"One Puka Puka Leads the Way" Song — in honor of the 100th Infantry Battalion
- 100thibvohana
- Jun 16
- 6 min read
Updated: Jun 19
The 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (Club 100) recently received a musical rendition honoring the 100th Infantry Battalion in a song titled, “One Puka Puka Leads the Way.” It was such an extreme honor to receive this gift from the President of the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) in Washington, DC, Howard High! Howard reviewed the lyrics with 100th IBV Communications Committee member Isami Yoshihara for accuracy. Thank you, Howard, for allowing us to use this masterpiece for our educational endeavors.
Please click on the video below for the song, and have your tissue ready — we incorporated photos from our Education Center and Club 100 archives of our 100th Infantry Battalion soldiers, who locked arms against tyranny on the journey described in Howard’s lyrics.
“One Puka Puka Leads the Way” — in honor of the 100th Infantry Battalion
Song Created by: Howard High, President of the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA)
From island homes of sugar cane,
Where trade winds sang and skies would rain,
They answered duty's solemn call,
Though doubts and fear surrounded all.
Born of "Issei" dreams and "Nisei" pride,
They stood as warriors side by side,
With "Gaman" in their hearts of flame,
They'd forge a legacy and name.
One Puka Puka leads the way,
From Hawaiʻi Nei to war's dark day.
For the Red, White, and Blue they'd fight,
Proving loyalty in freedom's light.
Remember Pearl Harbor, they made their stand,
With courage carved in every land.
One Puka Puka, brave and true,
Fighting for me, fighting for you.
Their hearts were heavy, filled with honor,
In secret sailed across the water.
From Camp McCoy to Shelby's dirt,
They trained with grit through sweat and hurt.
Their letters home, in quiet prose,
Spoke honor that the "Issei" chose:
"Ganbare," fight for your good name,
Bring honor, never bring us shame.
In Italy's hills they paid the price,
Purple Hearts for sacrifice.
They bled where others held their doubt,
But valor left no room for doubt.
They charged through fire, they cleared the way,
Their silence louder than what words say.
Each fallen soul, a torch alight,
a guide for those who still must fight.
One Puka Puka leads the way,
From Hawaiʻi Nei to war's dark day.
For the Red, White, and Blue they'd fight,
Proving loyalty in freedom's light.
Remember Pearl Harbor, they made their stand,
With courage carved in every land.
One Puka Puka, proud and free,
They changed the course of history.
They came back home to rise once more,
To open wide democracy's door.
In Senate halls and island schools,
They lived by "Gaman," broke the rules.
Their march lives on, their truth remains,
In every fight for justice gained.
So let their song rise high and bold —
One Puka Puka, brave and gold.
One Puka Puka leads the way,
Through shadows dark to brighter day.
Their legacy will never fade,
In every step that freedom's made.
Remember Pearl Harbor, they made their stand,
With courage carved in every land.
One Puka Puka, brave and true,
Fighting for me, fighting for you.
Thank you, Howard, for sharing your love and respect for the 100th in such a precious way. Many at Club 100 were moved to tears by the poetic and soulful lyrical description of the arduous battle that our 100th patriarchs endured in combat and in America’s view of people of Japanese ancestry after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Then, tears of appreciation that the President of venerate JAVA would invest so much time to honor the 100th Infantry Battalion soldiers in such a precious way. It is difficult to describe the overwhelming gratitude felt, hearing the 100th Infantry Battalion validated and recognized by the President of one of the most revered Japanese American Veterans organizations in our country. We are humbled. Mahalo.
“One Puka Puka Leads the Way,” honors the extraordinary courage, sacrifice, and legacy of the 100th Infantry Battalion — a unit formed primarily of Japanese American soldiers from Hawaiʻi during World War II. This battalion was the first Japanese American segregated unit in the U.S. Army, composed almost entirely of "Nisei" (Japanese Americans born to first generation "Issei" immigrant parents), and emerged as one of the most decorated units in American military history. The battalion is known affectionately by its nickname, "One Puka Puka" ("puka" means "hole" in Hawaiian, and the zero resembles a hole).
