Yuki discusses his family and growing up in Los Angeles. He details about religion, schooling, some of the activities he did growing up. Yuki also discusses about high school and working after graduating high school.
Yuki discusses after December 7, 1941 and its aftermath. He details about getting married. Yuki also discusses about his experiences at Santa Anita Temporary Detention Center and Granada (Amache) Concentration Camp. Yuki details about being drafted…
Yuki discusses about being sent Manila and his experiences while there. He details about his duties and experiences while in Japan. Yuki also discusses about coming back home and raising a family.
Yuki discusses his son who died in the Vietnam War. He details about his children and grandchildren. Yuki also discusses about his life retirement and gives a message to future generations.
Ikemoto discusses his whereabouts during the end of the war; talks about volunteering to go to Japan post V-J Day; and discusses his experiences at Military Intelligence Language School (MISLS). He then talks about traveling to Japan via a troop…
Ikemoto discusses the military service of a Japanese colonel; talks about his interrogations and discussions with Japanese officers; and tells a story regarding a Japanese officer who visited the United States. He then talks about his interactions…
Takeuchi discusses about his family and his childhood. He details about Pearl Harbor, its aftermath, being drafted, and basic training. Takeuchi also discusses about his experiences at Fort Snelling, his experiences in occupied Japan, and his…
Horikawa discusses growing up in the Seattle area; talks about attending school; and discusses the Japanese American community including the employment of Issei at fishing canneries in Alaska. He then talks about his father including discussing his…
Horikawa discusses his father's life in Japan; his parents marriage; and his father's employment at a hardware store and as an inventor. He then talks about some of the inventions his father created; discusses his family's religion and attending…
Horikawa discusses his mother's death; and talks about his forced removal to Pinedale temporary detention facility where he assisted with set up prior to other incarcerees' arrival. He then talks about his forced removal to Tule Lake incarceration…
Horikawa talks about his first experiences in Europe which involved first landing in Scotland and then traveling to France to join up with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He then talks about the Lost Battalion; and provides some thoughts about…
Horikawa talks about his combat experiences in Livorno; discuses the capture of Italian POWs; and talks about his hospital stay after getting wounded in Bologna, Italy which earned him his second Purple Heart. He then talks about receiving a Bronze…
Horikawa discusses majoring in art at the University of Washington; teaching high school art; meeting his wife; and provides a message to future generations.
Mayeda discusses about his family and his parents immigration. He details about his childhood and life on the farm. Mayeda also discusses about his schooling.
Mayeda discusses about his schooling, childhood home, and community. He details about his childhood, family, and the events prior and after Pearl Harbor. Mayeda also discusses about forced removal and his children.
Mayeda discusses about his experiences at Santa Anita Detention Center. He details about his experiences in Jerome Concentration Camp, getting drafted, and basic training. Mayeda also discusses about joining the the Military Intelligence Service…
Mayeda discusses about his experiences in post-war Japan. He details about his involvement in veteran's organizations and the community. Mayeda also discusses about his post-war life and gives a message to future generations.
Hiroshi Yafuso talks about Japanese farming in Hakalau. He also discusses his experiences in Japanese school and church. Yafuso talks about the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He goes on to reveal how he was drafted and how he ended up in…
Hiroshi Yafuso talks about the end of World War Two. He went on to talk about attending trade school, so he could learn how to repair radios. Yafuso explains how he started a technology repair store in Hilo. He also describes how Tsunamis impacted…
Hiroshi Yafuso talks about life as a repairman. He also discusses what he did as a child in his leisure time. He describes what life was like in Hakalau for Japanese farming families like his family. He briefly talks about his high school experiences…
Hiroshi Yafuso talks about being inducted into the Army and his overall experiences while in the military. Yafuso discusses his military decorations, post military life, and family. He briefly talks about his translation work and his siblings.
Yoshimoto discusses his childhood and what it was like growing up in Seattle, Washington. He discusses he experience being drafted into the Army. Yoshimoto also discusses his family.
Yoshimoto discusses the effects that Pearl Harbor had on him and his family. He also discusses about his time spent in the Army Air Corps before being reassigned. Yoshimoto details about the time he visited Minidoka.
Yoshimoto discusses how he ended up joining the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He also details he experiences in MIS before heading to Japan. Yoshimoto discusses his voyage to and arrival in Japan.
Yoshimoto discusses about his time in Japan during the occupation. He also details about meeting Tojo Hideki. Yoshimoto discusses his life once he was discharged from the Army.
Sameshima discusses about the end of World War Two and arriving in Japan. He details about how he helped and his interactions with Japanese citizens during the occupation of Japan. Sameshima also discusses his experiences in the war crime trials.
Hitoshi G. Sameshima is born April 13, 1921, in Pasadena, CA. His parents are from the southern part of Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Hitoshi grows up in Pasadena, where his parents operate a laundry business until wartime. Hitoshi has three…
Sameshima discusses about the about the war crime trials. He details about different areas and changes he noticed during the occupation of Japan. Sameshima also discusses about meeting his wife and what made the occupation of Japan successful.
