442nd Regimental Combat Team Memorial

«Go For Broke»
It was a time before Netflix, before DVDs, before Blockbuster Video, VHS tapes, before cable TV, and for me, before color TV. It was a time when regularly scheduled movie shows were a staple of late night TV programming.
Growing up in NYC during the 60’s, I remember a popular Saturday night movie program that always seemed to feature war movies. One movie I really liked and always remembered was called «Go For Broke».
It was about Japanese-​American soldiers, the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team, who distinguished themselves in combat throughout Italy, France and Germany during World War II. Remember Hawaiian Senator Daniel K. Inouye from the Watergate Committee? He served with the 442^nd.
While many of their families were in American internment camps, faced with suspicion by the army, the 442^nd fought with bravery and valor, earning over 18,000 awards, including 9,500 Purple Hearts. According to Wikipedia, «the 442^nd is «the most decorated unit in U.S. military history».
Their motto, «Go for Broke», became the title of the movie I saw as a child.
Which brings me to this memorial that honors the 442^nd. It’s located in Central Park near the entrance to the Tea Garden. You’ll see a marble plaque attached to a stone boulder. It’s simple inscription reads:
In Memory of the
442^nd
Japanese American
Combat Team
And their Families
«Go For Broke»