Hiraoka discusses about a hate crime that occurred while at law school. He details peoples fear of the Japanese and he discusses an acquaintance. Hiraoka also discusses about his experiences at Gila River Concentration Camp.
Hiraoka discusses about his early experiences at Gila River Concentration Camp and trying to farm. He details about working in a law office inside camp and details about the projects he worked. Hiraoka also discusses about meeting his wife and social…
Hiraoka discusses about his wife, volunteering, and constitutional rights. He details about arriving at an experiences at Camp Shelby. Hiraoka also briefly discusses about his experiences in Italy France.
Hiraoka discusses about his experiences with 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Italy and France. Including experiences during the Lost Battalion and Carrara. He details his homecoming experiences. Hiraoka also discusses about his post-war life,…
Mr. Hajiro describes his early childhood growing up during the Depression on the island of Maui. As his parents were poor, Mr. Hajiro was forced to drop out of school to work in the plantations to help support his family. He eventually traveled to…
Mr. Hajiro discusses his first court martial, which in turn led to his transfer to I Company and his training with the BAR machine gun. He continues on to talk about combat he saw in Bruyeres and Biffontaine, where he captured several German POWs.…
Mr. Hajiro discusses life after the war, including his return trip home, receiving the Distinguished Service Cross and later the Medal of Honor, and his career after the war. Mr. Hajiro reflects on what helped him survive during the war and gives his…
In this brief final portion, Mr. Hajiro talks about how he met and married his wife. He goes on to talk about visiting his parents after the war and reflects on some of the aspirations he held prior to the start of the war. Mr. Hajiro reflects of his…
Barney Hajiro was born on September 16, 1916. He was the second oldest of his siblings. He grew up on a plantation in Maui, Hawaii, during the Great Depression.
During Barney's school years, he attended first through eighth grade. He did not have…
Barney Hajiro recalls the locals of Bruyeres and Biffontaine were friendly and nice. However, they were confused to see Japanese Americans in an American Army uniform. Barney was in M Company then transferred to I Company. The guys in I Company were…
Kimura discusses his parents; siblings; growing up in Honolulu, Hawaii; and talks about his father’s employment. He then talks about attending Japanese language school; discusses the languages he spoke at home; religion and attending church; learning…
Kimura discusses the attack on Pearl Harbor; describes Japan’s airplanes and the Japanese flag; and talks about how his father was picked up by the FBI. He then talks about volunteering for the Army; his brother’s employment at Hickam Air Force Base;…
Kimura talks about his first impressions of the 100th Infantry Battalion and his first day as part of Charlie Company; discusses his experiences crossing the Rapido and Arno rivers; discusses the Italian countryside; and talks about his combat…
Kimura discusses his combat experiences at Biffontaine which earned him the Bronze Star and Purple Heart; and discusses how he got wounded, as well as experiences with enemy fire during the battle at Biffontaine. He then continues to talk about his…
Kimura discusses his best and worst war experiences and talks about the camaraderie among soldiers. He then talks about his post-war life including going back to school for photography in Los Angeles and returning to Hawaii where he had a photography…
Nakashima discusses his prefecture origin, childhood and upbringing. In Nakashima's education years, he did not attend Japanese School. He believes not learning Japanese creates a communication barrier with his Issei parents. He also shares his…
Nakashima discusses basic training and the cultural difference between Mainlanders and Islanders. He shares stories about dominance of power and resentment of authority at Camp Shelby. Before going overseas, Nakashima sees his Mother and receives a…
Nakashima discusses the different battles he fights in. He shares his experience in Anzio, Italy and his first combat. One of his duties in Italy is being a first scout and then acting Sergeant. Nakashima never feels he is going to die even when he…
Nakashima discusses encountering a tank and seeing human flesh. Nakashima recalls the worst part of being a soldier is casualties of friends and enemies. Rather than remembering the negative, Nakashima prefers to think of the positive experiences.…
Sakaguchi talks about his birthplace. He discusses his siblings and his parents immigration to the United States. He describes his parent's personalities. He briefly talks about his nickname. He discusses his family home and his community of…
Sakaguchi briefly discusses the Axis powers. He talks about the forced removal of Japanese Americans. He explains why he joined the military. He talks about the Governor of Colorado's stance on the treatment of Japanese Americans. He describes the…
Sakaguchi describes the different sounds of weapons as they fire. He talks about German military equipment. He explains how the Allies defeated the Germans. He continues to talk about the rescue of the Lost Battalion. He describes the courage of the…
Nagaki talks about his family and growing up in Oregon including helping out on his family’s dairy farm, going to Japanese language school, participating in Kendo, and going to polytechnic school. He then talks about his family’s experiences with…
Nagaki talks about his duties as part of D Company, life at Camp Shelby including going into town, and his experiences witnessing segregation in Mississippi. He then talks about traveling overseas and landing in Oran, and then going to Naples. Next,…
Nagaki discusses his experiences during a combat patrol, his friendships within his company, and his experiences after the Lost Battalion rescue. He then talks about his interactions with replacement soldiers, his combat experiences after returning…
Nagaki talks about his company’s commander- Captain Keegan, returning home and working on a farm with his brothers, and discusses receiving badges and medals such as the Combat Infantryman Badge. He then talks about how he met his wife, and discusses…
Mitsunaga discusses his childhood growing up on a family-run dairy farm in Manoa Valley, Hawaii. He talks about farming and his adolescence. He also talks about his experiences being drafted before the Pearl Harbor attack and the U.S. military…
Mitsunaga discusses aspects of his experiences in basic training for the army. He talks about his assignment after the Pearl Harbor attack; traveling to the U.S. mainland for the first time; and describes his military as a jeep driver. Mitsunaga also…
Mitsunaga discusses some of his combat experiences: Salerno Beach and Cassino. He also talks about being in a racially segregated military unit; and his impression of Colonel Turner. He also discusses Nisei veterans he knew who got into politics in…
Mitsunaga discusses his experiences at: Cassino, Anzio, and Bruyeres. He talks about casualties, award recipients, and members KIA. He also shares anecdotes regarding a childhood friend he ran into on the battlefield; and an Italian child he…
Mitsunaga discusses his post-war life. He reflects on his overall war experiences and awards he received. He also talks about his family life and career after the war; and talks about his children's lives.
