Partial Transcript: The interview is with the Hardwick sisters. Janet Brown Hardwick is from Pinehurst, North Carolina, and Susan Hardwick Martinsville, Indiana. The sisters receive an invitation for the 442nd reunion. The sisters attend the reunion to thank the 442nd for saving their father's life in France. Janet and Susan's father is drafted in the winter of 1944. The following summer their father, and the 36th Infantry Regiment (from Texas) go to battle. The Lost Battalion becomes trap in the Vosges Mountains with a lack of supplies and food.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; draft; European Theater; German soldiers; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; Nisei veterans; Vosges; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan says their father did not talk much about his wartime experiences. If their father did talk about the war, the stories are brief. Janet and Susan's father expresses his gratitude and respect towards the Japanese American soldiers and the 442nd. He said he understands why the 442nd are sent to rescue the Lost Battalion. The 442nd are the only ones who can get the job done.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; European Theater; family; Japanese American soldiers; Lost Battalion; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet describes their father's personality. Janet says they are proud of their father and proud to be his daughters. They would not be able to have the experience or time to build memories with their father if it was not due to the efforts of the 442nd. Janet and Susan's father passes away in 1972 at the age of fifty-one years old.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; family; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; post-war; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet and Susan's mother is named Pat Hardwick. Janet describes their mother's personality. Their family's foundation is humor, and their mother is the funniest one. During wartime, Janet is two years old and Susan is a newborn. When Susan is born, their father is wounded overseas and sent back to the United States.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan shares a story about their mother going to the movie theater. In the earlier days, news events of wartime are heard from the movie newsreel. On the day their mother goes to the movies, the newsreel is about the Lost Battalion. Janet and Susan's mother's expression toward the war is gratitude for the 442nd. Susan says growing up they have instilled the legacy of the 442nd. Janet discusses the difficulties of being an Army wife and the concerns they have for their husband.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; Japanese American soldiers; Lost Battalion; Nisei soldiers

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Partial Transcript: Janet recalls her father returning home from World War Two in 1945. Janet mentions when important events happen in your life, it is hard to forget those specific events. Sporadically Janet and Susan's father will talk about the war. Although the sister feels like the war happened a long time ago, the war experience is very fresh for their father. Susan remembers some of their father's Army paraphernalia such as a flashlight and Army fatigues.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet reflects on their childhood with the whole family together. She says it is an idle childhood. The Hardwick family lives in a small town where everyone knows everyone. Susan recalls seeing their father's scar from his shrapnel wound. However, you rarely see his wound, because their father wears long pants. Both Janet and Susan talk about their father’s war buddies.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; friendship; shrapnel; veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet discusses her first effort to find her father's wartime heroes. She recalls coming to Las Vegas for a convention and sees a special on television about the 442nd. When Janet returns home to Melbourne, Florida, she sees an article about John M. Hayashi from the 442nd. However, she thinks she lost the article in the process of moving. In the spring of 2006, Janet finds the article in a cookbook. Janet looks online and finds a John Hayashi who lives in Rochester, New York. Janet and John correspond with one another and the Hardwick sisters' thank you letter is circulated with John's friends. Ron Oba from Honolulu, Hawaii, sees the thank you letter and publishes the letter.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; correspondence; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Nisei; veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan discusses Christmas in Washington D.C. and visiting the Japanese American War Memorial. Susan scans a photo of the father and writes a note thanking the 442nd for rescuing their father. The photo is left at the memorial and ushers many contacts for the Hardwick sisters. The photo also leads to an article in the Pacifica.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Nisei; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan recalls talking to a lawyer who is familiar with the Lost Battalion and suggests Susan contact the local newspaper in Martinsville, Indiana. Soon after contacting Betty Nun, a reporter, a feature story on the Lost Battalion is published.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; Japanese American soldiers; Lost Battalion; Nisei soldiers; Nisei veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet says they frequently speak with Donald Okada. With Donald's connections, the Hardwick sister is invited to the 442nd reunion. Besides communicating with the Nisei veterans, the Hardwick sisters also have an opportunity to talk to the Nisei veteran's families, and children.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; correspondence; family; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Nisei veterans; veterans

