Yukihiro discusses his prefecture origin, family, and social activities. .He details about the climate pre and post forced removal and the type of treatment he feels in the community and with friends. Yukihiro also discusses why he learns Japanese…
Yamada discusses about his experiences in post-war Japan. He details about his post-war life. Yamada also discusses about his experiences in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).
Nishibayashi continues his recollection of his language training at Presidio and his thoughts about what to expect in an occupation. While shipping to Yokohama, he would enjoy a furlough in Hawaii before getting into Japan to begin his time there.…
Nishibayashi begins the interview with an introduction of his family and how they came from Kumamoto to Hawaii. He would grow up in a plantation village, where he would attend Japanese language school as well as normal english school. He enjoyed…
Tsuneo spends some time recalling his wedding and family life as well as his professional life after the war. He was a bus coordinator in Hilo after returning to Helco (Hilo Electric Light Company). He recalls the 1946 tsunami in Hilo and the ensuing…
In this segment, Takemoto discusses his experiences in battle at Bruyères and in the Vosges forest. He recounts the many fellow soldiers who were casualties or killed in action, as well as the young and old German soldiers that were captured or…
In this segment, Takemoto recounts his training at Camp Shelby before being deployed for action in Italy. He explains that the soldiers were trained to know their rifles intimately, but were issued new weapons at Newport News without time to…
Takemoto describes making friends and meeting mainland soldiers, as well as the fights that broke out between prejudicial soldiers. He guarded German prisoners of War in Dothan, Alabama, and describes their love of movies and ice cream, their…
Takemoto describes induction into military after being prohibited from serving as a 4-F classification. Related, he describes the blacked out branches of the armed forces that were unavailable to Japanese American soldiers like the Air Force and…
Takemoto discusses what his life like after his military service. He also reflects on the value of his military service and how that impacts future generations of the Japanese American, and broader American, communities at large. Takemoto also…
In this segment, Takemoto describes his family background and life prior to the onset of the Second World War. His parents were Niseis who did not have a strong connection to Japan. While working for the Hilo Electric Light Company, Takemoto…
Takemoto talks about his experience being recognized in the Hawaii Army Museum's Gallery of Heroes, as a result of being a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross. He also shares some recollections from the front line of combat as a platoon…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada discusses some memories and highlights from his work as a part of the Allied occupation forces in Japan in addition to his career as a sports executive. Harada also shares a message meant for future generations…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada discusses his career working as a baseball promoter, executive, and entrepreneur. He recalls many memories from his career, including events, professional relationships, friendships, and changes he made to…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada discusses his work as a baseball promoter and adviser during his service in Allied-occupied Japan. Serving as an aide for General Marquat, Harada was given the freedom to re-introduce professional baseball to…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada describes many of his war experiences. First, Harada recalls meeting two Navajo code talkers in New Guinea. Next, he recalls being wounded during a Kamikaze attack at Leyte and having to be evacuated to treat…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada describes much of his life prior to the war. He first describes his awareness of the tensions between countries that eventually boiled over into total war. Next, Harada recalls his family moving to Japan prior…
In this segment, Tsuneo "Cappy" Harada introduces himself and begins talking about his early life in Santa Maria, California. He describes his family and his time spent working on the family, which he eventually was charged with managing. In addition…
Murakami goes on to describe his involvement with the Champagne Campaign and the Lost Battalion. He also describes his journeys after World War Two. Murakami reveals his involvement with the development of shopping centers in Kauai. He ends the…
Murakami describes his reaction to the Attack on Pearl Harbor. He also reveals the discrimination Japanese people faced after the Attack on Pearl Harbor. Murakami also describes his time at Camp Shelby. He reveals details about his time overseas with…
Murakami talks about his early life in rural Hamakua. He goes on to discuss his family and stepmother. Murakami reveals his experiences while in Japanese School. He ends this section of the interview by discussing what he did after high school.