Growing up in Pasadena, CA, Hitoshi G. Sameshima's favorite event is the Rose Parade. He recalls attending the Rose Parade at age four and has attended every year.
As a child, Hitoshi's knowledge of Japan is shaped by his parents and Japanese…
Hitoshi G. Sameshima recalls going to Gila in the first part of September. He says the first place you go when you enter camp is the employment office. Hitoshi recalls his interview with Kimiko Murakami. Hitoshi is assigned to be an interviewer since…
Hitoshi G. Sameshima discusses his training to be an interrogator at Fort Snelling. After completing his training, he goes to Fort Spellman and goes overseas to the Philippines. Hitoshi stays in Manila and Luzon to interview the Prisoners of War for…
Hitoshi G. Sameshima recalls going to Japan for occupation. He describes the cities destruction from the atomic bomb. When Hitoshi arrives at the NYK Building, his first assignment is to take a group to the Red Cross warehouse and guard the…
Hitoshi G. Sameshima describes the process of the war crime trials in Japan. Hitoshi feels the good interpreters are the ones who have been to college in Japan and the United States. Some interpreters and instructors are Kibei. Hitoshi recalls a…
After the occupation of Japan, Hitoshi G. Sameshima stays for several more years. He sees the reconstruction of Japan and describes the progress. Hitoshi says General MacArthur and the US military plays a big part in the rebuilding after the war.…
Post-war, Hitoshi G. Sameshima is active in the community giving back to others. He discusses how he gets in evolved with the Japanese American National Museum (JANM).
Thanks to the Nisei contribution to World War Two, future generations will…
Nakamura begins the interview with an introduction, talking about what it was like to grow up in Hawaii, attending McKinley High School and Japanese language school while his father was a fisherman from Hiroshima and his mother came from Fukuoka. He…
Nakamura discusses life in Hawaii during the war time, including martial law and heavy food rations. He talks about the various restrictions that the civilians had, and the few things that they would do for fun, such as going to the movies. He then…
Nakamura would get drafted into the Army and be assigned to the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) at Schofield Barracks. They would head first to San Francisco, then get on a train leading to Fort McClellan in Alabama to begin boot camp. While in…
Nakamura talks about his finishing with Japanese language courses in Monterey and his quick furlough in Hawaii to spend some time with his family and prepare to go overseas. He would head overseas, stopping in multiple countries en route to Yokohama.…
Nakamura discusses his involvement with the war crimes trials, first in Australia, where he would interrogate the prisoners of war in Sugamo prison, then to Tokyo for the Class B trials. After these, he would work as a translator for prisoners of war…
Following the Korean War, Nakamura would return to Japan for a short time before returning to the United States. He would first head to Los Angeles to complete his college degree and begin his career. He talks about working for Chevrolet on the…
Taniguchi describes his parent’s backstories. He talks about his early life in California. He describes his father’s physical features and his mother’s personality. He discusses his siblings. Taniguchi describes his experiences in Japanese language…
Taniguchi continues to talk about his community in Cortez, California. He briefly explains Kendo martial arts. He discusses day trips that he took with his father. He describes the Attack on Pearl Harbor and Executive Order 9066. Taniguchi reveals…
Taniguchi describes the physical features of his community in Cortez, California. He talks about his stay in the Merced Temporary Detention Facility He also discusses his experiences in the Granada (Amache) Concentration Camp. Taniguchi describes…
Taniguchi expresses his feelings about having to take a loyalty questionnaire. He explains the draft and induction process. He briefly talks about volunteering for Army service. He shares his knowledge of the 100th Infantry Battalion. He discusses…
Taniguchi revisits his experiences in the Amache Concentration Camp. He talks about the translation work that he did in Japan. He explains how the younger generation differs from his generation. Taniguchi describes how he met his wife. He talks about…
Minato discusses his prefecture origin and familial description. Minato grows up in Seattle and attends school there. He recalls December 7 and his Father being taken be the FBI. Minato is drafted while his family goes to Minidoka. He also recalls…
Minato discusses basic training and discharge. After his discharge he meets his wife and gets married. They have children and grandchildren. Minato shares his wartime experience. During Japanese Language School he discloses his memorable moments at…
Isamu "Sam" Saito was born on April 27, 1925, in Seattle, Washington. His parents are from Japan and immigrated to the United States for a better opportunity. Sam's parents are instrumental in shaping him in his informal years of education.
Isamu "Sam" Saito recalls his school years. At school, the students are primarily Japanese Americans. The teachers had a hard time pronouncing the Japanese names. Therefore, many of the Japanese American students used English names for the benefit of…
Isamu "Sam" Saito discusses his friends' and parents' reactions after Pearl Harbor. One evening after the attack, Sam's parents burned items connected with Japan.
When Executive Order 9066 (EO9066) was announced, Sam's family prepared for…
Isamu "Sam" Saito describes life in the camp. Minidoka was the third-largest in Idaho, with approximately 12,000 Japanese American internees. Inside the camp, the people developed a police station, fire station, hospital, and administration.…
After Camp Shelby, Isamu "Sam" Saito went to Fort Snelling. There were approximately 2,000 soldiers at Fort Snelling training to go overseas. The curriculum focused on reading and writing. Sam discusses his daily schedule at the Japanese school.
