Post by VeeVee on Apr 5, 2010 5:41:59 GMT -5
I learned something new...
Originally posted here by gunbarrel with lots of excellent pictures:
www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72174&st=0
sample pictures (click for bigger)
Post by gunbarrel
Kaua'i is the northern-most island of the main Hawaiian Islands. At the beginning of WWII, it was very rural, sparsely populated, and considered a very likely spot for a Japanese invasion force to land. To supplement the defense forces of the island, in March 1942 the Hawaiian Department authorized three battalions of Kauai Volunteers.
This force consisted of four companies per battalion, a service department and three mounted units. Ninety percent of the regiment of 2,500 was Filipino. As it can be seen on these pictures from Google LIFE, these troops were well dressed and well equipped. They were funded locally; for example, in June 1943 the Kauai Post of the American Legion raised over $25,000 for fatigues and shoes, which were very similar to the US Army uniform at the time (notice the unit shoulder patches).
The reason for this post featuring a unique American home guard unit is that the regiment was also authorized to carry the feared Filipino bolo.
A bolo is a large agricultural cutting tool from the Philippines similar to the machete and like the machete, the bolo has also been used for generations as a weapon.
However, unlike machetes which traditionally have been factory-made, authentic bolos are handmade. In the case of the ones used by the Kauai Volunteers, the blades were made from old automobile springs and they sported fancy personalized handles thus no two bolos were alike. Notice on the pictures that even the officers (mostly retired US military men) wore bolos on their belt.
This post is collaboration by Charlie Flick, Frank Trzaska and me. If anyone has more information to add, please, be our guest!
Originally posted here by gunbarrel with lots of excellent pictures:
www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72174&st=0
sample pictures (click for bigger)
Post by gunbarrel
Kaua'i is the northern-most island of the main Hawaiian Islands. At the beginning of WWII, it was very rural, sparsely populated, and considered a very likely spot for a Japanese invasion force to land. To supplement the defense forces of the island, in March 1942 the Hawaiian Department authorized three battalions of Kauai Volunteers.
This force consisted of four companies per battalion, a service department and three mounted units. Ninety percent of the regiment of 2,500 was Filipino. As it can be seen on these pictures from Google LIFE, these troops were well dressed and well equipped. They were funded locally; for example, in June 1943 the Kauai Post of the American Legion raised over $25,000 for fatigues and shoes, which were very similar to the US Army uniform at the time (notice the unit shoulder patches).
The reason for this post featuring a unique American home guard unit is that the regiment was also authorized to carry the feared Filipino bolo.
A bolo is a large agricultural cutting tool from the Philippines similar to the machete and like the machete, the bolo has also been used for generations as a weapon.
However, unlike machetes which traditionally have been factory-made, authentic bolos are handmade. In the case of the ones used by the Kauai Volunteers, the blades were made from old automobile springs and they sported fancy personalized handles thus no two bolos were alike. Notice on the pictures that even the officers (mostly retired US military men) wore bolos on their belt.
This post is collaboration by Charlie Flick, Frank Trzaska and me. If anyone has more information to add, please, be our guest!
