COMBAT CHAPLAIN: THE PERSONAL STORY OF THE WORLD WAR II CHAPLAIN OF THE JAPANESE-AMERICAN 100TH BATTALION; BY ISRAEL A.S. YOST; EDITED BY MONICA E. YOST AND MICHAEL MARKRICH; UH PRESS, PAPERBACK, $24.95

When a Lutheran minister from Pennsylvania became chaplain of the "One Puka Puka" during World War II, he was challenged with shepherding a unique assembly of men. Not only were most of them highly intelligent college graduates, but as Yost explains, "all but a handful of the enlisted men and noncommissioned officers were from the Hawaiian Islands, as were most of the commissioned officers, both Caucasians and AJAs (Americans of Japanese Ancestry)." Members of the 100th Battalion included Hawai'i dentist Katsumi Kometani, former state Supreme Court Justice Jack Mizuha and state librarian Kent Nakamura.

Like so many others, Yost was forced to confront his assumptions about Japanese-Americans, as well as determine how to be a spiritual guide to a mainly Buddhist population, many of whom were unfamiliar with the Lutheran faith. He met these challenges with characteristic open-mindedness, revealing that he didn't think of his fellow soldiers as Japanese, just as he did not believe they saw him as a haole. His deep camaraderie is expressed early and plainly:

"In less than a month, I felt that I had become an essential part of the One Puka Puka. Already I was intensely proud of being associated with these sunburned soldiers from Hawai'i. Even though I had never visited their sunny isles in the Pacific, I had a feeling for their aloha spirit and their humorous pidgin. I felt that all the people in the United States ought to get to really know and appreciate their history."

First written for his children in 1984 after retiring from the ministry, this edited version of Yost's manuscript, based on journal entries and letters to his wife, Peggy, from 1943 to 1945, also includes supplementary footnotes and an abundant appendix. His narrative follows a primarily chronological timeline from his assignment to the 100th after their first week of battle, through his direct accompaniment during all campaigns in Italy and France, until he was discharged.

A meticulous recounting of events reflects an aim for accuracy: He reports how many times he used the latrine; what he ate, when and how much; and with whom he came in contact, including talk-story sessions with Punahou alumnus Capt. Jack Johnson. Nothing appears to be omitted, apart from editorializing (for instance, he mentions how he addressed a soldier's concern about segregation at a military movie house but doesn't explain his own viewpoint). The sheer amount of detail can be overwhelming and at times difficult to follow, though it presents a clear portrait of a man who followed his conscience and dedicatedly served the living and the dead, even learning French, German and Italian to better serve his men.

Yost's prose is much more authoritative and sophisticated in a few early sections that provide background information, such as his dutiful decision to become a chaplain, his eventual assignment to the battalion, and how the 100th came to be forged amid concerns about men serving for the U.S. who "looked like our Pacific enemies." He expresses himself like an honorary kama'aina, referring to Nisei from Hawai'i as "buddaheads," just as they did, and using the term Caucasians for those from other units but describing those from Hawai'i as "haole."

Peppered throughout are journal entries and letters, providing illustrative examples of his experiences that sometimes allow comparison of two accounts to arrive at a more complete image. Some letters also eventually reveal his opinions about war, as well as America's internment of AJAs. Limited dialogue is a welcome complement to Yost's voice, but only once is the pidgin of his Hawai'i Nisei soldiers revealed, though recollections of their humor and kindness abound. "They are always offering this or that to the chaplain," Yost recalls, adding they're "a good crowd to be around."

As he readily admits, many worked in Yost's same capacity, and countless soldiers served selflessly in the war, but there's no question that the 100th stood out. Captured German soldiers are portrayed as shocked to see Japanese fighting with the Americans, and Nisei as desiring to prove they would "kill Japs," explaining their own quest for vengeance due to the many Japanese-Americans killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yost includes a captivating tale in which their Hilo, Hawai'i-born commanding officer, Col. Farrant "Old Man" Turner, who became the territory's secretary of state, smartly quells suspicion by pointing out that many Caucasian soldiers were offspring of German immigrants.

"Combat Chaplain" not only illuminates Hawai'i soldiers' contributions to the country, but is a timely reminder that stories of the past have important implications today. The circumstances surrounding the 100th's first campaign of the war are strikingly similar to those surrounding the Iraq invasion, and so this story may also provoke a new look at the role of religion in armed conflict, and to perhaps begin to learn from assumptions and mistakes.

Christine Thomas' criticism appears regularly in the San Francisco Chronicle.