US Army honors Nisei combat unit that helped liberate Tuscany in WWII

Yoko Sakato, left, and Valerie Matsunaga, right, relatives of soldiers who fought in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II, are flanked by U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Michael A. Rosado, at Camp Darby, Tuscany, Italy, July 11, 2024. Valerie Matsunaga, whose father fought in the 442nd Infantry Regiment during World War II, attends a commemoration at the U.S. military base of Camp Darby, Tuscany, central Italy, July 11, 2024.

The U.S. military is celebrating a little-known part of World War II history, honoring the Japanese-American U.S. Army unit that was key to liberating parts of Italy and France even while the troops' relatives were interned at home as enemies of the state following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor.