The 442nd Regimental Combat Team is best described as what kind of unit?

• A. A World War II infantry unit composed primarily of Japanese American soldiers
• B. An airborne assault unit
• C. A naval infantry battalion
• D. A tank destroyer battalion

Answer: (A)

This question tests understanding of what the 442nd Regimental Combat Team actually was in World War II: a ground infantry unit formed in the U.S. Army and made up mainly of Japanese American soldiers, many of whom were interned at the time. The term “Regimental Combat Team” signals an infantry-focused unit with attached support elements designed to fight as a single, self-contained force. The 442nd is renowned for its heavy combat in Europe and for its extraordinary record of decoration, reflecting its role as an elite infantry unit. It isn’t an airborne unit, a naval infantry unit, or a tank destroyer battalion, which is why describing it as an infantry unit composed primarily of Japanese American soldiers is the most accurate characterization.