Wardroom Speaker Series: The Lost Battalion
About
Please join us int he Officer’s Wardroom as we host a presentation about the Lost Battalion of World War II. This presentation examines the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team and their rescue of the Lost Battalion during World War II. Members of this storied, segregated Japanese American unit earned an extraordinary record of valor: 21 Medals of Honor, 7 Presidential Unit Citations, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 22 Legions of Merit, 4,000 Bronze Stars, 12 Croix de Guerre, over 4,000 Purple Hearts, and the Congressional Gold Medal. These awards were earned by a unit of roughly 5,000 soldiers over a two‑year period—an achievement unmatched in U.S. Army history. Every combat mission undertaken by the 100th/442nd demonstrated exceptional courage, but their rescue of the Lost Battalion stands apart. Fought in October 1944 in the Vosges Mountains of eastern France, this battle became the defining moment of the unit. The Lost Battalion—from the Texas 141st Regiment—carried the lineage of the early Texan defenders who fought at the Alamo with Davy Crockett. Two rescue attempts failed before the 100th/442nd were brought in. The operation drew national press attention and brought the 100th/442nd into the public spotlight. Both President Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler took interest in the battle. A newsreel of the rescue was shown in theaters nationwide, giving the unit Hollywood‑style fame. When the 442nd returned home, President Truman greeted them at the White House
