Watanabe discusses his experiences as a Nisei linguist and his CIA assignment in Korea; provides some thoughts regarding military occupation in Japan; and discusses his experiences traveling to visit relatives in Japan. Next, Watanabe describes…
Watanabe discusses his father's immigration from Japan to the United States and his work at a plantation in Hawaii. He then talks about his mother; discusses attending Japanese language school; discusses Japanese dialects; talks about attending…
Harvey Watanabe describes how he met his wife and the family that they started together. Watanabe then transitions to discussing his outlook on war, enemies, and the necessary emotional transition to perceiving former enemies. Lastly, after giving…
Watanabe discusses his experiences serving in the Korean War and living in Korea in general. He also talks about his family's struggles while he was away during World War II related to losing their farm and possessions with no redress. Later,…
Watanabe discusses his experiences Korea and serving more on the front lines and seeing the horrors associated with that. He also talks about his time spent in Japan during the occupation after the end of World War II. He elaborates upon that…
Watanabe talks about his family background and childhood in Exeter, California. After speaking about his childhood interests and high school experiences, he talks about being drafted into the Army and the different challenges he experienced, in…
Watanabe discusses Executive Order 9066 and the impact that it would have on him, a member of the military, and his family. He also talks about the instances of discrimination he faced, the occasional surprise of others defending him, and instances…
Chiye Hayashi Watanabe, Henry M. Hayashi, and Seiichi Nakawatase discuss the Medal of Honor and the process of getting Joe nominated. The process with the War Department takes several years until Joe is approved.
Henry M. Hayashi discusses his time at Fort Sheridan and Camp Shelby before going overseas. Joe is also at Fort Sheridan and Camp Shelby with Henry. Henry grows up in Los Angeles, CA, where there is diversity, and everyone gets along. When Henry goes…
Chiye (Hayashi) Watanabe, Henry M. Hayashi, and Seiichi Nakawatase recall Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. When evacuation orders are announced, Chiye and her family plan to go to Arkansas. However, the government places travel restrictions. Chiye and…
Chiye (Hayashi) Watanabe, Seiichi Nakawatase, and Henry Hayashi recall celebrating New Year during their childhood. The families would get together and make mochi. New Year is like a social event.
Staff Sergeant Joe Hayashi is a Medal of Honor recipient. The interviewees recall their childhood with Joe. His older sister Chiye Hayashi Watanabe, cousin Henry M. Hayashi, and half-brother, Seiichi Nakawatase. Chiye is born in Blanco (Salinas, CA)…
Watada discusses how the legacy of 442nd Regimental Combat Team proves that the Japanese Americans are Americans. After the contribution of the Nisei soldiers there is better treatment of Japanese Americans for the future. Watada can see the…
Watada discusses how the aerial tactics is helpful in clearing the grounds for the United States soldiers to advance forward in combat. Whereas the German soldiers did not have planes to assist them.
Watada discusses life at camp consist of working during the day, meals in the mess hall, and socializing in the recreation hall. Watada works in the warehouse and working in the silk screen shop printing silk screen posters with slogans. Watada's…
Watada discusses his Father's personality. Synonymous with Japanese identity and values, there are responsibilities; however, Watada's Father different. As an Issei he speaks English and associates with younger people. This is culturally…
Watada discusses his prefecture origin and familial description. Watada is born on December 21, 1923 in Los Angeles, CA. Watada's Father, Jay Watada is from Japan and immigrates to the United States with his Father. They both come in hopes to make…
Ted Wakai talks about meeting and marrying his wife, and discusses his children and their lives. Next he talks about the effects of his family's incarceration on his willingness to volunteer for the Military Intelligence Service. Lastly he gives some…
Ted Wakai discusses his counter intelligence training at Fort Ritchie, and then becoming an instructor at the Counter Intelligence Corps school. He then describes his discharge from the US Army and recounts some instances of racial discrimination. …
Ted Wakai describes recruitment techniques for the Military Intelligence Service. He then discusses Japanese language training and basic training at Camp Snelling and Fort McClellan. The last topics for this interview segment are Fort Ritchie and…
Ted Wakai begins with boarding school activities and discusses the Pearl Harbor attack. He then talks about his job cleaning Hickam Field after the attack and the reactions from the community and Caucasian soldiers to the attack. This interview…
Ted Wakai recounts his family's arrival in Hawaii. He discusses his childhood memories of his father, mother, and siblings. Lastly, there are stories about his school experiences up to boarding school (high school).
Coolidge Wakai guarded thousands of POWs in the Po Valley when the war ended. Later, Coolidge was transferred from guarding the POWs to Headquarters Company as a cleric.
After the war, Coolidge returned to the United States. He participated in a…
Dr. Coolidge Shiro Wakai was part of the 100th Company B. He was born December 2, 1925, in Kappa, Kauai, Hawaii. Coolidge's father was a missionary for Japanese Immigrants and established the first Christian church in Kappa, Kauai. Coolidge has six…
Wada talks more about his war experiences, including a sad memory of a friend in the Army that died of a wound. After this, he talks about the Po Valley campaign and the famous trek up the mountain to break the Gothic Line. After this, he would…
Wada discusses hearing about the death of his father after battling with leukemia, and then going from basic training to overseas. They would go from Camp Patrick Henry on a 30 day trek to Naples, where he would begin his combat. He talks about his…
Wada talks about volunteering for the Army, getting married before getting his notice to report to basic training. He would be inducted at Salt Lake City, feeling proud and more American in the process. He would head to Camp Shelby in Mississippi,…
Wada continues talking about the evacuation orders, forcing them to leave their homes in San Diego and head to Santa Anita racetracks. They would take their personal belongings and live in unclean horse stables, with makeshift barracks and poor…
Wada begins the interview talking about his family coming from Japan and settling in Redlands. He talks about growing up in the Redlands, having picnics, and only being allowed to go swimming after it had been cleaned. He grew up as a Christian and…
Mrs. Uyeoka discusses her early life and experiences in Poston Concentration Camp. She details about how she met her husband and their married life. Mrs. Uyeoka also gives a message to future generations.
