, huh?
It's hard to believe.
Over 2000 years old.
The battles that must have been fought around here.
Napoleon, Charlemagne, Caesar, Alexander the Great,
all the way back to biblical times.
More better we fight like biblical times.
I read in the Bible.
Your army pick number one man, enemy pick number one man,
and by big fight, two men, one killed, war over.
I nominate Lieutenant Grayson for our side.
No. I wouldn't know who to root for.
It's some kind of headquarters all right,
and it looks like they're gettin' ready to pull out.
Yeah, with all their maps and records.
And one machine gun's holding us back.
A little more to the right.
Thirty yards.
Got any more? Be right back.
Thirty yards to the right. Can you hear me?
Yeah, officer.
Come on. Let's take a walk.
Hey, you over there.
Not you.
You take over, Ohhara.
Keep firing that mortar.
Keep it going.
Where's that mortar?
I don't think these columns'll be here for the next war.
How about that mortar?
Right away.
I gotta move it.
Hurry up with that mortar.
Okay. Okay.
They moved the gun.
Right. Fifty yards right.
Short. Short.
Give it another 50 yards.
Now over to the left, just a little.
That's it! Pour it on!
- Hold it! Hold it! Cease-fire!
Let's go!
What kind of troops are these? Chinese?
Japanese.
Didn't Hitler tell ya?
Japan surrendered and they're fighting on our side now.
Well, it beats walking.
Maybe walking through Italy wasn't so bad.
Didn't you get the latest latrinogram?
We're shipping out.
Shipping out?
And so we take leave of sunny Italy
and sail the seven seas to--
To where?
My guess is the Pacific.
You really think so, lieutenant?
Yeah, but don't worry about it.
I haven't guessed right once since I've been in the Army.
Watch that stuff.
Sorry.
Tommy.
Oh, hello, lieutenant.
I told you to go easy on that leg.
Plenty okay now, lieutenant.
Well, what did you leave the hospital for?
I've been still, lieutenant. Three weeks. Long time, sir.
Don't you realize officially you're AWOL?
I don't know whether to put you in for a Silver Star
or have you court-martialed.
Gotta leave hospital, sir.
Big rumor, 442 going Pacific.
Me plenty sad sack get left behind, huh?
Sir, maybe we still gonna fight Japan.
You think so, maybe?
No, Tommy.
It's definitely France.
Bad cough. I catch him in a hospital.
More better now. Sea air good.
Well, goodbye, lieutenant.
Goodbye, Tommy.
You are about to play a personal part
in pushing the Germans out of France.
Just west of the Riviera district in southern France
lies the port of Marseilles.
You will be fortunate indeed
if you are stationed in this fascinating city.
However, the chances are you will be located
in the provinces.
Rooms with private bath are still de luxe
in provincial towns, and you won't always have steam heat,
but there are many compensations.
For instance, your breakfast will be brought to your bedroom
without extra charge.
First class on French trains
ranks with our extra-fare trains,
second ranks with our parlor car
and third class is like our ordinary-day coach.
If French coaches are less comfortable than ours,
remember that they are also less expensive.
It all evens up.
Who's got the time?
Two-twenty, sir.
Thanks.
Who do you think that I oughta see about it, sir?
S1 personnel.
They assign the new replacements,
but they're not gonna put two brothers in the same platoon.
My kid brother's got a way with him, sir,
and he's just liable to talk them into it.
Bad enough being in the same regiment,
but the same platoon...
Yeah, I'd hate for my folks to get two telegrams
from the War Department on the same day.
Where are you going?
Think I'll ride with my platoon, sir.
You're overdoing the "sir" business, lieutenant.
I keep forgetting.
And here I've been an officer for two hours and 20 minutes.
How are you doing, Grayson?
Hey, Sam, you think Terry okay?
Sure. It was just a little cold.
I feel more better when the mail catch up.
Long time he no get mail.
