Nishimura discusses his childhood including his family, favorite childhood activities (including his excellence in Judo), experiences and lessons he learned while in Japanese language school, and his choice to become a teacher.
Nishimura discusses the activities he participated in both inside and outside of school. He then talks about going to college, his experience there, and eventually becoming a teacher. Lastly, he speaks about his recollections from December 6, 1941…
During this part of the interview Edward Ichiyama discusses his family's emigration to the United States, as well as his familial makeup. He also recalls specific events during his adolescence, such as spending time in his father's barbershop,…
Don Seki talks about his life after the war. His parents, who were living in Japan during the war, were unaware of his service in the U.S. Army. After his civil service in Japan, he moved to Los Angeles to work for the U.S. Navy at Terminal Island.…
Ted Tsukiyama talks about the effects of Martial Law in Hawaii during wartime, and how it affected the Japanese community. He describes how the war created more opportunities for Japanese Americans, especially in the workforce -- before the war, jobs…
Matsumoto describes his early life growing up in Los Angeles and later moving to Japan with his grandparents to attend school. Upon returning to the Los Angeles area, Matsumoto settled in Long Beach, graduating from the local high school and worked…
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…
During this portion of the interview, James Mitsumori recalls details about his adolescence and attending trials at the local courthouse. Moreover, James recounts his educational background and his recollects on his school trip to Japan, China, and…
Paul Matsumoto gives his personal introduction, along with details regarding his familial makeup. Paul discusses his early childhood, adolescence, and early education. Next, Paul gives additional information regarding his adolescence, his early…
Kimoto discuses his involvement in campaigns in France before returning to Italy as the war wound down. He describes a comical celebration among his army friends and discusses returning to the United States. Receiving his discharge in Honolulu, Mr.…
Kawamoto continues his interview by talking about looking for housing in Tokyo, going out with friends in Battle Creek, and the occupations of his family members and children. He imparts his message to future generations and states again the…
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 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…
Surh begins the interview by recalling the story about how her parents met, married, and started a family. After that, Surh recalls her parents' work before reminiscing about different stories that reflected her personality and behavior as a child.…
In this segment, Okamoto continues describing his family's assimilation into the community and the values and teachings learned at church. He also shares the activities and extra-curriculars he was involved in through school and church, as well as…
In this final segment, Okamoto recounts his discharge and return home, the unsuccessful job hunt due to his Japanese heritage, and returning to school to get his masters. He continues by detailing his career in research, space materials, chemical…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine covers a wide variety of topics. He begins by speaking about his childhood and the different activities he participated in during his youth. He talks about playing many sports as a kid and eventually quitting Japanese…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine shares memories from his days of playing professional football and baseball. He specifically recalls his excitement at the opportunity to play pro football for the San Francisco 49ers before the disappointment…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine continues to share his perspective and considerable experience in the world of professional sports. He initially speaks about the impact of the mass influx of money into professional sports before moving on to talking…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine begins by speaking a little more on Japanese professional baseball before moving on to the pearl shop that he opened with his wife. He later speaks about his family and remembering his modest upbringing in Hawaii when…
Thomas Takemoto was born in Waimea, Kauai, but moved to Honolulu, Hawaii at the age of 6. His parents were Japanese immigrants from Hiroshima, Japan, and became rice farmers on Kauai. When they moved to Honolulu, Thomas and his siblings helped their…
Thomas Takemoto describes the Big Five law firms' political control over Hawaii's economy. Before the war, it was difficult for the people of Hawaii to find jobs, especially if they were blackballed by the Big Five. His friend convinced him to attend…
Kazuo Yamaguchi was born and raised in New York. His father came to America from Japan to start a living. Kazuo mentions that his father was always homesick, and his fondest memory with him was singing Japanese folk songs. The reason how he and his…
Jack Sameshima talks more about his children and how he pushed them to receive a college education. While working for the Army, he also worked at a local grocery store and was a bartender at a country club. He talks briefly about the Red Ball Express…
Matsuhara discusses about working for the California Youth Authority and his retirement. He details about his involvement with the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) and coaching. Matsuhara also discusses about his family and friends.
Tanna discusses about his life after high school and baseball. He details about discrimination and geopolitics. Tanna also discusses about his family, Pearl Harbor, and its aftermath.
Hara starts the interview discussing his family background and what it was like to grow up in a small rural town in Honolulu, Hawaii. Growing up, Hara's father went through a multitude of jobs, with a laundry business as the most memorable. As the…
During his high school summer years, Hara would work at a pineapple cannery to earn money for his family, while he lived with his uncle. Later, while working as a carpenter, the Pearl Harbor bombings occurred and all the Japanese were rounded up by…
After his stint overseas, Hara is shipped back over to the United States and shortly after, home to Hawaii. He discusses getting back to Hawaii and finding work as a drafter and then architect technician. Next, he talks about meeting his wife and…
Kikuyama discusses about his friends and family. He details about his career post-war. Kikuyama also discusses about more about his hobbies and the treatment of Japanese Americans.
Tanakatsubo begins the interview talking about his family background and the origin of his name. Growing up in Sacramento, he was exposed to a very diverse population and made for a pretty happy childhood and schooling, including a well-known glee…
Tanakatsubo discusses his years following his Army service, finding work in Chicago at a machine shop, working hard and making his way up the ranks, eventually ending in quality control. At the same time, he decided to start volunteering with…
Mukai talks about the discussions between members of his unit before preparing to return to the United States. He explains why it was dangerous for Japanese American soldiers to fight in the Pacific. He describes his return to the United States. He…
Sakagami discusses more about his journey back home. He details about how he met his wife and his post-military life. Sakagami also gives a message to future generations.
