T/5 JAMES K. OKUBO
442nd Infantry Reg.
Foret Domaniale de Champ
Eastern France
28 Oct thru 4 Nov 1944,
The 442nd was engaged in intense combat operations the fall of ’44 and on 28 October, Technician Fifth Grade Okubo, a medic, disregarded unrelenting enemy fire and crawled 150 yards, a distance equal a football field and a half, to within 40 yards of the enemy lines to recover 2 wounded Americans.
Okubo recovered 17 wounded Americans on the 28th, and saved 8 more on the 29th.
On the 4th of Nov. things got intense and Okubo again found himself out in the open and under fire.
He ran forward 75 yards into enemy territory, all the while under heavy enemy grazing fire to evacuate a wounded Tank Crewman from his burning tank.
Okubo then treated and stabilized the wounded man on the spot before carrying him to safety.
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Author’s note:
If you have never known a Combat Medic… they all have one thing in common.
The sound of one of their men crying out the word “DOC”, “Medic” or “Corpsman” makes them go blind to any danger they might be facing. They lose all sense of self-preservation and fear. One thing and only one thing matters… getting their Brother out of the line of fire and to medical care.
Combat Medics are an odd breed and those of us who have seen them in action are humbled and in awe,
Like most Nisei Warriors who fought for the US in WW2, James Okubo’s family were held in internment camps while he served his country.
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