Matsunaga talks about his time overseas and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. At the outset of the regiment, there were many differences between the Hawaiian and mainland soldiers which were put aside after Earl Finch took the Hawaiian soldiers to…
Kojimoto and the interviewers introduce themselves. Kojimoto talks about his parents marriage. He explains the origin of his name. He discusses his father's backstory. He shares his father's employment ventures. He describes his father's name. He…
Kojimoto continues to talk about his extended family. He describes a trip that he took to Los Angeles, California. He discusses his parent's plans after World War Two. He talks about his involvement in high school sports. He describes his…
Kojimoto talks about applying to Southern Pacific Railroad. He describes the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He talks about his friend who was in the intelligence service. He discusses the purpose of the Japanese American Citizens League.…
Kojimoto explains how he met his wife at Santa Anita Assembly Center He describes what he did in his leisure time at Santa Anita Assembly Center. He talks about his employment at Santa Anita. He discusses working and living in Utah. He talks about…
Kojimoto talks about his machine gunner squad. He explains the difficult aspects of using a machine gun. He describes his positive and negative experiences during wartime. He discusses the injuries in his unit. He describes landing in Naples, Italy.…
Kojimoto talks about volunteering to go to Fort Snelling. He discusses his employment at a laundromat. He describes his return to San Francisco, California. He explains how he reunited his future wife. He talks about his employment as an accountant.…
Kodama begins the interview talking about his parents and how they came from Japan and settled down in Mountain View, California. They would become farmers, specializing in fruit, and help to run an on-sen as well. He also talks about his sisters and…
Kodama continues to discuss growing up as a Seventh-Day Adventist, having many restrictions such as not being able to go to football games or movies. After this, he talks about the holidays he grew up celebrating, including New Years and Christmas,…
Kodama discusses the feeling he had that Japanese Americans were limited in their activities during his childhood, including dances and sports. He had hopes of attending UC Berkeley and was originally accepted but was later rejected and would end up…
After the evacuation, Kodama and his family would head to Santa Anita race track where they would spend some time in a temporary detention center, where they would have almost no privacy. It was there, that he would meet his first wife, who taught…
Kodama talks about his shipment overseas following his basic training at Camp Blanding. He would get on a liberty ship and head for Southampton, thinking they would meet up with the 442nd in Belgium, but instead they would join up at Sospel, France.…
Kodama continues talking about the end of the war, helping with the interrogation process of German prisoners of war. He would miss the first pool of soldiers to head home on the points system but be granted a 30-day leave, in which he would travel…
Kunihiro discusses his early years growing up in southern California: Imperial Valley and Sierra Madre. He also talks about his father's immigration to the U.S. and how he became established in farming. Kunihiro shares anecdotes regarding: childhood…
Kunihiro discusses his youth working and attending school in Southern California. He also talks about getting drafted before the Pearl Harbor attack and how the attack impacted his family. He also discusses the different basic training camps he…
Kunihiro discusses his experiences in Europe during World War 2. He talks about how illness with Bronchitis affected him. He shares anecdotes regarding: when he got married, his experiences with Hawaiian Niseis, and battle scenes he witnessed.
Kunihiro talks about his experiences in combat and how he had to be reassigned due to Bronchitis. He shares anecdotes about sight seeing he did in Europe; his experience supervising German and Italian POWs laborers; and his being hospitalized. He…
Kunihiro discusses his post-war life. He talks about returning home to his wife, raising his children, and his career. He also talks about his participation in veteran organizations.