I wonder how my brother's making out.
Me too.
I guess he work on the sugar-beet farm
already two, three weeks.
Hey, Ohhara, we want the mail.
Write your congressman.
Ten-hut.
As you were. Carry on, men.
How do you like that?
Do they give a commission to one of us buddhaheads?
No, they give it to the mick.
Ohhara, the fighting Irishman.
Faith, and you can say that again.
Now, get along with your blarney.
I've got something to tell you.
At ease. At ease.
Let's be having a little military courtesy.
Yes, sir.
I, uh, haven't been assigned yet,
but it looks like I'll be taking over another platoon.
I probably won't be seeing much of you guys.
I just wanted to say, well, so long.
He gonna make good platoon leader.
Yeah, while he lasts.
He's welcome to them bars.
Sam, look at those buildings. Seventeenth century.
I'm looking at that bakery.
Go ahead, Tommy.
I'll keep an eye on the pig.
Stick close to the train, you guys.
I'm tired of rounding up stragglers.
Bakatare.
What'd he say?
Oh, that's Japanese for-- For "thank you."
They're very polite.
¶ The eyes of Texas ¶
¶ Are upon you ¶
¶ All the livelong day ¶
¶ The eyes of Texas Are upon you ¶
¶ You cannot get away ¶
¶ Do not think you can Escape them ¶
¶ I tried so early in the morn ¶
¶ The eyes of Texas Are upon you-- ¶
Pardon me. Pardon me. Pardon me!
Hello, baby.
When did you learn that song?
When? That's right.
When did you learn it? Learn what?
The-- The song. Song.
¶ The eyes of Texas Are upon you-- ¶
¶ All the livelong day ¶
No, no, no.
When you learn song?
Ah, last week.
Soldiers.
Thirty-sixth Division?
I think so.
Big T.
Are they still here?
No. Parti. Yesterday.
Au revoir.
Well, well. The ambassador from Texas.
Good afternoon, sir.
You know, lieutenant, I had you down as a determined man,
but I didn't think you had enough drag
to get the whole darned outfit transferred to the 36th.
Transferred?
That's right, lieutenant.
We've been attached to the 36th Division.
I guess that makes us honorary Texans.
Well, fan my brow.
Keep an eye out for cattle-rustlers, partner.
Well, what do you know about that?
I thought you'd be pleased, lieutenant.
This is the man we've been looking for, major.
One of the new combat commissions to replace him.
Well, there's one in his platoon, sir. Ohhara.
Good. He can take over.
Take over my platoon, sir?
We've had a request for a liaison officer
to work out of 36th headquarters.
Someone who can get along with them
and knows the 442 thoroughly.
But, sir, I've always been on the line.
Do you think I have the qualifications
for a headquarter's job? I think you'll make good.
When a man wants anything as badly as you've wanted this.
But sir, I don't want this.
Remember, I told you I just wanted to visit them.
I've got a lot of friends in the 36th.
None of them at headquarters, I take it.
I couldn't arrange to have you sent back to your platoon.
Colonel Pence--
Your orders will be issued immediately.
All aboard! Texas special!
Dallas, Forth Worth, Galveston, Houston and all points south.
Yeah, man!
Ya-hoo!
Arrivederci.
- Oh, no, old boy. - So long.
So long, Mademoiselle.
Don't forget to write.
How do you like that Texas artillery, strangers?
Stranger? Man, I'm from Texas myself.
Well, pull up a chair and have a mint julep.
That's mighty neighborly, friend,
but we're heading back towards town.
Another posse's gonna spell us for a bit.
Tommy's sure anxious to get back to that town
where he left Paisan. Ain't love wonderful?
Howdy, stranger.
Aloha.
There's only one thing I don't like about these buddhaheads.
They don't dig 'em long enough.
Hello, my friend.
He's here, the little Paisan.
He's here.
Paisan. Hello, Paisan.
