Living in Japan participating in a World War II reenactment was one of the last things I’d expect to do, least of all participating in one with a group of dedicated Japanese portraying American Soldiers. But, next month that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

I first came across B Company, 100^th Infantry Battalion / 442^nd Regimental Combat Team Reenactment Group while doing research for an early World War II Philippine Scout uniform I put together for educational presentations. The real-life 442^nd was primarily composed of Nisei (second generation) Japanese-Americans, and the 100^th Battalion in particular came from Hawaii. The 100^th was known as the Purple Heart Battalion and the 442^nd overall is still the most decorated unit in U.S. Army history.

Intrigued that people in Japan would commemorate this group of Soldiers, I contacted them on Facebook and began corresponding with Hide Koda, their Facebook administrator who also, thankfully, speaks English.

These guys aren’t just playing Soldier with a convenient unit that fits their ethnicity, but are dedicated to honoring the memory of the 100^th. Koda explained that while much has been written or told about the 442^nd, the 100^th has rarely gotten the same attention.

The group I’ll be joining has been together for about 17 years and comes together several times a year for reenactment events, such as military vehicle gatherings and mock battles, but also for training. I’ll be joining them for training near Kyoto. At events like these they practice their rifle drills, foxhole digging and the other basic skills necessary for infantry to operate in the field.

To come along, I too have to play a role as well. Not being Japanese, I’m limited to mid-level staff officer, as the leadership was white, or combat camera photographer.

Combat cameramen were part of Signal Photographic Companies, attached to the numbered armies and dispersed in small groups throughout the area of operations. So I won’t be coming as a member of the 100^th, but rather an outsider from the 163^rd SPC. Given that I’m not part of them in real life and I need to take pictures it was the obvious choice.

Research and planning are vital for putting together an “impression,” recreating a service member in World War II. For those joining as 100^th members in the group, there’s a convenient list of what items are needed for portraying the unit at that point in time. Equipment changed through the war and seasonally, so the Soldiers who survived Monte Cassino were outfitted differently than they were when they rescued the “lost battalion” a year later in France.

Researching photographers was hilarious and entertaining as it seems we’ve never changed. We’re still about the least ‘military’ members of the military you’ll meet, specialists who prioritize getting the job done over details like regulations or bearing. They tended to work and act independently in miniature units composed of a jeep with driver, still and motion cameramen.

Unable to obtain a jeep and driver, I guess my impression will be less than perfect but I’ll make do with what I can. Also, since I’m doing this for a story and not as a full-time reenactor, I’m bringing my moderately disguised digital camera as I do not have the time or money to get a real Speed Graphic and learn how to use it.

Choosing the proper ‘paygrade’ for my photographer impression, I went with Technician Fourth Grade, which is the same as a sergeant but without the authority. During the war, the army had a system of ‘technician’ paygrades that ran parallel to standard paygrades for men with specialized skills, like photographers. Usually referred to by the standard rank name, they were promoted for their skills and not their leadership, hence the distinction. Most Army photographers I’ve seen identified by rank were mid-level technicians.

A wool shirt and Parsons jacket with Technician 4th Class rank and U.S. Fifth Army patches. The Fifth Army patch mosque design was derived from it’s fighting in North Africa. Note the the “T” on the rank denoting the wearer is a technician and not a regular sergeant.

Researching the uniform and equipment was tricky because it came down to finding photos of photographers (please see above statement about three man units to understand why this is difficult) but I found a few from Italy and some documentaries to help me out. The biggest part of this was figuring out what they were armed with and which pack system they used- the standard enlisted man’s M1928 haversack or the officer’s Musette bag. From what I’ve seen it looks like most carried the M1911A1 pistol and carried a Musette, which makes sense as they weren’t marching infantry.

That’s layer one of research: the unit and figuring out what to carry. The second layer is the devil in the details, the gear itself. This is both the purchasing and scrutinizing of gear to purchase.

Some advice for crashing through this part of preparing for a reenactment- take your time researching mundane items, which honestly is part of the fun if you’re like me and think that learning the difference in Army mess gear from World War I to World War II and how to tell it from post-War versions is interesting. Now apply that to every other little bit of kit you may have to handle.

The reason I like doing this is because it forces me to learn and understand things about the war I would have otherwise not. Most of it is small and fairly irrelevant, but it helps better understand the life of Soldier and what they had to make do with. The leftovers from World War I still being issued more than two decades later, new gear rushed into theater that’s probably good, the arbitrary changes in what goes on a dog tag… you get the idea. It’s the details in how they defeated the Axis.

Also, my wife never wants to see me wear that gas mask again. It’s creepy and depressing.

When buying original gear or accurate reproductions, either way it can be expensive. It’s funny how items once cheaply mass-produced are now practically hand-made custom orders.

Before purchasing I checked out several online reenactment supplier sites, eBay and reenactment group pages for advice. Take it with a grain of salt and a margarita rim for said salt, but there’s things to learn that can save money. For example, some original items, like M1918 canteens, are cheaper on eBay than modern reproduction M1942 canteens. It’s just as useful, cheaper and has history. What more could you want?

My Great War-era mess kit that was still standard issue at the outbreak of World War II. The M1918 canteen with cup, M1918 “meat can,” and M1910 utensils are all about a century old. The leather sheaths and P-38 can opener are reproductions.

Cost is where planning pays off again. Planning months out from an event gives time to piece together what you need in a way that won’t break the bank. Due to the previously mentioned wife I will not be divulging… expenses related to this hobby. It’s best we not dwell on it.

I think there’s some appreciation to be gained from walking in someone else’s antiquated boots and humping his pack. I’m not saying it’s remotely the same as having lived in that time period; it’s not, but carrying a loaded pack with next to no space for personal effects, the strangeness of wearing a utility belt like a real life Batman and the awkward weight of a helmet with a simplistic support system can help understand a bit about how people lived.

I went to Iraq in 2008, wore an Army uniform and carried Army gear. The uniform is much lighter, the helmet isn’t pleasant, but not as wobbly as the M1, body armor… it’s a different kit for a different war. That said, the pistol on my hip made me feel like a cowboy and helped me understand why they walked like they did.

Either way, it’s all part of the experience and I look forward to my weekend with the B Company guys in a few weeks.

The complete Soldier’s kit on display. Note, the pistol is a borrowed non-firing replica as real guns are illegal in Japan. That’s why they have the realest fake guns on Earth.

A photo of my wife and dog tags on an M1940 chain, both reproductions. The dog tags are the “1st type,” with name, service number, blood type next of kin and address. To keep it interesting the fictional service number denotes I enlisted in California, I use my wife as my next of kin, though California’s anti-miscegenation laws would prevent such a union at the time, and finally my address is 1727 McCadden Place in Los Angeles- the original Don the Beachcomber’s. This was the first tiki bar. Also, many a Filipino service member who’d previously worked there maintained it as their place of residence while deployed so it probably did show up on a few dog tags in real life too.