Spark Matsunaga in combat on Hill 600

Born and raised on Kauai, former U.S. Congressman and Sen. Spark Masayuki Matsunaga (1916-1990) graduated from the University of Hawaii in June, 1941, and was commissioned 2nd Lt. in the Army Reserve.

During World War II, “Sparky” served in combat in Italy with the Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, nicknamed “One Puka Puka” by its soldiers, which was comprised almost entirely of Nisei Japanese-Americans from Hawaii.

His decorations included two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for exemplary conduct in ground combat.

On Nov. 5, 1943, the 100th Battalion attacked German positions occupying the heights of hills 590, 600 and 610 above the village of Pozzilli, south of Cassino.

Company D commanding officer Capt. Jack Mizuha, along with the battalion command group and part of his company, advanced about three-quarters of the way up Hill 600.  

Then 1st Lt. Matsunaga and the rest of Company D at the bottom of the hill, while being guided through a minefield by a mysterious volunteer AWOL paratrooper named Pvt. Thompson, proceeded to join up with Mizuha.

On the hike uphill, Thompson was blown to bits by a mine and several of Sparky’s men were lost to mine explosions. Sparky was also wounded in the neck by an explosion that mortally wounded his radioman, Yasuo Kawano, and blinded Yoshinao Omiya.

An hour later, Sparky was badly wounded in the leg when someone tripped another mine.

He was carried off Hill 600, given medical treatment at Pozzilli and sent to a hospital in Naples.

After being released from the hospital in April 1944, Sparky, by then unfit for combat, served with the 7th Replacement Battalion.  

Later, from October 1944 to June 1945, he commanded Company I at the Military Intelligence Service Language School, Fort Snelling, Minn.

Cpt. Matsunaga was honorably discharged on Dec. 27, 1945.