The 100th Infantry Battalion was a segregated fighting unit composed almost entirely of second-generation American soldiers of Japanese ancestry (Nisei). Hawai‘i’s One Puka Puka (100th) boys overcame many obstacles and, with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT), became the most decorated unit in US military history. But after over 80 years, the legacy of these Nisei soldiers seems to be fading.
In response, Hawai‘i State Department of Education (DOE) Superintendent Keith Hayashi and educators, in collaboration with the Hawai‘i State DOE and the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans’ board, will introduce students to the history, values and enduring impact of the battalion through embedded lessons that will educate students about their sacrifices.
Beginning in 2026, the lessons will be piloted at James Campbell, Kalani, Maui and Mililani High Schools for 9th and 10th graders. The intent of the pilot is to refine and then share the lesson plan with all public high schools in the state. The coursework will be incorporated into existing US and modern Hawai‘i history curricula instead of being presented in a standalone class to give more students the opportunity to learn how the values of courage, service and community continue to shape Hawai‘i.
“It’s important for our keiki to know where they are going, important to know who came before them and the sacrifices that were made so that they can enjoy the freedoms and democracy that we have today,” Superintendent Hayashi says.
In the classes, students will identify a problem facing Hawai‘i, study the values that guided the soldiers of the 100th and create community service projects of their own so they can leave their own lasting mark—a legacy handed down to students from 100th and 442nd kūpuna.
100th INFANTRY BATTALION VETERANS (nonprofit)
520 Kamoku St., Honolulu, HI 96826
info@100thbattalion.org | 808-946-0272
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