Mitsuo Tominaga begins the interview by recounting his childhood experiences with family and school mates. Next he discusses his American identity growing up in a community that was mostly Caucasian. Lastly he talks about volunteering for the Army…
Mitsuo Tominaga talks about the duties performed while in an infantry regiment prior to WWII. Next he describes the Pearl Harbor attack and what it meant to his unit. Lastly he recounts patrols along the California coast looking for a potential…
Mitsuo Tominaga discusses his feeling about about being reassigned to an all Nisei unit, and their interactions with civilians while in Michigan. Next he describes his unit's time at Fort Shelby conducting weapons training, and the racial conditions…
Mitsuo Tominaga discusses arriving in Italy, and then his unit shipping out to France. Next he recounts his first combat experiences during the time of the Lost Battalion incident, and then suffering a serious noncombat foot injury. Lastly he…
Mitsuo Tominaga begins this interview segment by discussing his transfer to the ordnance unit, the end of the war, and working with German POWs. Next he talks about returning back to the US and his discharge from the Army. Lastly he discusses his…
Mitsuo Tominaga describes his personal feelings about WWII and serving during the war. Next he recounts some post war racial discrimination and meeting family in Japan. Lastly he discusses the immigrant experience in America and the importance of…
This interview segment records color photographs taken of Mitsuo Tominaga's squad during WWII in southern France, and a number of certificates that he possesses.
Fujimoto discusses about how he met his wife and his children. Fujimoto's daughter (Terrie) is interviewed about her father. Fujimoto also give a message to future generations.
Fujimoto gives a brief overview of his life and discusses his family. He details about his life growing up in California. Fujimoto also discusses about his parents experiences with forced removal.
Fujimoto discusses about being drafted, Pearl Harbor, and the aftermath. He discusses about his military training and being transferred to the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Fujimoto also discusses about his experiences in Europe.
Fujimoto discusses about what a medic carried and seeing a friend get shot. He details about why he received the Silver Star and his experiences during the Lost Battalion. Fujimoto discusses about going back to Italy, the war ending, and returning…
Saito talks about his youth in Honolulu circa 1930s. His father was a merchant from Hiroshima; his mother was Nisei with parents from Hiroshima. Saito discusses his youth on Kaheka Lane before modern development and mentions Japanese cultural…
Siato discusses his experience working for Joseph Rider Farrington. He also talks about social stratification in Hawaii pre and post the attack on Pearl Harbor; with an emphasis on the newspaper industry in Honolulu. In addition he shares his…
Saito starts this segment discussing mass media communication differences between two rival newspapers in Honolulu. Saito also discusses his military basic training and how his military assignment changed from rifleman to mail clerk. He talks about…
Saito discusses his experiences on the front lines as a mail clerk. He shares recollections of other 442nd soldiers and describes what it was like for non-combatant soldiers: medics, mail clerk, drivers, etc. He also talks about recreational…
Saito talks about the legacy of the 442nd Regiment; and shares a poem written by social activist Noriko (Sawada) Bridges. He discusses his children and descendants and his life post-war. He also displays some photographs and talks about the photos.
Shintani begins the interview giving an in depth description of his family background. As his father passed away when he was only 1, most of his childhood was impacted by his mother and siblings. Moving from Seattle to Chicago, his mother worked at a…
After graduating from high school, Shintani joined the Army, going to basic training at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. It was here that he saw firsthand, the segregation throughout the South. At the same time, he would see fighting between Hawaiian and…
Shintani speaks about the various weapons that the German soldiers used and more of his combat duties, including the Gothic Line push. Next, he talks about his various combat duties in France, including the rescue of the Lost Battalion. Once the war…
Takashima begins the interview discussing his family background, including how they became farmers in Chula Vista, California. He talks about various parts of his childhood from the small home he grew up in to the celebrations and values that his…
Takashima continues his discussion on self identity during this time, as his family was being held in the camps and he was drafted by the Army. He began his basic training in Alabama where he would train for heavy weaponry, including the antitank…
Takashima talks about his correspondence with his family while he was overseas and finding them once he was back in the United States. After discharge in California, he meets with his brother and begins courses at Los Angeles City College before…
Ikuta talks about growing up in Colorado including discussing his father's Model T car; going to church; his childhood home and friendships; school; and his father's death. He then talks about moving to Japan with his family as a child, returning to…
Ikuta talks about his siblings in Japan during World War Two; discussing his family who moved to Los Angeles with him post-war; talks about corresponding with his mother while she was in Japan; and discusses getting drafted and sent to Jefferson…
Ikuta talks about some of his Army experiences including his serial number, money he made, encounters with Italian civilians, and his assignment delivering rations. He also talks about Army food, his knowledge of Italian phrases, discusses his T/4…
Ikuta talks about his funniest wartime experience at Camp Savage, as well as his worst wartime memory of being taken into protective custody. He then talks about Army friendships; his experiences at the end of the war; returning to the United States…
Ikuta talks about his experiences running marathons, playing sports in high school, and his enthusiasm for wine. He then talks about values he learned growing up, working on a farm during high school, and provides a message to future generations.…
Takahashi discusses about growing up in Washington. He details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Takahashi also discusses volunteering for the Army, experiences during basic training, and going overseas. Takahashi details about his families…
Takahashi discusses about joining up with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy and heading to France. He details about his experiences in France. Takahashi also discusses about the final push in Italy and the end of the war.