Yamane and the interviewers introduce themselves. Yamane describes his early life in Hawaii. He talks about his father's work on a sugar plantation. He discusses how his mother's sake was a separate source of income for his family. He lists his…
Yamane continues to describe the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He talks about guarding Hawaii after the attack. He explains how the 100th Infantry Battalion was formed. He discusses his travels through Europe. He describe the journey to…
Yamane describe his journey to Europe. He lists the injuries and casualties in his unit. He talks about medals and awards. He discusses the recognition of Japanese American soldier's accomplishments. He describes his location in Europe and his…
He continues to talks about the rescue of the Lost Battalion. He discusses the rescuers who survived the rescue of the Lost Battalion. He briefly describes a rest period. He talks about the Champagne Campaign. He explains how he was injured for the…
Yamane continues to talk about the end of World War Two. He describes his journey home. He discusses his friend's injuries and his friendships. He explains the extent to which he has shared his war stories with the public. He talks about the ways in…
Yamane continues to reflect on his war service. He talks about his son's service. He discusses his wife's first marriage. He describes his children and grandchildren. He shares his best experiences while in the military. He talks about training new…
Suyama explains how he got his name. He talks about his father's early life. He describes his father's work on the railroad. He talks about his father's knowledge of languages. He talks about his father's educational background. He shares memories of…
Kazuo Hinatsu begins the interview talking about growing up in Oswego, Oregon, where there were very few Japanese Americans and his family would have a farm. Next, he talks about how his parents came from Japan and settled in Oregon, becoming…
Hinatsu discusses being on the farm when first hearing about the attacks on Pearl Harbor. Shortly after, his family would be evacuated and sent to Portland assembly center followed by Minidoka concentration camp in Idaho. While visiting on a…
Hinatsu discusses the regimental structure of the Headquarters company and communications platoon. While at Camp Shelby, he would begin his work in the cadre, teaching discipline to the new Army recruits. He talks about the Hawaiian soldiers and…
Hinatsu would arrive in Naples after a long journey across the ocean. He talks about his war experiences and route that the unit took while in combat. First, he talks about going through Civitavecchia and Sasseta, stopping at Hill 140, where the…
Hinatsu talks more about the rescue of the Lost Battalion, including a parade that followed the rescue. Following this they would get some rest and relaxation during the Champagne Campaign, going through the South of France. Shortly after they war…
Atagi discusses his childhood house growing up in Oregon, his siblings, and his parents immigrating from Japan. He then continues to talk about his childhood including discussing working on his family’s farm, watching movies, going to grade school,…
Atagi discusses signing up for the Air Force and going to Biloxi for basic training, attending technical school for mechanics training, and his experiences being confined in barracks due to being Japanese. He then talks about going to Camp Shelby and…
Atagi describes trench foot, being near tree burst artillery fire while in France, interactions with German soldiers during his time as a medic, and his thoughts about the war in regards to Japanese Americans and discrimination. After the war, Atagi…
Goto describes growing up on a planation in Ewa, Hawaii and taking the train into Honolulu to go to school. After graduating from high school, Goto worked at a 7UP bottling company as a soda salesman and delivery man. He also talks about being a…
Goto begins by talking about working as a medical supply clerk and veteran service counselor; and then discusses volunteering for the Army and going to Camp Shelby for basic training. Goto talks about the differences between Mainland and Hawaiian…
Goto provides an overview of a headquarters company and all the various platoons that it is made up of. He describes his duties within the headquarters platoon, including following the battalion's executive officer. He also talks about what he…
Goto discusses getting injured in Carrara, Italy and talks about his friendships with other soldiers, including those that were killed in action, and what it was like seeing his war buddies postwar. He then talks about going back to Hawaii at the end…
Takahashi begins the interview speaking about his family background and how his parents came to settle in Gresham, Oregon and then moved to Vancouver, Washington. Next, he talks about what it was like to grow up in Washington during the Great…
Takahashi discusses his whereabouts during the attacks on Pearl Harbor; as he was already in the Army, he would get the news at Camp San Luis Obispo and commanded to carry live ammunition while in the camp. He would try to become a cook, but was…
Takahashi talks about being shipped from Italy to France and beginning his first combat in Bruyeres. As a walkie talkie man, he would be assigned with communication. Next, he talks about his part during the Lost Battalion campaign and patrolling.…
Takahashi talks more about his war experiences in Europe. He discusses the Gothic Line campaign as a walkie talkie man, and shooting his first bullet in Carrara. There, he would see the brutalities of war, seeing one of his best friends get killed…
Takahashi talks about the german weapons that were used against them and the different sights and sounds they heard while getting shot at. After this, he discusses a bit more about his war experiences, including when they were able to have hot…
Sakato discusses what it was like growing up in California. He details about his education. Sakato also discusses he experiences from when he moved to Arizona.
Sakato discusses wanting to join the air force but ending up in the army. He details about basic training. Sakato also discusses about traveling on a transport ship and he also gives his opinions and thoughts about the war.
Sakato discusses his time in France. He details about his experience in combat and death. Sakato discusses about fighting and traveling in the Vosges Mountains.
