Pvt. Hideshi Muraoka (1910-1991) of Koloa was the first discharged soldier of the Army’s renowned 100th Infantry Battalion to return home to Kaua‘i during World War II. He arrived to the Garden Isle in June 1944 from combat duty in
Pvt. Hideshi Muraoka (1910-1991) of Koloa was the first discharged soldier of the Army’s renowned 100th Infantry Battalion to return home to Kaua‘i during World War II. He arrived to the Garden Isle in June 1944 from combat duty in Italy.
While taking it easy at home in Koloa following his welcome back by family, friends and relatives, the former private said, “There’s no place like home,” and that it was good being a civilian again.
He’d noticed, too, that Kaua‘i had changed somewhat since he’d been gone — a new bakery had opened in Koloa and several military training camps had been built on the island.
While in Italy, Muraoka participated in three battles — Santa Maria Olivetto, Mt. Marrone and Cassino — as an infantryman, medic and litter bearer.
Among the decorations he’d been awarded were the Bronze Star Medal and the Medical Badge.
He recalled a day on the battlefield when he and seven other litter bearers looking for wounded soldiers were ambushed by German machine gun fire. Luckily, none of them were hit.
Muraoka also said that the German prisoners he saw were not unhappy about being taken captive, as it got them out of the fighting.
He was saddened by the poor living conditions of many Italian civilians and by their shortages of food.
Prior to going into combat, Muraoka, who’d entered the Army in 1941, received military training with the 100th Battalion in Camp McCoy in Wisconsin and at Camp Shelby in Mississippi.
He then spent two months with the 100th Battalion, training on maneuvers in Louisiana before returning the Camp Shelby and then sailing for North Africa.
In September 1943, the 100th went ashore in North Africa and on Sept. 22, 1943 it landed at Salerno, Italy. By the end of September, the 100th was engaged in its first battle.