Takahashi discusses about his best and worst experiences during the war. He details about his interactions, experiences in France, and in Italy. Takahashi also discusses about how he was treated upon returning home, family, and reentering civilian…
Takahashi discusses the state of the Japanese American community. He details about not getting married and the Korean War. Takahashi also discusses about Civil Rights being violated during World War Two and details about his hope for future…
Norman Ikari begins the interview talking about growing up in Seattle, Washington where he would fish often, and go to a baseball games with his father. Due to the Great Depression, his family would move down to Los Angeles, facing his first bout of…
Ikari continues to talk about his work life before the war, getting his start in chick sexing and discussing the technique to learning whether a baby chick was a male or female at the hatchery. Next, he talks about being at Los Angeles City College…
Ikari discusses where his family ended up after Executive Order 9066 was signed, sent to a mixture of Rohwer, Poston and Manzanar Concentration Camps. While visiting on leave, he would see the barbed wire in certain sections of the camp and the…
Ikari continues talking about his basic training at Camp Shelby, joining E Company and preparing for their shipment overseas. They would ship out from Newport News aboard a liberty ship, gambling, playing cards and listening to music throughout the…
Ikari talks more about being wounded during combat, getting shot in the legs and nearly losing consciousness before getting saved by the medics. He talks about his mentality when being shot in the line of fire and being taken to the aid station. Once…
Before getting discharged from the Army, Ikari was asked to participate in an objective Army program, in which they wanted Nisei soldiers to dress in Japanese uniforms and act as one would in the Japanese Army in order to help train new recruits.…
Ikari discusses the bonds of the Nisei veterans and how combat brought those bonds much closer. After this, he shows off some of his artifacts from the war, including an M1 rifle tool, a travel order and his discharge papers.
Tsukazaki talks about his parents and siblings including discussing their education and employment. He then talks about his childhood and discusses playing baseball and fishing; and talks about his father’s writing hobby and learning Kendo. Next,…
Tsukazaki discusses Hawaiian fish ponds including his family’s fish pond, friendships growing up, his involvement with the Varsity Victory Volunteers(VVV), and his friendship with the YMCA director at University of Hawaii. He then talks about a…
Tsukazaki talks about going to Japanese school, classes he took while at Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), and his assignments while in Orlando for more intelligence school. He then talks about getting married while at Camp…
Tsukazaki describes post-war Japan including talking about visiting Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He then talks about the head of the Varsity Victory Volunteers(VVV) who helped raise scholarship money in Hawaii, his thoughts regarding the attack on Pearl…
Miyake discusses the meaning behind medals. He details about a few Medal of Honor recipients. Miyake also discusses about a few of his experiences in the military.
