DAGS Receives Rare, Important War History Artifacts

HONOLULU - The Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) is now the proud custodian of a significant series of letters that document a key piece of Hawaiʻi's role in World War II. The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans Educations Center, also known as Club 100, on Friday donated a packet of correspondence to the DAGS division Hawaiʻi State Archives.

They are all letters written to Lt. Colonel Farrant L. Turner, the first commanding officer of the 100th Infantry Battalion, from officers and enlisted men of the battalion he formed and led, comprising almost entirely Hawaiʻi-born men of Japanese ancestry.

There are 111 of these so-called Turner Letters written between 1944 and 1945. They spell out in great detail the conditions of the war, the impact on the solders and the race relations of the time.

"We are so honored to be entrusted with this critical part of the state's legacy in World War II. The brave men of the 100th Infantry Battalion served fiercely and with distinction in the war, even as their families faced incarceration - highlighting their loyalty to America. They are world-famous for their values and their valor, and we are grateful guardians of these artifacts," said Governor Josh Green.

"It is incredible to hear history narrated directly from these soldiers. Their thoughts, their beliefs, their hopes, their hurts are all captured in these writings - and it adds to our understanding of that event and that time period," reflects DAGS Director and Comptroller Keith Regan. "The Battalion fought a war on two fronts; the physical combat of World War II and the societal battle for trust and respect from a country that turned against them. And they won. Their unwavering dedication is an inspiration to us all."

Many of the letters thank Lt. Colonel Turner for his belief and loyalty to these Nisei - second-generation Japanese - at a time when Japanese-Americans faced huge prejudice for the color of their skin. He corrected anyone who disparaged "his boys," as he affectionately called the troop.

Kathi Hayashi, Club 100 president and also the daughter of a 100th Battalion veteran, expands on Lt. Col. Turner's goal. "We're going to elevate ourselves and the rest of the people of Japanese ethnicity, and we're going to show with our blood that Americans come in all colors and are deserving of equal rights. This small seed … made a huge difference because they proved their ability and their warrior ethos."

"I have heard that you have been insulted and abused because of your staunch belief and faith in us. Only a man like you could take it and keep on going as you did. Whoever leads the 100th after you is only a figurehead and it is for you the boys are fighting. Pretty soon, I'll be sent back to duty. I know for sure that there won't be another C.O. like you," reads the March 11, 1944 note from Staff Sgt. J. Akamine, who called himself "A faithful 100th Inf. Man." [sic]

First Sgt. John K. Hatori wrote Lt. Colonel Turner on Valentine's Day 1945 asking to be transferred home to the islands because, "It seems that I don't fit in any camps here, especially when they find out that I have some Japanese blood or I look like a Negro. I have so much trouble with people and military personnel here, that I am fed up."

The letters speak to the fighting conditions as well. An undated update from Dr. Katsumi "Doc" Kometani from a hospital shared, "It's pretty tough to get back into sounds of guns and enemy planes. As is I'm at present scared stiff because of these damned U2 that's visiting us here. I guess when this mess is over I won't be worth a damn, but who's complaining?" [sic]

Rev. David Baumgart Turner, a grandson of Lt. Colonel Turner, says he was only 3 years old when the elder Turner died, but "living my life here in Hawaiʻi all these 69 years, there's never a month that goes by that someone doesn't recognize the name and shares a memory of my grandfather." Rev. Turner hopes the letters will continue to tell the story of the men of the 100th Battalion and the communities they represented.

David's older brother Jot Turner added the letters "are primary sources written from tents on the ground in Italy and France, or while commuting, communicating day to day details about life as experienced by these 100th Battalion veterans. They communicate aspirations and dreams. They communicate pride in their service as Americans defending our nation. And they remind us that we are all Americans no matter what our ethnicity."

David and his wife Marietta flew in from their home in St. Paul, Minnesota for this ceremony.

"We are trying to put the 'public' in the public archives. I am in immense debt to Club 100 for entrusting us with this history. For being such a small volume, this is a monumental piece of Hawaiʻi's history that must never be forgotten," pronounced state Archivist Dr. Adam Jansen.

To read the transcriptions of the letters, go to: https://www.100thbattalion.org/archives/letters/turner-letters/. Archives plans to digitize the letters and post them to its website.