You looking good, boy.
You're looking wonderful, Paisan.
Come on, Paisan. You're beautiful, Paisan.
Nice pig. He miss you much.
I miss him too.
Oh, thanks for taking care of him.
Thanks a lot.
Thank you. Y-you are very kind.
What's the matter? You don't smoke?
Yes, I smoke.
I was hoping maybe something to eat for the children.
Chocolate, crackers, anything.
They have so little, so little to eat.
I don't have anything to eat.
Trade the cigarettes. Two packs.
You can get a couple of chickens for that.
Not here.
No chickens left. Nothing.
All right.
I'll come back later.
I hate to ask.
It won't be much.
All we get is K rations.
It will be a feast for them.
I wish I could get something better.
Well, uh, see you later.
Goodbye, my friend.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
How wonderful for the children.
Kanakas.
The ones from Hawaii.
Let's stop a minute, huh?
I won't be long.
Throw those bums out.
Yeah! Go on, get up there.
No, they're doing fine.
Come on. Hula-hula, Kaz.
Kaz.
Hey.
Whoa!
Would you like some wine? Ah, merci. Merci.
These men, the little ones, they are really Japanese?
Hey, shorty, she wants to know if you're Japanese.
I guess we can let her in on it, huh?
They're our new secret weapon.
Twilight fighters.
Twilight fighters?
Yeah. The Army gives them shots to make them turn yellow, see.
They send them out in the evening,
just as the sun's going down.
The enemy can't see 'em in that light. Get the idea?
That guy's been looking for trouble all night.
If he makes one more crack, I'll--
Tommy! How are you? Lieutenant Grayson!
How's the leg? Fit like a fiddle.
- Hiya, fellas. - Howdy, Grayson.
Who's your friend, the one with all the stripes?
They don't care who they make platoon sergeant anymore.
How about having a refill? Thanks, Frank.
I wanna say hello to my old platoon sergeant.
I trained under him. Be right back.
Culley!
Grayson! How are you?
Lieutenant Grayson. Yeah, how about that?
How about a drink? Great. Great.
Come on, there's room down here.
That guy would be a buddy of Grayson's.
Five to one he don't come back for that drink.
Get it up.
They tell me you really got it made.
What is this liaison racket?
Oh, it varies, from a soft snap to an extra soft snap.
Thank you.
Tomorrow I'm moving out with you.
How do you like that? Back with the old platoon.
You mean, I gotta take orders from you?
No. I don't mess around with you dogfaces.
I'll be with the artillery observer.
You're getting your artillery from the 442,
and he's never worked with them before.
They're sending us up without our own artillery?
Just the Japs?
They're a good outfit, Culley. Plenty good.
Practically winning the war single-handed from what I hear.
Japs.
Let's get outta here, huh?
Yeah, I could use a little fresh air.
You win, Chick.
Japs in a Texas division. Man, oh, man.
Come here a minute.
Culley, they're not Japs.
Huh?
They're Japanese Americans.
Nisei, or, if you prefer, buddhaheads.
But not Japs.
They don't like it and neither do I.
What are you, a Jap-lover or something?
I said they're not Japs.
I'm warning ya, Culley.
You're what?
Warning ya.
Lieutenant, that gold bar looks real sweet on you,
but I do believe you're getting a little big for your britches.
I can always take the bar off.
Any time you say.
"Okara." Yo!
"Misoka." Here! Here!
"Nishigoka." Hey!
No letters?
- Keep your pants on. - Come on, snap it up.
"Kiri." Yo-ho!
"Kamakura." Oh, here, here.
I take it.
Cookies. Ho-ho!
"Ikagani." Here!
One cookie.
Hey, look.
How you like that. Two sets.
I go see Masami. Woo-hoo!
Two sets.
Sam, Sam. Wiki-wiki.
I'm wiki-wikiing as fast as I can.
Anything from my brother?
No, all from relocation center.