Miyake talks about his childhood in Venice, California. He shares his memories of World War One. He explains how he got his nickname. He describes his father, mother, and siblings. He talks about his father's profession. Miyake discusses high school.…
Miyake talks about his wife. He describes the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He briefly talks about his military service. He discusses the forced removal of Japanese Americans. Miyake explains how he corresponded with his family while he…
Miyake describes his journey to Europe and landing in Naples, Italy. He talks about joining the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He discusses marching through Europe. He talks about military conflicts in Bruyeres, France. Miyake discusses members of…
Miyake continues to talk about the Champagne Campaign. He discusses Bansai Hill and his second battle. He describes his role in a special task force. Miyake talks about the end of World War Two. He describes his siblings experiences during the war.…
Miyake continues to discuss military reunions. He talks about his friends that died during combat. He continues to discuss his wife and their return to California. He describes his life in Denver, Colorado and how he adjusted to civilian life.…
Hagiwara begins the interview talking about how his parents came from Nagano and Shiga in Japan and both settled down individually in Ketchikan, Alaska. He talks more about his family, such as his family learning how to cook and becoming a baker and…
Hagiwara continues talking about his time growing up in Ketchikan, Alaska. He would take an interest in basketball, and even be able to travel to different areas for competitions. Next, he talks about the population of his neighborhood and the…
Hagiwara continues talking about his experience in the National Guard and the times leading up to Pearl Harbor, as they worried more about Russia invading than Japan. Next, he talks about his whereabouts during the attacks on Pearl Harbor, hearing…
Hagiwara talks more about seeing his parents and gives background on how he met his future wife. While at Fort Sheridan, he would often visit his wife but would get word that he would get transferred. After moving around to a couple of places, he…
Hagiwara discusses his shipment overseas, taking a U-boat through the Strait of Gibraltar and ending in Oran. There, they would train some more and prepare to join the rest of the men in Italy. He also talks a bit about various members of his unit…
Hagiwara talks more about his war experiences, starting with the Bruyeres-Biffontaine area, which included the Lost Battalion campaign. He also talks about the dense forest of the Vosges Mountains and getting into fights when other soldiers used…
Hagiwara discusses his whereabouts during the end of the war, and his route to get back home. He would get on a plane and take a long trip home, stopping along the way in Puerto Rico, then Miami, before taking a train to Chicago where his wife and…
Shimizu discusses about his childhood. He details about his household, self identification, and school years. Shimizu also discusses his life after high school, geopolitics, Pearl Harbor, and its aftermath.
Shimizu discusses about having pride, trying to volunteer , and getting drafted. He details about the aftermath from Pearl Harbor and his experiences from Poston Concentration Camp. Shimizu also discusses about his experiences at Camp Shelby.
Shimizu discusses about the realities of war and experiences in France. He details about close calls. Shimizu also discusses about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Shimizu discusses about Nisei units and the war's end. He details about coming home, meeting his wife, and his life after the war. Shimizu also discusses about his family.
Shimizu discusses about his family. He details about the legacy of the Nisei. Shimizu also discusses about his hope for future generations and barbed wire.
The interview begins with Paul Yamashita talking about his life, growing up in Hakalau Hawaii on a sugarcane plantation. He would attend regular and Japanese school and enjoyed playing games with friends and pounding mochi on New Years. Next, he…
Yamashita talks more about his time at Camp Shelby in Mississippi. There, he see segregation of races for the first time and talks about some of the experiences he had there. He also talks about meeting Earl Finch and how generous he was towards the…
Yamashita discusses the fighting between the Hawaiian and mainland soldiers, until Earl Finch decided to take some of the Hawaiian soldiers to the American concentration camps to show them what the mainland soldiers were going through. After that,…
Yamashita talks more about his war experiences, including going through France, taking heavy casualties and complete darkness in the Vosges Mountains. There, he would see the power of the German snipers and the courage of the non-commissioned…
Yamashita talks about his whereabouts during the end of the war. At the time of the V-J day, he was guarding German prisoners of war in Italy but would get the chance to come home due to the points system. He would ship back to the Hawaii, but would…
Peterson discusses his father and his immigration to the United States from Sweden; talks about his mother; discusses speaking Swedish at home; and discusses his childhood including talking about religion, his community, classmates, and his…
Peterson discusses his experiences training new recruits and as a heavy weapons platoon leader; and describes the duties of H Company as well as the structure of the United States Army. He then talks about his participation in maneuvers; discusses…
Peterson discusses his experiences during the Champagne Campaign; talks about the reputation of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Infantry Division; and discusses returning to the United States because of his parents' car accident. He then…
Takisaki talks about his birthplace. He describes his mother and father's early lives. He explains why his father immigrated to the United States. He discusses his parents marriage. He talks about the Japanese cultural concept of a Mukoyoshi.…
Takisaki talks about separating from his girlfriend. He explains how he met his first wife. He describes his marriage with his first wife. He talks about his children and grandchildren from his first marriage. He briefly discusses his dry cleaning…