…
During the Occupation of Japan, Isamu "Sam" Saito got an opportunity to travel around Japan. He recalls visiting Osaka, and the locals have their dialect. Luckily, his cousin from Yokohama helps translate for him.
Oka discusses living in pre-war Japan. He details about his duties while in the Philippines and arriving in Japan. Oka also discusses his duties while in Japan and his interactions with Japanese citizens.
Oka discusses what it was like growing up in Watsonville, California. He details about moving to Japan and his experiences while living there. Oka also discusses what it was like upon returning to the United States.
Oka discusses the translation process and helping the Japanese citizens. He details about culture differences and reflects on time that he spent in Japan. Oka also gives advice to the United States Army regarding occupation.
Oka discusses his family and living situation once his father decided to go to Japan. He details Pearl Harbor, being drafted, and basic training. Oka also discusses about working as a truck driver, infantry training, joining the Military…
Oka discusses his experiences in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) while stationed in the Philippines. He details about his family that were in Japan during World War Two and his experiences while in Japan. Oka also discusses returning to the…
Oka discusses finding a career and other aspects of his post-war military life. He shows of his medals and gives a message to future generations. Oka also shows a number of photographs.
Shimoyama discusses his father including talking about helping his father with his gardening business after school. He then talks about his mother and siblings; and recalls spending time on Hollywood Boulevard as a child and being neighbors with John…
Shimoyama talks about basic training at Fort Snelling for Military Intelligence Service (MIS), and his assignments in Seoul, Korea translating Korean newspaper articles. He then talks about the differences between Korean and Japanese language,…
Shimoyama discusses his time in Japan including talking about helping feed Japanese civilians; and visiting relatives and temples. He then talks about going to UCLA and working as a chemist after graduation. Shimoyama also talks about his wife and…
Yokooji discusses his nickname; moving to different Hawaiian islands as a child; and his experiences while living on Lanai including attending school, his childhood bicycle, and discussing a swimming accident that resulted in the deaths of his…
Yokooji discusses his experiences post high school including farming with his father, working at the Dole Cannery, and working as a carpenter for the Department of Defense. He then talks about the attack on Pearl Harbor and aftermath including…
Yokooji discusses how his family traveled to and from the Hawaiian Islands; discusses his reasons for volunteering; and provides some thoughts regarding World War Two and opportunities for Nisei during the war. He then talks about the "Go for Broke"…
Yokooji talks about basic training at Camp Shelby; discusses 442nd Regimental Combat Team replacement soldiers; talks about the merging of the 100th and 442nd; and discusses going to Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning. He then talks about…
Yokooji talks about meeting his wife while visiting Rohwer Concentration Camp; discusses the differences between Mainland and Hawaiian soldiers; and talks about recreational activities while at basic training. He then talks about his relationship…
Yokooji discusses his reasons for volunteering to go to Korea and talks about his assignment during the Korean War interrogating POWs. He then talks about his relationship with a company commander; discusses the end of the Korean War; talks about…
Yokooji talks about rejoining the Army reserves in the civil affairs division; discusses his experiences during the Vietnam War including his assistance with Army war plans in Thailand; and provides some thoughts regarding his military service.…
Hirose discusses he childhood and family. He details about his experiences with forced removal and incarceration camps. Hirose also discusses about his experiences in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).
Hirose discusses more about his experiences in post-war Japan. He details about facing discrimination and starting a business in Japan. Hirose also discusses his family and Japanese culture.
James Iso describes his family history, including where his parents immigrated from in Japan and their settlement in the United States. He talks about his siblings, about his childhood memories, and about attending Japanese language school.
James Iso describes the values that he learned from his family, about the Japanese culture and traditions. He talks about the difference between Japanese American assimilation into American society compared to other Asian American cultures, and…
James Iso describes growing up as a Japanese American, and his experiences with racial discrimination. He recalls the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the effects it brought within his life and the community.
James Iso describes his journey to Santa Anita Temporary Detention Center and Heart Mountain Concentration Camp, the living conditions there, and the process in which community life was constructed within Heart Mountain. He talks about volunteering…
James Iso describes his experience being stationed in Occupied Japan, where he was assigned to ATIS (Allied Translator and Intelligence Service) and conducted work in the Washington Documents Center. He talks about his wife and about attending…
James Iso talks about his children, highlights about his military service during the occupation of Japan and the Korean War. He describes his role in "Project American" and about his time spent in Vietnam.
James Iso recalls his duties in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and about his experiences working for the government after completing his military career. At the end of the interview, Iso shares some memorabilia from his military service.
Murata discusses about some of the training he received in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) before going overseas. He discusses about his duties and early experiences in Japan. Murata also discusses about how he spent his leisure time, his…
James Murata was born on August 6, 1920, in San Jose, CA. James' parents were from Shimane-ken, Japan. James' father was a good father but passed away early. Before James' father passed away, he was a hard worker to provide for the family. When he…
Murata discusses about seeing Communist demonstrations while in Japan. He details about travel and leisure and Japan. Murata also discusses about the role the Nisei played in the occupation of Japan.
