What do you think?
Rate this book
Rising Sons: The Japanese American GIs Who Fought for the United States in World War II
Despite the fact that they and their families had been forced into internment camps, thousands of the American sons of Japanese immigrants responded by volunteering to serve in the United States armed forces during World War II. As military historian Bill Yenne writes, "It was their country, and they wanted to serve, just like anyone else their age. These young Japanese Americans thought of themselves as Americans, and they wanted to prove it."
Most of these young Japanese Americans served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and its component 100th Infantry Battalion. For its size and length of service, the 442nd was the most decorated in the history of the US Army. The Japanese American GIs of the 442nd eventually earned 21 Medals of Honor and 9,486 Purple Hearts, while their outfit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations.
Rising Sons brings to light the stories of these young men who faced down discrimination to serve their country. Some of these sons of Japanese immigrants came from Hawaii, where they had witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor firsthand, and responded like most Americans by signing up to serve. Most of the Japanese-Americans served in Italy and France, in the terrible and difficult battles at Anzio and Cassino, in the Vosges Mountains and on the Gothic Line. Detached from the regiment for service in southern Germany, the 442nd's artillery battalion had the ironic distinction of being one of the American units involved in the liberation of Dachau. Japanese-Americans also proved themselves invaluable in the Pacific as well, serving in the Military Intelligence Service or in the infamous special-ops commando team known as Merrill's Marauders.
Weaving together impeccable research with vivid firsthand accounts from surviving veterans, Yenne recounts the incredible stories of the Japanese-American soldiers who fought so bravely in World War II, men who were willing to lay down their lives for a country they were uncertain would ever accept them again. Their courageous actions proved that they, too, were true members of America's Greatest Generation.
Most of these young Japanese Americans served in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and its component 100th Infantry Battalion. For its size and length of service, the 442nd was the most decorated in the history of the US Army. The Japanese American GIs of the 442nd eventually earned 21 Medals of Honor and 9,486 Purple Hearts, while their outfit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations.
Rising Sons brings to light the stories of these young men who faced down discrimination to serve their country. Some of these sons of Japanese immigrants came from Hawaii, where they had witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor firsthand, and responded like most Americans by signing up to serve. Most of the Japanese-Americans served in Italy and France, in the terrible and difficult battles at Anzio and Cassino, in the Vosges Mountains and on the Gothic Line. Detached from the regiment for service in southern Germany, the 442nd's artillery battalion had the ironic distinction of being one of the American units involved in the liberation of Dachau. Japanese-Americans also proved themselves invaluable in the Pacific as well, serving in the Military Intelligence Service or in the infamous special-ops commando team known as Merrill's Marauders.
Weaving together impeccable research with vivid firsthand accounts from surviving veterans, Yenne recounts the incredible stories of the Japanese-American soldiers who fought so bravely in World War II, men who were willing to lay down their lives for a country they were uncertain would ever accept them again. Their courageous actions proved that they, too, were true members of America's Greatest Generation.
302 pages, Hardcover
First published July 10, 2007
4 people are currently reading
77 people want to read
About the author
Bill Yenne
196 books51 followersBill Yenne is the author of several novels and over three dozen books on historical topics. He has also been a contributor to encyclopedias of both world wars.
The New Yorker wrote of Sitting Bull, his biography of the great Lakota leader, that it "excels as a study in leadership." This book was named to the number 14 spot among Amazon's 100 Best Books of the Year.
Library Journal observed that "enthusiastic World War II readers will be drawn to" his dual biography, Aces High: The Heroic Story of the Two Top Scoring American Aces of World War II.
Recently, his book Convair Deltas was named as Book of the Month by Air Classics, while his book Tommy Gun was named Pick of the Month by Shooting Illustrated.
His book Guinness: The 250 Year Quest for the Perfect Pint was listed among the top business books of the year by Cond Nast Portfolio Magazine, which rated Yenne's tome as its TOP pick for "Cocktail Conversation."
Yenne's Rising Sons: The Japanese American GIs Who Fought for the United States in World War II, was praised by Walter Boyne, former Director of the National Air & Space Museum, who called it "a fast moving... page turner," and the "best book yet written on the saga."
The Wall Street Journal wrote, when reviewing his Indian Wars: The Campaign for the American West, that Yenne writes with "cinematic vividness," and says of his work that it "has the rare quality of being both an excellent reference work and a pleasure to read."
The author lives in San Francisco, California, and on the web at www.BillYenne.com
"
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 3, 2024
While it was at times difficult to keep the organizational structures of the military straight when the author referenced companies, battalions, etc the level of detail in this book is captivating. It was an honor to witness, through the stories contained in this book, the depths of patriotism and heroism embodied by the brave men of the 100th/442nd/MIS
June 17, 2021
Fairly repetitive to most WWII soldier books, though some new info
January 26, 2016
This is another book on the Nisei who served in the U.S. armed forces during World War II, many doing so even while their families were held behind barbed wire in various internment camps in the U.S.
