Henry Kondo Collection

Dublin Core

Title

Henry Kondo Collection

Creator

Kondo, Henry: author

Description

Henry Kondo, a native of Pasadena, Califonia, was born in 1921 to Yasaku and Kiyome Kondo. He completed two years at the University of Southern California studying pharmacy when World War II broke out. He and his family were forcibly removed into Tulare Temporary Detention Facility. Kondo volunteered for the army in 1943, where he served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He was killed in action on October 19, 1944 during the Battle of Bruyeres.

This collection includes letters written by Henry Kondo to his sister Misa (Kondo) Hoshino in 1944 while he was overseas in the European Theater, as well as various photographs from the pre-war period of Kondo and his family, and of Kondo during his military service.

Type

Manuscript Collection

Extent

31 items

Source

Go For Broke National Education Center

Identifier

2015.020

Items in the Henry Kondo Collection Collection

Nisei girl with dog outside of a ranch home in Fillmore, August 6, 1937
Captioned "Visiting a ranch home. Fillmore- August 6, 1937." Nisei girl standing with her hand in her pocket. She is standing next to a dog outside of a ranch home.

Henry Kondo and sister
Young Henry Kondo (left) with sister, who is wearing a dress. They are standing under a tree.

Nisei girl holding a puppy
1936. Nisei girl holding a puppy outside of a garage.

Two Nisei girls laying on the sand at the beach
Two Nisei girls, one wearing glasses and the other with curls in her hair, laying on the sand at the beach.

Nisei girl outside of house
Nisei girl standing with her hands on her hips. She is standing next to the plants on the side of her house.

Nisei girl in baseball attire
Captioned "Baseball practice." Nisei girl dressed in baseball attire standing bent over with hands on her knees in front of shrubbery.

Kondo children at Mount Wilson
Captioned "Taken at Mt. Wilson." Henry Kondo with his three siblings at Mount Wilson. They are standing in front of a large tree overlooking the hills.

Three Nisei girls sitting on a rock at White Point Beach, California
Captioned "Smiling through. Taken at White Point." Three Nisei girls dressed in dresses and overcoats sitting on a rock.

Misa Kondo and father, January 8, 1939
Dated January 8, 1939. Captioned "Dad and Misa, taken in front." Photo of Henry Kondo's father and sister, Misa, taken in front of parent's florist shop.

Nisei sister and brother at "Echo Peak" at Mount Wilson
Nisei girl standing on a rock next to her brother. Photo taken at "Echo Peak" at Mt. Wilson.

Nisei woman sitting on a log overlooking "Echo Peak" at Mount Wilson
"Echo Peak" Mt. Wilson. Nisei girl sitting on a log overlooking Echo Peak.

Kondo family in front of telescope at Mount Wilson, October 10, 1937
"Mt. Wilson, Oct. 10, 1937. In front of 16 inch telescope." Two Nisei boys and one Nisei girl standing in front of the Mt. Wilson telescope.

Henry Kondo with two military personnel aboard a ship
Henry Kondo (right) pictured standing with Mr. Higuchi (left) and Mr. Metoki (middle) on deck of a ship.

Two elderly women wearing overcoats
1981 Mother's Day. Two elderly Japanese women wearing overcoats and glasses. Both women are wearing flowers pinned to their coat.

Nisei mother and daughter
Little Japanese American girl in a dress is sitting in her mother's lap. They are both sitting on the grass next to their house.

Henry Kondo in military uniform
Image of Henry Kondo in military uniform standing in front of barrack. Includes handwritten note from Kondo to his sister, Misa Hoshino: "Dearest Misa, Love, Hank."

Newspaper article "First Pasadena Nisei Killed in Action Against Nazis"
This newspaper article reports the death of Henry Kondo, who was believed to be the first Pasadena resident killed in action in the European Theater during World War II. The article reports about Kondo's parents, about he and his family's forced…

Letter from Frank Morimoto, Technical Sergeant, United States Army, to Mrs. Yuri Morimoto, March 16, 1945
Morimoto writes to his wife, Yuri Morimoto, while waiting to be reassigned from the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He hopes that she will receive the package that he sent to her soon, and writes that he misses her and Melinda.

Letter from Frank Morimoto, Technical Sergeant, United States Army, to Mr. and Mrs. Hal Hoshino, September 13, 1944
Morimoto writes to Hal and Misa Hoshino while stationed in Italy. He writes about how he has never written so many letters in his life, how he hopes to see Henry Kondo (Misa's brother) while stationed overseas, and about the food he has been eating…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, August 23, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister from his foxhole on the front lines. He writes about the constant shelling from the Germans, and about the tree bursts caused from the artillery explosions.

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, August 21, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister from the front lines about the German artillery and mortal shells landing near his foxhole. He writes about the weather and about eating the local fruits and vegetables that are conveniently located near his foxhole.

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, August 10, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister thanking her for remembering his birthday and for sending a pack of cigarettes. He writes that he will send her gifts from Rome the next time he goes there on pass, about the birthday party that the boys threw him the night…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, July 31, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister about receiving a letter from her husband, Hal Hoshino, while she was away in Salt Lake City. He writes about his physical well-being and that of his friends who are overseas with him. He also writes about the 100th…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, July 30, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister about the memorial service that was held for those who were recently killed in action. He describes the meal he ate that day, which consisted of "roast turkey, fried rice, gravy, canned peaches, and lemonade," and expresses…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, July 28, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister, Misa, while on a break from the fighting on the front lines. He writes about being reviewed by King George and General Mark Clark, and enjoying the evening entertainment every night.

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, July 15, 1944
Kondo writes to his brother-in-law, Hal Hoshino about his experience fighting on the front lines against German artillery forces. He hopes that Hal does not have to go to war and describes his own experience of war to be "pretty close to hell."

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, July 7, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister about receiving her v-mail letter and expresses excitement about her trip to Salt Lake City. He hopes that the boys back home do not have to be enlisted into the war. He also writes about his experience surviving a raid of…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, June 10, 1944
Kondo writes about missing his family, and about his daily routine overseas in Italy, which include eating many fruits that are sold to them by the Italian natives, and venturing into town.

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, May 31, 1944
Kondo writes to his sister about receiving her previous letters, and about his siblings going back to the incarceration camp to be with their parents. He writes about his experiences in Italy, describing the barter system of using cigarettes instead…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mrs. Misa Hoshino, May 30, 1944
Kondo writes about finally landing at his assigned overseas destination. He writes about his trip overseas, describing the places they saw along the way; about receiving his sister's letter the day before; about an air raid that took place the night…

Letter from Henry Kondo, Private, United States Army, to Mr. and Mrs. Hal Hoshino
Kondo addresses this letter to his sister Misa and her husband, Hal Hoshino. He writes about how much he enjoyed his journey aboard a ship, and requests that their family continue to write to him.

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