and so it begins....
I tried to avoid it. I tried to find other ways of developing an online community of individuals who were interested in the story of "Little Iron Men". But, alas, after viewing some comparable websites, I felt compelled to join the bunch.Little Iron Men is a feature-length film that accounts the true story of the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team's rescue of the Lost Battalion (141st) during World War II. In late October of 1944, 211 members of the 141st Regiment, nicknamed the Texas battalion, were trapped three miles behind German lines. After four days of intense fighting, the 100th/442nd broke through the fortified German lines and saved the lost battalion...at the cost of 800 Japanese American men.
For those who do not know, the 100th/442nd Regiment was made up of entirely Japanese-American enlisted men, many of which volunteered from internment camps established in the United States. The story focuses on I Company, 3rd Battalion of the 442nd Regiment and the eight men who are the first to reach the lost battalion. More importantly, is the actual relationship between Captain Joseph Byrne and his Sergeant Takashi Senzaki as they struggle to understand one another amongst this historical battle.
In truth, I want to create a place where people feel the freedom to speak about the issues regarding this project. Many feel that this story and it's political background are quite a timely story, despite the 60 years that have passed since the event took place.
So, without further ado, I present to you a forum. I will try and present one question that relates to both the project and the issues we face as Americans every day.
The first question..........considering the 60 years that have passed since the United States placed the Japanese-Americans into internment camps, is it still possible that, when faced with a crisis, we would respond without racial issues effecting our decisions. In other words, could we do this again?
posted by tazdirector at 16:53
11 Comments:
My name is Mike and I live in CA. I am of japanese decent and for long time knew the story of the 442 & the 100th during WWII. I thought for a long time I was pretty well informed on many things, but I didn't know the circumstances that many of the japanese americans or "NISEI" second generation faced during WWII. I hope this film adds more information about the all the heroes that gave their lives for our freedoms we have today. I am really looking forward to seeing this film as well as another movie I learned about called "Only the Brave", starring Jason Scott Lee who deceipts a second generation nisei and his involvement in WWII. If any new information comes about, or any way I could help and learn more about this subject, please contact me.
hey, this is taylor. good stuff. i can't wait to see this film come to life on the big screens. the production value and the casting/acting and the script look amazing.
There is a quote of Sir. Winston S. Churchill, which is posted on the Congressional Medal of Honor Society website www.cmoh.org
"A people that have forgotten their heritage,
are a people who have lost faith in themselves."
We all understand the needs of business, but I ask that the filmmakers not rush to release, or embellish, for nothing can be added to such a noble group, their acts alone speak to generations. You have taken on a great responsibility with this endeavor, best of wishes to all parties involved in the project.
Isn't there another film very similar to this (Only the Brave - by Lane Nishikawa)? I read it was screened during the Hawaii International Film Festival and more recently, at the Asian Film Festival in San Francisco. The film received great reviews on IMDB.
This post has been removed by a blog administrator.
hey!
dude, i totally think that internment could happen again. after 9/11 some people were calling for the internment of muslim americans. As an American, and a Marine serving in the United States Marine Corps, i hope this film gets made because i think people need to be educated about this history so they dont forget it. the script is a good script. plus, i heard the actors in it are good.. Semper Fi!
PFC John Yagi, United States Marine Corps
I'd like to clarify something said in the original post. It said that the battle to rescue the trapped Texans cost 800 American lives. Actually, my reading of the account is that there were 800 casualties. Remember, a casualty includes wounded. I think there were 200 killed. This certainly doesn't take away from the sacrifice these brave heroes made. I just wanted to clear that up.
--Greg Wong
I hope this movie gets distributed before too many of the old veterans pass away. This last year I saw my Dad's 442 album from 1943. Too many of those people are on memorial names.
i cannot wait til this movie is made. my parents were born in Manzanar which we visit every so often. I also think that a internment can happen again as well. did we learn from our mistakes in the past?
My name is Chuck Rasch. My dad was Maj. (Ret) Richard F. Rasch Jr. I don't know what his affilation with the 442nd was, but I can remember when he was stationed in France in the 1960s that a bunch of the guys from the 442nd came over for a cermony in Breares France, where a monument was dedicated to the 442nd for the rescue of the Lost Texas Battalion. It was neat to meet the guys and have them make a luau in our front yard.
I too am a Japanese American who served in our armed forces. I served 20 years in the Army with a tour in Viet Nam. You ask yourself can a generation pick up where one left off? Only if we show them where we've been, and how we got to where we are today. We are still the only nationality, in the United States, with the expection of the Indians, to be imprisioned for something we did not do or have any control over.
Being a Viet Nam vet I understand what our soldiers went through when they got home. Viet Nam Vets received the same treatment when we came home. Make Your Movie! "GO FOR BROKE"
Of the 270 men of the "Lost Battalion," some 211 answered muster on the morning of Monday, 30 October. The unit strength by company was Co. A: 45 men, Co B: 71 men, Co C: 81 men and Co D: 14 men. The wounded were sent to the rear. The rest of the "Lost Battalion spent one more night in their foxholes. The next morning, Tuesday, some 180 men of the Lost Battalion walked out of the Trapin de Saules. They had inflicted heavy losses on the enemy and took four prisoners. The stubborn and gallant defense mounted by the "Lost Battalion," made possible, by the re-supply efforts of the 405th Fighter Squadron, coupled with the valiant efforts of the 100/442nd RCT, forced the Germans to retreat. The ground so doggedly held by the "Lost Battalion" served as a springboard for the subsequent assault on St. Die and the advance to the Alsatian Plain.
The 100/442 RCT suffered 54 KIA and 156 wounded in the breakthrough effort to reach the "Lost Battalion." During the month of October the 100/442nd RCT suffered 639 casualties.
Three Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded for heroism during the Lost Battalion breakthrough effort. Private Barney Hajiro, Company I, 3rd Battalion, 442nd RCT, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor. Private George Sakato, Company E, 2nd Battalion, 442 RCT, earned the Distinguished Service Cross, which was later upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor. Also, Technician Fifth Grade James Okubo, a medic would earn a Silver Star for “Gallantry in Action,” which was later up graded to a Congressional Medal of Honor. On 18 November they were detached from the 36th and assigned to duty in Italy.
With warmest regards,
Michael P. Higgins,
son of Captain (then 1st) Martin J. Higgins, acting commander "Lost Battalion" 1st Bttn, 141st INF Regt., 36th ID
24-31 October 1944,
Foret de Champ, Vosges Mtns.
Post a Comment
<< Home