The book provides some general information on the men, and goes into great detail about the battles that they fought in Europe.
There is a monument in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles that lists the names of 16,126 Nisei men and 37 Nisei women who served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd and its elements ended with with almost 5000 Bronze and Silver Stars, Distinguished service Crosses, and Medals of Honor.
An early part of the book deals with the interment of persons of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. It mentions Munson's report to FDR, in which it was concluded that there was no Japanese “problem” on the coast at all. Munson even noted that the Nisei were “eager to show their loyalty.”
Unfortunately, none of that stopped FDR from issuing Executive Order 9066, and the government from rounding up over 110,000 persons of Japanese Ancestry from the West Coast and shipping them to internment camps, generally in the middle of the country. The author points out that the order did not apply to any of those persons of Japanese ancestry who lived in the Eastern or the Central part of the country. Logically, if some group is dangerous at Point A, then they should also be dangerous in Point B, especially if you are talking about sabotage.
One thing I had not noted elsewhere was that a deep undercover Lieutenant counterintelligence officer was assigned to go undercover and study the Japanese Americans in Hawaii, to determine if they were any threat. His report was that “no American citizens or alien Japanese residents of Hawaii was involved in any acts of hostility against the U.S. Forces.”
The book notes there was one Japanese spy in Hawaii, but after the war he noted that he couldn't get anywhere with the Issie or Nisei in Hawaii, that they were all too loyal to the U.S.
The rest of the book is spent on the details of the 442nd's fighting in Europe, and didn't really offer anything especially new that I hadn't read elsewhere.
Overall a good book, although not significantly different or better than other books on the same subject.
The book provides some general information on the men, and goes into great detail about the battles that they fought in Europe.
There is a monument in Little Tokyo in Los Angeles that lists the names of 16,126 Nisei men and 37 Nisei women who served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The 442nd and its elements ended with with almost 5000 Bronze and Silver Stars, Distinguished service Crosses, and Medals of Honor.
An early part of the book deals with the interment of persons of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. It mentions Munson's report to FDR, in which it was concluded that there was no Japanese “problem” on the coast at all. Munson even noted that the Nisei were “eager to show their loyalty.”
Unfortunately, none of that stopped FDR from issuing Executive Order 9066, and the government from rounding up over 110,000 persons of Japanese Ancestry from the West Coast and shipping them to internment camps, generally in the middle of the country. The author points out that the order did not apply to any of those persons of Japanese ancestry who lived in the Eastern or the Central part of the country. Logically, if some group is dangerous at Point A, then they should also be dangerous in Point B, especially if you are talking about sabotage.
One thing I had not noted elsewhere was that a deep undercover Lieutenant counterintelligence officer was assigned to go undercover and study the Japanese Americans in Hawaii, to determine if they were any threat. His report was that “no American citizens or alien Japanese residents of Hawaii was involved in any acts of hostility against the U.S. Forces.”
The book notes there was one Japanese spy in Hawaii, but after the war he noted that he couldn't get anywhere with the Issie or Nisei in Hawaii, that they were all too loyal to the U.S.
The rest of the book is spent on the details of the 442nd's fighting in Europe, and didn't really offer anything especially new that I hadn't read elsewhere.
Overall a good book, although not significantly different or better than other books on the same subject.
May 2, 2017
I read this book for as my third selection for the HBC Japan Challenge. Overall, it was pretty interesting. I should have known it was going to focus primary on military history of this group of Americans. That's on me. I don't have a real knack for military history. That said, I got a lot of out of it. However, it could have been longer. I think the author did a bit of a disservice by only focusing on the men that served overseas. I think there was a lot more to say about the men, women and children that stayed home in Internment camps.
February 17, 2011
an easily readable book about the Japanese-American experience in World War II, based mostly on interviews conducted by the author. There is a fair amount of valorizing in this book, but that's not exactly unexpected. I was disappointed that the book mentioned but didn't devote a chapter to the experiences of Japanese-American women who volunteered as nurses and translators after the Japanese surrender.
January 17, 2008
Yenne is not a great writer, but the subject is so fascinating-- Americans, stripped of their property and possessions, sent out of state to internment camps, still have such strong patriotic feelings, that they enlist to fight for the country that regards them with suspicion.
The Americans of Japanese ancestry who fought in WWII in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team served in the most decorated unit in the US Army.
The Americans of Japanese ancestry who fought in WWII in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team served in the most decorated unit in the US Army.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews