After their success in Italy, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was requested by the 7th Army to go to France where they encountered wet, cold, rugged terrain that was more extreme than they had fought through in the Italian Campaign.
Their bloodiest battle was when they fought through strong German defenses to rescue the so-called Alamo Battalion. Major General Dahlquist was accused of treating the Nisei as cannon fodder to reach those cut off troops, and despite the HEAVY casualties, they rescued their fellow Americans. Today, this painting commemorating the event hangs in the Pentagon.
After their victories in France and receiving replacements for their casualties, the 442nd was called back to Italy to spearhead the final push against the Axis's Gothic Line. They off as the diversionary effort, but when they still managed to defeat a much larger German force, the diversion quicky turned into a attack. Soon, Germans were surrendering in the hundreds and thousands. World War II ended in Italy on May 2, 1945; it ended in Europe six days later.
When the 442nd returned to Italy, its 522nd Field Artillery Battalion was detached and became a roving unit than went on to successfully accomplish 52 separate missions as the Allies moved from France into Germany. They went on to be the only Nisei unit to fight in Germany and liberated one of the Dachau death camp's satellite locations in Bavaria.
On July 15, 1946, at a ceremony in Washington, DC, President Truman personally presented the 442nd with its eighth Presidential Unit Citation.
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