Twice Heroes: America's Nisei Veterans of World War II and Korea

Twice Heroes: America's Nisei Veterans of World War II and Korea

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Twice Heroes brings us the dramatic but little known story of sacrifice and bravery of a small group of soldiers in the face of racial hatred and official discrimination - factors that led to the illegal imprisonment of their families among the nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans interned during World War II. Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) soldiers were once considered untrustworthy and forbidden to serve in the military. When allowed into a single, racially segregated regiment, this small U.S. Army unit became the most highly decorated in Unites States history, earning 9,486 Purple Hearts, over 4,000 Bronze Stars, 21 Medals of Honor, seven Presidential Unit Citations, and thousands of other commendations from the United States, Britain, France and Italy. Nisei linguists operating in secret military intelligence roles in the Pacific Theater provided tactical and strategic information to Allied forces, saving lives and shortening the war, and earning a Presidential Unit Citation. Nisei soldiers accomplished their remarkable service in an effort to prove themselves loyal Americans. Meet the Nisei soldiers of the Purple Heart Battalion, Go For Broke Regiment and Top Secret Military Intelligence Service. Declared "enemy aliens" by their government, and mistrusted by their neighbors, a generation of American citizens fought to prove their loyalty, ultimately receiving their country's highest civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal.