Logline & Synopsis

Act 1 begins inside a Japanese “Zero” cockpit on December 7, 1941, flying in formation low over the ocean, then over the Island of Oʻahu on the way to Pearl Harbor. From below, a group of US Army soldiers are shocked to see large red Japan insignias on fuselages passing by. Concern washes over their faces, indicating the beginnings of grappling with their being part of an army that may come to distrust them. Uncertainty looms as they question what the future holds.

Their concern mounts as they are segregated as an AJA-only battalion dubbed the Hawaiian Provisional Infantry Battalion, who under the cover of night, are sent by ship to Oakland, California where they are redesignated the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), then moved by train to Camp McCoy, Wisconsin to endured rigorous training and surveillance by military command seeking to assess their potential for disloyalty, and later to Camp Shelby, Mississippi for advanced training. Having passed rigorous training tests, they are made ready to ship out and line up in company formation. A Map of North Africa (Oran), Italy and France superimposes over the formation to indicate their destination.

The scene transitions to a present-day event in an airplane hangar, where the Map of Italy and France is revealed to be a large floor graphic. An officer speaks at a podium, delivering opening remarks on the sacrifices of the 100th and 442nd. A Three Volley Salute is executed from the tarmac, just outside the hangar doors, followed by a loud flyover and a bugled “Taps.” Descendants of 100th and 442nd veterans then begin walking the Map to place medallions of their respective loved ones, starting with representatives of Sergeant Shigeo “Joe” Takata, the first member of the 100th Infantry Battalion to die in Italy. Others follow to mark contributions along the journey of the 100th/442nd through the campaign. Each medallion is personalized with the soldier’s name, unit, and honors including Purple Heart(s), killed in action (KIA) and died of wounds received in action (DWRIA). The hangar event also serves as a primary interview location (with the Map defocused in the far background), the first interviews being about events in Salerno, Italy where the 100th Battalion first landed.

Act 2 transitions to a modern-day tour that begins in Salerno and follows the 100th Battalion’s path through Italy and France, highlighting key sites along the journey including the brutal “Battle of Rapido,” to the fierce standoff at Monte Cassino (where the 100th became known as “The Purple Heart Battalion”), to joining with the 442nd to move on through Italy and France to fight in the daring rescue of the “Lost Battalion” in France, to the “Champagne Campaign” in France, and finally to the battle of Aulla, Italy where on April 25, 1945, 100th/442nd soldiers and the Italian Resistance fought side-by-side on the Gothic Line to win freedom on the final day of WW2 battles.

A digital version of the Map recurs throughout Act 2, adding 100th/442nd group recognitions such as “The Purple Heart Battalion,” “Lost Battalion,” Congressional Gold Medal, Distinguished Service Cross and Presidential Unit Citations as well as additional Purple Heart, KIA and DWRIA medallions, and other soldier and civilian losses.

Each stop along the tour features present-day explorations lead by questor Steve Sue (“Shaka Steve” from the film, Shaka, A Story of Aloha) who explores the history of battle locations, collects wartime stories from locals, and introduces stories of 100th veterans’ global post-war achievements to locals – introductions that segue to interview and archival content that bring to life 100th Infantry Battalion veterans’ 80+ years of legacy works. Such post-war legacy stories include the 1948 “Pigs from the Sea” famine relief program to Okinawa, facilitating Japanʻs 1952 re-entry into the Olympics, the creation of the 100th Infantry Battalion Veterans (aka Club 100), helping to create Hawaiʻi Statehood, creating businesses to help AJA citizens, and other contributions around the world. Each town visited also centers on a single positive trait or value such as Giri (duty, obligation, responsibility), Ganbari (do your best), Ganbatte (perseverance), Gaman (endurance), Club 100ʻs motto “For Continuing Service” and Aloha to create teaching moments for educational use.

In Act 3, the viewer’s perspective on the Map zooms up to a stratospheric altitude to see a global tally of over 60 million military and civilian deaths, punctuating the staggering scale of World War II losses. Then, in stark contrast, final layers overwrite the Map, beginning with 100th monument locations with pics, then regional areas positively affected by the legacy stories from Act 2, all of which transform the Map into a rainbow of positivity rising from the ashes of war.

The final scene is a celebratory outdoor gathering around a vineyard table in Aulla, Italy where Italians, French, Germans and Americans share food, wine and song — near the site of the last battle. The scene makes the concepts of forgiving, Aloha, love and ohana (family) visible. The 100TH is more than just a tale of war. It is a call to honor the heroism of 100th Infantry Battalion veterans, appreciate the 80+ years of positive legacy they’ve built, celebrate the global ohana (family) they helped create, and inspire viewers to carry forward a mission of building a global paradise for all.

End Credits include an In Memory section to honor deceased interviewees, behind-the-scenes in-the-making clips and bloopers, and Hawaiʻi gifts given to locations visited to commemorate peace, hope, connection and the Spirit of Aloha.