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Partial Transcript: Janet and Susan recall Jim Tazoi. Jim and his brother see the article in the Pacific Citizen and reaches out to the Hardwick sisters. They just started to communicate and then Jim passes away. Before Jim's passing, he sends the Hardwick sisters a book he has written. Janet says attending the 442nd reunion gives them a platform to meet Jim's brother and Jim's son.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; family; interment camp; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet and Susan discuss their thoughts on the Japanese Americans who volunteered for the 442nd. Susan says she is touched by the Japanese Americans' motivation, character, and honor to fight for the United States during World War Two. Janet says there is a lesson to be learned in the Nisei legacy, and it is important to share the story of the Japanese American experience.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; discrimination; Executive Order 9066; interment camp; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; Sansei; World War Two; Yonsei

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Partial Transcript: Janet and Susan say they have not had the opportunity to meet the Japanese American soldiers who made contact with the Lost Battalion yet. However, what is equally important is that they have met some of the men who fought tirelessly in World War Two. Janet says they will have an opportunity to meet George Sakato, I Company, and K Company after the interview. The Hardwick sisters have books and articles regarding the 442nd and Japanese American soldiers sent to them from the Nisei veterans. Besides books and articles, Susan mentions the PBS special, Behind Bard Wire. She says the documentary gives an informative introduction to Japanese American history. Moreover, Janet uses the Go For broke website and watches the interviews of the Nisei veterans.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: "katonk"; 442nd; discrimination; Executive Order 9066; Go For Broke; Hawaiian soldiers; interment camp; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Mainland soldiers; racism; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet discusses an email that connects her to their father's Company Commander Harry Huberth who happens to live in Pinehurst. The Company Commander lives four miles away from Janet's home and the sisters have an opportunity to meet him. The Hardwick sisters discuss plans to visit Hawaii for the 442nd reunion.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; Lost Battalion; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet shares a story about her grandson Ethan. Ethan is ten years old and is interested in military history. At school, Ethan's best friend is Patrick, who is Japanese American. During World War Two, Patrick's grandmother is in camp. The Hardwick sisters make sure their children and grandchildren know the history of their grandfather and the 442nd.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Executive Order 9066; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Nisei veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan discusses their grandparents. On their father's side and mother's side, both grandfathers pass away at an early age. Janet and Susan's parents elope at age seventeen because their grandmother (on mother's side) did not approve of their father, Bill. After a few years, their grandmother later comes to love and adore their father. Susan says they are always finding information and they come across correspondences from their father Bill to his mother. Janet and Susan have several memorabilia from their father from World War Two and their great-grandfather from the Civil War.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: Purple Heart; wedding; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Susan describes the letters from their great-grandfather from the Civil War versus their father's correspondences from World War Two. Although Janet and Susan's great-grandfather is a farmer, he writes in a formal format. The letters feel like a documentary and he describes his experience traveling across the states. In one letter, their great-grandfather says he is taken as a prisoner of war (POW). In contrast, Janet and Susan's father's correspondence is less formal, especially for a college student. Their father's letters are more comforting.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; family; Lost Battalion; Prisoners of War; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet says her grandson, Ethan, knowledgeable about the Civil War and World War Two. However, Ethan is more familiar with the 442nd legacy. Janet and Susan describe their father's childhood. Susan says he is raised by his mother because his father passes away at a young age. Growing up, Janet and Susan's father, Bill instilled morals and values which he reenforces to Janet and Susan. Their grandmother previously works as a court reporter and works hard to provide for Bill and his sister. Their father, Bill attends Indiana University and majors in accounting until he is drafted to World War Two. Post-war, their father works as the Local County's auditor. Later, he works for the Mental Health Association in Indianapolis as an administrator and moves to State Budget Director. Eventually, Janet and Susan's father becomes a Legislator for their district.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: 442nd; draft; Nisei veterans; veterans; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Janet feels her father went to war with the same values as the 442nd. Bring honor to the family. Through the 442nd reunion, Janet and Susan can connect with the heroes who saved their father and some of the descendants of the Texas Infantry.

Segment Synopsis:

Keywords: family; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Lost Battalion; Nisei; Nisei veterans; World War Two

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