The song is more than a tribute — it is a lyrical chronicle of identity, duty, and unwavering loyalty. At the time of the Pearl Harbor attack in December 1941, many of the men who would become part of the 100th Infantry Battalion had already been drafted and were serving in the activated Hawai‘i National Guard units, specifically the 298th and 299th Infantry Regiments under U.S. Army command in Hawai‘i. The Americans of Japanese ancestry (AJA) continued to serve in these units until May 1942, when they were segregated into a separate battalion, leaving the islands in secrecy on June 5, 1942. Named the "100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)," the men underwent training at Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, and Camp Shelby, Mississippi, before deploying to the European-African-Middle Eastern (EAME) Campaign theater on August 21, 1943.
The 100th headed into combat at Salerno in southern Italy on the night of September 26, 1943. On September 29, the unit engaged in active combat for the first time, and the men were hit hard when the first in the unit was killed in action — SGT Shigeo Joseph "Joe" Takata. The high rate of casualties the 100th Infantry Battalion (Sep) suffered during its first five months in combat, including the Battle of Monte Cassino, would earn it the moniker of “The Purple Heart Battalion."
Through the battle-scarred hills and flats of Italy and France, the lyrics carry listeners through the emotional and physical journey of these soldiers. The song reflects the deep struggle against prejudice that shaped their experience, echoing themes of "gaman" (quiet, steadfast endurance), honor, and the powerful message of “ganbare” (persevere, no matter what) found in letters received by the 100th from their parents. In the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor, these messages from the Issei urged their sons to demonstrate loyalty and fight for America, not Japan.
The lyrics reinforce the battalion’s role as a leader — breaking barriers and proving, through valor, their devotion to the United States even when their loyalty was unjustly questioned. The outstanding training record of the 100th Infantry Battalion (Sep) in 1942, led to the formation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) in 1943. The valor of the 100th in its first weeks of fighting in Italy, convinced the War Department that American soldiers of Japanese descent could be trusted in combat, thus clearing the way for the 442nd RCT to join the 100th Inf Bn in Italy, in June 1944. The song reflects not just their contributions during the war, but also the postwar accomplishments of these veterans as they returned home to become leaders in civic life, championing justice and equality.
The men of the 100th Infantry Battalion carried the people of Hawai‘i in their hearts throughout the war, proudly bearing the unit's motto of "Remember Pearl Harbor," and a unit coat of arms inspired by the Hawai‘i National Guard units they once served in. The men embodied the concept of "inclusion" and spirit of unity, present in their homeland of Hawaii, that embraced all people regardless of color. The 100th Infantry Battalion, though composed primarily of AJA, was led by a Caucasian commander, Lt. Col. Farrant Turner, who deeply loved and respected his men, handpicking his Caucasian officers to build a strong, unified team. The unit also included a few Native Hawaiian, Korean, and other soldiers of mixed or no Japanese ancestry, who joined the unit at the time of its formation, because of the powerful bonds they shared.
Although the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) soldiers led the way, they must have sighed in relief, that the blood of the 100th spilled from death and wounds were not shed in vain. The young men of the 442nd RCT would “carry on” the mission that the 100th started. The 100th arrived in Salerno, Italy on September 22, 1943, with 1,300 men. After fiercely fighting the Nazi with superior positions on the hills, by the end of February 1944, just 5 months later, the unit was down to 460 men able to fight. On August 10, 1944, the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) was redesignated as the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry, serving as the 442nd's 1st Battalion, but allowed to keep the "100th Battalion" name due to its stellar training and combat record. The 100th Inf Bn and 442nd RCT would become the most decorated in U.S. military history for its size and length of service.
Our patriarchs were brothers in battle, and we are now brothers and sisters to share the legacy and values they left with us. With AJA veterans organizations and the community “locking arms," we work together as stewards of the nisei warriors’ legacy. We pledge that no one will ever erase from history what these great Americans did for Hawaiʻi, America and the world.
With solemn respect and poetic grace, “One Puka Puka Leads the Way” stands as a musical tribute to a group of Americans who changed the course of history — fighting not only for victory abroad, but for dignity and recognition at home. . Mahalo with revered gratitude to President Howard High of JAVA, for the musical tribute.
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