ʻŌlelo’s New Documentary Honors the 100th Infantry Battalion and 80 Years of Club 100

'Ōlelo Community Media has just released a documentary about the 100th Infantry Battalion and the veterans organization the men of the unit incorporated 80 years ago, “Club 100,” to remember their fallen comrades and to give back to Hawaiʻi in keeping with their motto, “For Continuing Service.”

"THE 100TH INFANTRY BATTALION: A LIVING LEGACY" documentary by ‘Ōlelo Community Media.

The film shares the 100th’s Hawaiʻi roots, their pioneer spirit of being the first AJA (Americans of Japanese ancestry) segregated unit to fight the Germans in Europe, and how they rose above dark clouds of discrimination and sabotage to shine with the 442nd, as one of the most decorated units in World War II.

The film documents the club’s risk of shutting down due to perceived "lack of interest" in their history. Through interviews, 'Ōlelo captures how members, students, government and the community came together to breathe new life and energy into Club 100, to share the high performance values of the 100th Infantry Battalion in a purposeful way.

Over the past three years during the grassroots effort to save Club 100, 'Ōlelo has become our extended ‘ohana. Wes Akamine, Director of Operations and Project Management, and Corinne Makahilahila, Producer, have been involved since 2022 when we launched the 100th project based learning pilot, which led to our current 100th Infantry Battalion Legacy2Action program. 'Ōlelo was also by our side helping with live-streaming the annual Joint (100th/442nd/MIS/1399th) Memorial Service at Punchbowl and other 100th-related activities.

This documentary called, “THE 100TH INFANTRY BATTALION - A LIVING LEGACY” is another way 'Ōlelo continues to support the need to remember the Hawaiʻi roots of the 100th Infantry Battalion, what they did in WWII, how they did it, and how we can continue to apply their success values to our lives, our family, and teams like schools, businesses, government, military, and companies. 

Just like the Hōkūleʻa, the pioneering groups from Hawaiʻi that made a difference in WWII should be known by people of all nationalities worldwide, inspiring them to take a stand for a better and more peaceful planet. The Hawaiʻi men of the 100th were the first to be segregated from the multi-ethnic Hawaii National Guard units of the US Army and discriminated against for looking like the Japanese enemy. Yet, they rose above this all and their small stature to avenge the attack on their homeland, to prove loyalty to America, and to achieve civil rights for people of color. It is an amazing story, and we thank 'Ōlelo for believing in the benefit of sharing the values of valor and Aloha to make this world a better place.

The documentary closes with credits accompanied by the musical tribute created by President Howard High of the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) in Washington, D.C., called “One Puka Puka Leads the Way.” It is a poignant and emotional way to summarize the highs and lows of the journey of the 100th Infantry Battalion — and a reminder that if you believe, anything is possible.