Uchida and Kinoshita discuss their time in Japan and seeing the devastation of Hiroshima and the occupation of Japan. They talk about their experiences talking with civilians and seeing the black market. Next, they talk about their life after…
Uchida and Kinoshita continue their recollection of joining the Army. At the time, Uchida was working on the railroads in Montana and Kinoshita was at the Minidoka concentration camp. They talk about their individual basic training at Camp Shelby,…
Tokunaga discusses the labor camps that he saw in Europe, taking souvenirs and the friendships he made through the Army. After V-E Day, he would remain in Frankfurt for another year and half until finally being discharged back in Fort Lewis,…
After being forced removed and moved to Puyallup Temporary Detention Center, Tokunaga would head to Minidoka Concentration Camp early to help set up supplies. Soon after, he would be drafted into the Army and inducted at Fort Douglas to join the…
Tokunaga begins the interview talking about his family background and his parents coming over from Japan and settling eventually in Washington. Growing up in Washington, he would enjoy playing sports with other kids, attend regular and Japanese…
Nakahara discusses his family and different aspects of his childhood. He details about Pearl Harbor and volunteering for the service. Nakahara also discusses about his experiences at Camp Shelby, in Italy, and in France.
Mano discusses going to Pinedale Temporary Detention Canter, Tule Lake and Minidoka Concentration Camps. At Tule Lake, Mano shares that there was segregation and division between the Japanese Americans' feelings about the United States Government. He…
Mano discusses his prefecture of origin and familial description. He also recalls home life with his parents, school years leading up to forced removal. In Mano's adolescent years, his family visited relatives in Japan.
Mano discusses his post-war life and working at the family's nursery.He details about meeting his wife and raising a family. At the nursery, Mano meets his wife, Tomi Yoshioka and they later have children . Yoshioka discusses her family origin and…
Toshio discusses trying to find a job after receiving his PHD and describing his wife and children. He details his career in the foreign service. Toshio also gives a message to future generations.
Toshio discusses his thoughts on forced removal and race relations. He details about being sent to Japan after the war ended and his experiences while there. Toshio also discusses about trying to get home after his father's death, being discharged,…
Toshio discusses more about his experiences at Camp Savage. He details about enlisting into the service, basic training, and being assigned to Camp Ritchie. Toshio also discusses about visiting Heart Mountain Concentration Camp.
Toshio discusses the impact of Executive Order 9066. He details about his experiences at the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) and getting married. Toshio also discusses about his experiences in Minnesota.
Toshio discusses his interactions with the Japanese people and the political and social climate in Japan. He details about returning to the United States, attending college, remembering December 7, 1941 and aftermath. Toshio also discusses about…
Toshio discusses about interactions with people of Japanese ancestry. He details more about going to Japan to study Japanese and what it was like being a Nikkei in Japan. Toshio also discusses about establishing American football in Japan, attending…
Toshio discusses about family and what it was like growing up in California. He details about athletic endeavors and identification. Toshio also discusses going to Japan and his experiences while there.
In this video clip, Toshiko Hattori talks about living a healthy lifestyle, sharing her life experiences with her family, and about her visits to Japan. She talks about how many people do not know about Japanese American women's contribution to the…
After moving to East Los Angeles, Toshiko Hattori took care of her mother-in-law, and later, her husband, who had developed lung cancer. Her husband passed away from his illness, leaving her a widow. She developed osteoarthritis which made it…
In this video clip, Toshiko Hattori talks more about her childhood, and how she became interested in nursing. She describes her basic training experience upon joining the United States Army. At the time of the end of the war in Europe, she was still…
Toshiko Hattori describes her childhood growing up in foster homes in New York City. She attended nursing school after high school, and joined the United States Army to work as a nurse. During World War II, she was sent overseas to Korea, but was…
Uesato looks through various pictures and narrates them. The pictures include moments from the Taj Mahal, political leaders (including Mao Zedong and Ambassador Hurley), and a picture from a graduation.