Uyeoka discusses about his experiences in Germany. He details about his life after discharge, getting married, and his family. Uyeoka also discusses about his life after retirement.
Uyeoka discusses about his experiences in the 295th Field Artillery. He details about the aftermath from Pearl Harbor and joining the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion. Uyeoka also discusses about going overseas and his experiences in the war.
Uyeoka discusses about his family and moving to Japan. He details about his experiences in Japan before moving to and growing up in Korea, then moving back to Japan. Uyeoka also discusses about moving back the United States and being drafted.
In this segment, Uyemura talks about firing off different kinds of weapons while at Camp Roberts. Based off of points he accumulated while serving, he was able to go home before his group and was later discharged. After finding his family, they…
In this segment, Uyemura talks about the military campaigns he participated in during the war. He talks about his experiences in Italy and France and also describes the Champagne Campaign. Another campaign Uyemura took part in was Bruyeres, which he…
In this segment, we briefly hear Uyemura talking about his shoes and how he only wore one pair of boots. The interviewer picks back up in mid conversation about Uyemura using his military leave to visit his family in camp and how easy it was to sneak…
In this segment Uyemura talks about where he got the means to build his Ford Model T car and the beginnings of his service in the Army upon being drafted. After Pearl Harbor, he talks about his reaction to the attack, his family being relocated, and…
In this segment Ben Uyemura talks about his upbringing in a poor neighborhood of Los Angeles. His parents did not have a lot but he remembers they both were hardworking people. He talks about the activities he was in as a kid in grammar school, and…
Following his time in occupied Japan, Uyeda was discharged from the Army and from there, he began schooling at MIT. Uyeda discusses the reform of Japan and the implementation of democracy by the United States. Next, he speaks about the discrimination…
After making his way to Japan with the Army, Uyeda would begin his assignments, working for the Civil Intelligence Service (CIS). With this team, he would go throughout Japan, interrogating prisoners of war, researching the population, and reporting…
To begin the interview, Uyeda speaks about how he learned the Japanese language, while living in a small town in Washington. The conversation jumps to the United States occupation in Japan following the war and first impressions of a Japan that had…
Ushijima explains how he got into politics. He talks about being a senator for Hawaii. He explains his popularity as a senator. He discusses governor John Anthony Burns. He shares his biggest achievements as a senator. He describes his leadership…
Ushijima describes an encounter with friendly fire. He talks about the Gothic Line. He shares his knowledge of other languages. He discusses the end of World War Two. He talks about being recruited for the Pacific Theater. He describes his stay in…
Ushijima explains how he made money overseas. He describes how his unit captured a payroll truck. He discusses his first encounter with the enemy. He explains how a lieutenant's driver was killed. He also explains his role as a sergeant. He talks…
Ushijima talks about a social dance that he attended while on base. He discusses his basic training. He describes a visits he made to Rohwer Concentration Camp. He talks about a USO performer named Yuri Kochiyama. He discusses Hattiesburg,…
Ushijima continues to discusses his work on a plantation. He also continues to talk about working for American Factors. He describes volunteering for the military. He talks about patriotism. He discusses the influence of military chaplains. He…
Ushijima talks about his education and his mentors. He describes racial tensions in Hawaii. He discusses the values that he got from his parents. He talks about his experiences in Japanese language school. He discusses his involvement in kendo. He…
Ushijima and the interviewers introduce themselves. Ushijima describes his early life in Hilo, Hawaii. He talks about his mother's cooking. He discusses his father's war service record and how he immigrated to America. He shares his mother's…
In this segment, Rose Uriyu talks about her two sons and the great work her husband, George, did in his lifetime. The interviewer and Uriyu recall the memory where Uriyu wore a gas mask during her graduation. Uriyu clarifies details about joining…
In this segment, Rose Uriyu talks about her husband, George. She talks about the activities George participated in and how they met through working together. She describes their trips to Tokyo to see the sights of Japan while also visiting family.…
In this segment, Rose Uriyu talks about her favorite writer, Ernie Pyle, and his notable journalistic work during World War II, which he is known for. She talks more about her parents and describes the type of people they were. She also talks about…
In this segment, Rose Uriyu talks about her upbringing in Kona, Hawaii. She describes how life was simple in the small town where everyone knew each other. Her grandparents came from Komoto, Japan with Uriyu's mother in 1902. Raised on a farm, Uriyu…
Uriu discusses his children and their occupations, receiving medals, and provides a message to future generations. Lastly, Uriu shows and describes pictures of himself, his family, friends, and his discharge certificate.
Uriu talks about his siblings including the death of one of his brothers; and life while in Japan including staying in Kyoto and working on copying documents in Tokyo. He then talks about the food and civilians in Japan, sightseeing, traveling to…
Uriu talks about the effects that the Attack on Pearl Harbor had on his family, values growing up, his mother’s death, and celebrating holidays. He then talks about getting drafted, going to Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), and…
Uriu discusses his parents, his father’s occupation as a farmer, school; and his family’s forced removal to Colorado and the living conditions there. He then talks about his childhood including discussing working on the farm, visiting San Francisco,…
Tetsushi discusses about his experiences with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) in post-war Tokyo, Japan. He details about his comrades and their relationships.