Sugar report from Terry.
"Dear Sam, I hate to start out a letter this way,
but I think it best to get the bad news over with first."
Her cold, she no get better, huh?
No. Terry's okay.
Your mother been get sick? Your father?
It's my brother.
He been lose his job on the farm?
Yeah, him and a couple of his buddies.
A gang beat them to a pulp
and said they'd lynch them if they ever came back.
Why they do that? Why?
Why? Because they've got slant eyes.
That's a crime in some places, didn't you know that?
How do ya like that?
We're good enough to carry rifles,
but we're not good enough to pick sugar beets.
Take it easy, Sam.
Sure, sure, take it easy.
Take it lying down.
Go on, beat it. Blow.
Ain't I been telling you? Suckers, that's what we are.
Chick, chick, chick, chick, chick, chick.
How would you like a dental appointment?
Let's go, boy. Katonk.
Break it up.
If you're looking for a scrap,
you won't have long to wait.
We've been alerted.
Pull your tents down and move out.
Pull 'em down? We just put 'em up.
The men Lt. Grayson moved out with have been surrounded.
The whole battalion?
What's left of 'em.
Grayson's okay so far.
Artillery observer got hit and he took over.
Just so the lieutenant is safe.
Him and his buddy,
his dear old platoon sergeant.
What's up with Sam?
He just got some bad news.
He's not the only one.
They're gonna send the new replacements up on line
as soon as they arrive, the batch my kid brother's in.
Eighteen years old.
Hey, Grayson!
Medic!
Where's the medic?
- There he is! - Over here, Joe!
I found a full one.
Thanks, pal.
Give me a slug of that, will ya?
Hey, Grayson!
Look out!
You okay, Culley?
Where's that Jap artillery?!
Where is it?!
Wildcat six. This is Wildcat two.
Fire mission. Over. Fire mission point.
Fire mission point, Fox-Able- Easy-Baker-Mike-Charlie,
and point, King-Sugar-Charlie- Love-Able-How.
Wildcat two. This is Wildcat six.
Stand by.
One round smoke on way. One round smoke on way.
Can't get a thing outta this one, sir.
We got enough from the others.
Send him over to division headquarters.
Get anything? Yes, sir.
Added to what we already know,
I can give ya a pretty clear picture.
Good.
It's all dense woods.
Those roads on the map are just forest trails,
and Jerry has roadblocks on all of 'em.
The men are surrounded on three sides
by elements of the, uh, 338th Infantry Division,
the 198th Fusilier Battalion
and the 202nd Mountain Battalion.
To the northeast--
Well, let me see it on the map, captain.
Well, starting here, the Germans are dug in
on a continuous line all the way around to here.
There's a gap here... and one here that I know of,
but they're covered by machine guns with interlocking fire.
There's a steep ridge here that dominates this sector.
It's almost straight up on both sides,
and they have a strong force sitting up on top.
How far away from here is the lost battalion?
Well, I'd say a thousand yards.
They're just about here.
We'll have troops within striking distance tonight.
All right, Ohhara, this is your spot.
Good luck.
Come on, shake a leg, will ya?
This don't make sense.
Sticking our necks out for guys like that buddy of Grayson's.
That sergeant, that's the kind who ganged up on your brother.
We get to the lost battalion,
that sergeant gonna change his mind about us buddhaheads.
Plenty people already we change, eh, Sam?
Keeps up like Terry been writing letters,
by and by we gonna have it good.
You bet. Yes, sir.
Good thing you read me letters,
or maybe I go get like Chick.
It's rough. It's plenty rough.
But we know what's it all about.
You bet.
More better we go for broke, yes, Sam?
That's about it, Tommy.
"More better we go for broke."
Ohhara. Ohhara!
Is it bad?
Million-dollar wound.
Luck of the Irish.
Medics.
Medics!
Let's go.
I'm glad you have someone to lean on.
