Tetsuo Asato oral history interview, part 6 of 8, November 29, 2002
Tetsuo Asato was 19 years old when he went overseas. He recalls the weight of carrying his weapons. The heaviness of the weapons did not become too strenuous on Tetsuo until he was trying to climb the mountain. Tetsuo recalls being a litter-bearer and carrying a wounded off the battlefield. The 92nd Division came and gave him rations.
Before going to Italy, the 442nd went to France. However, General Mark Clark requested the 442nd's return to Italy to break the Gothic Line. The 442nd took the German SS Troop by surprise when they attacked from the rear.
When the 442nd left Italy, the 552nd Artillery stayed behind. Later the 552nd went to Germany and were the first in Dachau.
The worst part of the war for Tetsuo was the casualties. He recalls several times he came across deceased soldiers. Another bad memory of the war was being under heavy fire.
When the war ended, Tetsuo got a pass and went to Switzerland and different rest areas. The highlight was Angelburg because he learned how to ski. Many years later, Tetsuo revisited Switzerland in the springtime.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Asato%2C+Tetsuo%3B+narrator">Asato, Tetsuo; narrator</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Horsting%2C+Robert%3B+interviewer">Horsting, Robert; interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3B+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center; publisher</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=48&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center">Go For Broke National Education Center</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2002-11-29">2002-11-29</a>
video/m4v
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=44&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=eng">eng</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+Histories">Oral Histories</a>
2002OH0150A_06_Asato
Tetsuo Asato oral history interview, part 5 of 8, November 29, 2002
Before going overseas, Tetsuo Asato went on furlough and visited his sister in California. Tetsuo departed on the Aquitania. Although the voyage was rough, Tetsuo did not get seasick. He landed in Glasgow, Scotland, and traveled to South Hampton to cross the channel to Le Havre.
Arriving overseas, Tetsuo got sick and was hospitalized in Marseilles, France, for a few days. He joined his company, G Company, 2nd Battalion, 442nd, in Sospel, France, and was in the mortar section. He recollects climbing a mountain with G Company and living in dugouts on the border of France and Italy.
The next combat was the Lost Battalion rescue. The G Company was hit hard because they had 800 casualties. Following was the Champagne Campaign. Tetsuo said the Champagne Campaign had no heavy troop movement compared to the Lost Battalion. Later, the 442nd received orders from General Mark Clark to come back to Italy to break the Gothic Line.
In the last push, the 100th went north. The 2nd Battalion was the center. The 3rd Battalion was on the right. After a few days, Tetsuo rejoined the line from the hospital. Tetsuo remembers being on assignment as a litter-bearer in Casa Poggio and being under German artillery fire.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Asato%2C+Tetsuo%3B+narrator">Asato, Tetsuo; narrator</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Horsting%2C+Robert%3B+interviewer">Horsting, Robert; interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3B+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center; publisher</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=48&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center">Go For Broke National Education Center</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2002-11-29">2002-11-29</a>
video/m4v
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=44&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=eng">eng</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+Histories">Oral Histories</a>
2002OH0150A_05_Asato