Uesato continues his discussion of his time in occupied Japan. During this time, he was an interpreter for political analysts who were trying to get as much information as they could regarding Japan's population in politics. In this way, Uesato was…
Uesato discusses his assignment in Burma, where his team would be in charge of opening back up the Burma Road. Next, he would head to China where he would get the rare chance to be around elite military leaders, including Mao Zedong of China and many…
Uesato begins the interview speaking about his family background, including his mother and father. Next, he talks about keeping up with the wars overseas and how unexpected the attacks on Pearl Harbor were. Living in Hawaii at the time, they were…
Asahina talks about her husband's participation in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and provides some of her thoughts regarding the importance of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd. She then talks about her husband's friendships with other…
Asahina talks about her experiences at Tulare temporary detention facility including the living conditions; and describing the guards and guard towers. She then talks about her father's thoughts regarding the war; her experiences at Gila River…
Asahina discusses her father, his family, his immigration to the United States, his employment as a farmer, his physical traits, and his personality. She then talks about her mother's physical traits, employment, hobbies, and personality; and…
Miyasako discusses about his experiences in France. He details about his friends, his experiences Italy, and his duties as a company clerk. Miyasako also discusses about his life after returning home.
Miyasako discusses about the aftermath from Pearl Harbor. He details about being drafted and basic training. Miyasako also discusses about the reason the Nisei soldiers trained so hard.
Miyasako discusses about his family and growing up on a farm. He details about the community and the holidays celebrated. Miyasako also discusses about his experiences in high school.
When Tony Koura goes back to Japan after the occupation, the locals have changed. The people have money, there is no food shortage, no one is starving, and every one is employed. There are thousands of linguists during the occupation. Tony says the…
Tony Koura goes to Manchuria to observe the mission of the repatriates returning to Japan. Tony says the repatriates are older men, women, and children who are malnourished. However, they are happy to be going to Japan.
Tony Koura is born on June 26, 1926. Before being drafted into the military, Tony is at Manzanar. Despite the discrimination after the Pearl Harbor attack, Tony wants to volunteer for the Army because of patriotism.
Sakaji discusses his wife including her personality, how they met, corresponding with her while he was in Japan, and his favorite memories of her. Lastly, Sakaji provides a message to future generations regarding values and education.
Sakaji discusses his experiences at the end of the war taking POWs from Wisconsin back to Japan. He then talks about his translation and interpreting assignment in Japan working for motor pool; discusses his relatives in Japan; and talks about his…
Sakaji talks about his friendship with a sheriff prior to forced removal; discusses restrictions and the curfew that was enforced after the attack on Pearl Harbor; and discusses volunteering for the Army and his brother's military service. He then…
Sakaji discusses his employment assisting his father and tells a story where he attempted to fix a tractor. He then talks about his post-war employment working for a mechanic; the attack on Pearl Harbor and aftermath; and discusses his forced removal…
Sakaji talks about his childhood bicycles; discusses how he got his nickname; talks about his father's fish market business; discusses the aunt who raised him; and talks about his relationship with his cousin. He then talks about his grammar school…
Sakaji discusses his parents including his mother's death, father's employment, and their reasons for immigrating to the United States. He then talks about his siblings; his childhood chores; discusses the differences between past and present day…
Nishioka talks about his personal history and his encouragement to other veterans to share their story if they can. Next, he talks about reunions, the monument in Los Angeles and the Medals of Honor that were given away fifty years after the fact.…
Nishioka discusses what it's like to get a shrapnel wound and what happened to him after being sent back to Hawaii. He would get a second opinion of a doctor in Hawaii but he ended up not having an operation again. He also talks about his limited…
Nishioka talks more about his combat experiences in Sassetta, where the regiment would be involved in heavy house-to-house combat. He explains the differences between artillery shells and mortar shells and how he was wounded in action by a mortar…
Nishioka discusses his situation before shipping out, getting upgraded from first scout to a non-commissioned officer but instead deciding to volunteer to be a replacement for the 100th Infantry Battalion. After this, he would get onto a liberty ship…
Nishioka first discusses the prejudice that he saw when he arrived in Mississippi and the segregation on the buses, which he found deeply unfair. He also talks about the different things he encountered while in basic training, such as snakes,…
Nishioka talks more about growing up in Hawaii and his whereabouts when he first heard about the attacks on Pearl Harbor. At the time, he would be part of both the 4F Club and the Young Buddhist Association (YBA), and would be forced to black out…
Tommy Nishioka begins the interview with an introduction of himself and his parents, who came from Japan and settled in Hilo, Hawaii. His father would work with sugarcane workers, growing trees for firewood, while the children attended school and…
During the Military occupation in Japan, Tommy Mayekawa works for the Third Military Railway Service Headquarters as an interpreter. He guards the trains to make sure they are not pilferage.
