he 442nd Regimental Combat Team is an infantry regiment of the United States Army part of the Army Reserve. The regiment was a fighting unit composed almost entirely of American soldiers of Japanese ancestry who fought in World War II. Most of the families of mainland Japanese Americans were confined to internment camps in the United States interior. Beginning in 1944 the regiment fought primarily in Europe during World War II in particular Italy southern France and Germany. The 442nd Regiment was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of American warfare. The 4000 men who initially made up the unit in April 1943 had to be replaced nearly 2.5 times. In total about 14000 men served earning 9486 Purple Hearts. The unit was awarded eight Presidential Unit Citations (five earned in one month). Twenty-one of its members were awarded Medals of Honor. Its motto was "Go for Broke".