I don't seem to recognize you.
Have you been back to any of the services?
No, Father.
I'm not Catholic.
You're not?
Different kind of rosary.
I'm Buddhist, Father.
I'll be here if you want me.
We're gonna try to make contact.
The Piper Cub's calling the shots for artillery.
They're trying to shoot us in some rations.
That'll be a big help.
Sukiyaki and rice.
I could use another man.
Well, the Piper Cub pilot
says there's at least a hundred of 'em on this ridge.
And they'll be shooting right down our throats
if we try to come up from either side.
Our engineers have been cutting through a road
on top of the ridge so we can bring up a tank.
They're about here now.
Once that tank gets within range--
When will that be?
Hard to say, sir.
It's slow going. Minefields all over the place.
Tell division headquarters I'm on my way back, will you?
The Jerries have been tapping the wires, sir.
Some of them speak perfect English.
Wildcat three. Wildcat three.
Sergeant Yasugomoto speaking.
Wildcat three, this is Wildcat four.
Come in, Wildcat three.
Wildcat three.
Sergeant Yasugomoto speaking.
Wildcat three. Wildcat three.
Sergeant Yasugomoto speaking.
Good idea, sergeant.
Thank you, sir.
It's just that good old Yankee know-how.
Watch out!
If I was a Jerry on the end of this ridge
and a tank got close enough to fire point-blank,
I'd take off like a ruptured duck.
Yeah.
Right over the side of the ridge.
There oughta be somebody down there to meet 'em.
That's what I was thinking.
Let's go.
Hey, sergeant.
Sergeant.
Where's Lieutenant Ohhara's platoon? This is it.
We're your new replacements.
Ohhara's the name.
Another suntanned Irishman.
Come on.
Ohhara.
They're Japs.
Hey, knock it off, will ya?
What's the password?
Dipsy doodle, that's it.
That was it, a week ago.
Let's have that password.
One. Two.
Bakatare.
Come on out.
Make 'em give you the right password.
You ever hear a Jerry try to pronounce a Japanese word?
If that's not a buddhahead, I'll...
You'll what?
Sam, Chick, Tommy.
A whole battalion's lost, and we gotta find them.
Man, I never thought I'd be so happy to see a bunch of Japs.
Pardon me. Japanese.
I mean, Nisei.
No, that ain't it.
What is it, Grayson?
Buddhaheads. Okay. Okay.
Buddhaheads, huh?
That's right.
He sure is touchy about that.
One time, he even slugged me.
Slugged you, huh?
Did you hear that, Chick?
Where's the rest of your outfit, lieutenant?
Back there about a mile.
But it took us hours to get here.
On our bellies, most of the way.
When do we start?
Not enough of us would make it to do 'em any good.
What do we do, lieutenant?
That's up to you, Sam.
I'm strictly a liaison officer.
Skirmish line up the hill.
Tell me something, Sam.
What does bakatare mean?
Well, freely translated:
You're a heel.
A stupid jerk and a heel.
That was putting it mildly.
Go for broke!
Grenade!
Go for broke!
Aah!
Look out, Tommy!
Is that all there were?
They went thataway, partner.
Go for broke!
Yahoo!
Any of you guys want a cigarette?
Bye, you buddhaheads.
So long.
Ride 'em, cowboy.
Bye! Thanks a lot, Jack.
See you in Berlin.
Look out for that mademoiselle.
Take it easy.
So long.
Thanks.
Au revoir.
Goodbye, you all.
So long.
I'll be seein' ya. Aloha, partner!
So long.
Attaboy.
See you in Paris.
Battle honors.
By order of the secretary of war,
in the name of the president of the United States,
as public evidence of deserved honor and distinction,
the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
is cited for outstanding accomplishment in combat.
The gallantry and esprit de corps
displayed by their officers and men
in bitter action against a formidable enemy
exemplify the finest traditions
of the Armed Forces of the United States.