Living in Yokohama, Japan, Tommy does not encounter…
Tommy Mayekawa and his family evacuate to Santa Anita Assembly Center after receiving the evacuation orders. He describes the living conditions and life in the camp. Tommy and his family live in a horse stable, and his parents accepted the situation…
Tommy Masakazu Mayekawa is born on April 22, 1921, in Hawthorne, CA. Tommy's parents are from Mie-ken, Japan. When Tommy's father immigrates to the United States, he works on the railroads and truck farming.
Nakayama discusses his first and second wives, communicating with his first wife while overseas, the legacy of the 100th and 442nd, provides a message to future generations, and discusses why a street was named after his brother. Lastly, Nakayama…
Nakayama discusses combat experiences in Italy, and recalls stories regarding soldiers who were Killed in Action. He then talks about receiving a Bronze Star, going on patrol, and combat experiences in Po Valley and the Gothic Line. Next, Nakayama…
Nakayama discusses basic training and the living conditions at Camp Blanding, traveling overseas to Marseille, and his assignment in B Company. He then talks about his experiences as a replacement soldier, his interactions with other soldiers, and…
Nakayama talks about school, discusses his favorite subjects, talks about life prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the restrictions he encountered after the attack. He also talks about his family's experiences after Executive Order 9066…
Nakayama discusses his parents including his father's employment and hobbies, talks about his siblings, his sister's death from tuberculosis, and religion. He also describes Shinto, and talks about his childhood including discussing his neighborhood,…
Matsushita talks more about his time in occupied Japan, making lots of friends there and even being there during the Korean War. After his discharge, he would begin his career in the civil service sector, working for OSHA until he retired. Following…
Matsushita continues his recollection of his time overseas in combat, including the Lost Battalion campaign in Bruyeres and the Vosges Forest. He would be involved with the combat there and would head to French Riviera to rest while waiting for…
Matsushita discusses the friends that he made throughout the War in A and K company. Upon arrival in Italy, he would be engaged in combat, seeing captains shooting at prisoners of war. They would trek through Rome, and move up through Italy towards…
Matsushita would join the Army after Pearl Harbor and be inducted in Salt Lake City, Utah. He would take a train down to Camp Shelby in Mississippi to begin his basic training, where he would start with A company. There, he would become friends with…
Matsushita begins the interview talk about his childhood and growing up in Idaho. He would work on his family's farm while attending school and doing a large variety of chores. He talks about his high school years and then about his whereabouts…
Mukai describes his furlough in Washington. He lists his military decorations. He talks about changes in his hometown. He discuses returning to active duty as a driver. He describes his final military post as a cook for the Presidio Monterey. He…
Mukai continues to describe his journey to Europe. He goes on to describe his journey to Italy from France. He talks about his assignments while in Italy. He discuses how a friend was wounded. He talks about being a replacement solider. Mukai shares…
Mukai talks about his life after high school. He describes his family's relationship with relatives in Japan. He discusses the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He shares his knowledge of the American Concentration Camps. Mukai discuses his…
Mukai talks about his early life in Kingston, Washington. He talks about his mother, father, and siblings. He discusses his childhood friendships and his religious upbringing. He describes his family home and holidays. Mukai talks about his…