S. Ozaki discusses his youth growing up in the South Bay area of Los Angeles. He talks about his parents and family life; and school experiences. He also discusses his recollections of Pearl Harbor and the aftermath of being evacuated and the FBI…
Asai discusses his homecoming experience and about his life after the war. He details about acting after retirement and his family. Asai's wife is interviewed and she discusses about her life during World War Two and her career.
Narasaki continues his interview by sharing the first time he used his rifle in combat, and the conditions the soldiers endured. He also recounts hearing about the end of the war and earning enough points to return home. Finally, Narasaki tells us…
Kishi discusses about going to college and then working on the farm. He details about his community involvement, family, childrearing, and gives a message to future generations. Kishi also gives his opinion about redress and discusses more about his…
Morihiro discusses his careers after he left military. He gives details about the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). Morihiro also discusses redress and gives a message to future generations.
In the second part of his oral history interview, Samuel Harano recounts the constant skirmishes with the Japanese as they moved through the Burma jungle and interrogating prisoners. In particular, he goes into the importance of translating captured…
Kizuka discusses about his experiences in Italy, coming back home, and the "no-no-boys". He details about his post-life. Kizuka also discusses about his family and shows photographs.
Fujimori discusses his homecoming experiences. He details about his career after being in the military. Fujimori also discusses raising children and moving to west coast.
Yoshii discusses his parents experiences and his father's restaurants. He talks about his years in primary and secondary school. Yoshii briefly discusses the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He describes his life after he was drafted. He…
Naito discusses his experiences living in Kent, Washington before and up to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He grew up on a farm and married a German-American woman, these events made an impact on his internment experiences. He also discusses his…
Akamine discusses about his childhood experiences. He details about working on the sugar plantation. Akamine also discusses attending Japanese language school and his personal values and habits.
Akamine discusses about his life after returning from the war. He details about his career after being discharged. Akamine also discusses his family and gives a message to future generations.
Kodama discusses his experiences during the Champagne Campaign and the medals he received. He details about returning back to Hawaii, finding employment, and meeting his wife. Kodama also discusses about what he learned from the war, revisiting…
Following his language school training, Hamashige went to continued his training, going to basic, then to Fort Snelling for interpreting training before being sent out to the Philippines for his first assignment. As the war was coming to an end, the…
Hamashige talks about his family from his wife to his grandchildren and what they're doing now. Next, he shares stories of his time as a consultant in Honduras, where he was able to attend a dinner reception Dictator Samoza of Nicaragua. After this,…
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 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 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…
Morishima discusses his post-War occupations and the accomplishments of his children. He speaks passionately about the value of family and about the general goodness of both Japanese and American people. He is grateful for both experiences and…
Inouye discusses his post-war experiences and about his time spent at Fort Lawton. He details about an indecent during a Japanese orientation class and wanting to goto college. Inouye also discusses his experiences becoming and working as a Dental…
Edward Kanaya continues to talk about his journey home. He lists the memorable members of his unit. He describes his relationship with Mainland soldiers. He discusses his relationships with other musicians. He talks about his contract work. He…
Edward Kanaya shares the advice his father gave to him before he volunteered. He talks about his good luck charms. He discusses local musicians. He describes teaching in his retirement. He talks about working for the Honolulu Symphony. He describes…
Teraoka discusses the rescue of the Lost Battalion and thoughts about the 100th; the good luck charm he carried while overseas; and the Champagne Campaign. He also talks about working as a dentist in Leghorn, returning to Hawaii after the war, and…
Choichi discusses being discharged, his journey back to Hawaii and how he met his wife. He details about his admiration for Nisei veterans and gives a message to future generations. Choichi also discusses about his life and career after the army.
Tokashiki talks about his parents immigration to America. He discusses his parents launch into farming. He explains why his family moved to Honolulu. He describes his father's other careers. He briefly talks about high school and his involvement in…
Tokashiki talks about the Attack on Pearl Harbor. He discusses his employment opportunities after World War Two. He talks about his final working years and his retirement. He reveals he participates in a veterans club. He describes the values his…
Takiguchi discusses the Army point system, returning home to Hawaii, and seeing his brother while in Europe. Next, Takiguchi talks about post-war life, going to Chicago for school, his wife and children, and his worst war experiences. Lastly,…
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…
Kazuma Taguchi and the interviewers introduce themselves. He talks about his early life in Hawaii. He discusses his education. He describes his work on a plantation. He talks about being drafted. He discusses his time at Schofield Barracks. He lists…
Kazuma Taguchi talks about his military leaders. He continues to describe the events of the Champaign Campaign. He talks about his employment in the United States Navy. He discusses his activities as a union officer. He briefly talks about his…
Kodama talks about farming in Northren California and Southern California. He shares his experiences with discrimination. He describes the demographics of Lompoc, California. He shares the knowledge of his children concerning the contributions of…
Meada discusses his childhood and religion. He details about being drafted into the Army and December 7, 1941. Meada also discusses working at the post exchange and his journey to California.
Yamate discusses growing up in Los Angeles and talks about attending school, his neighborhood, his father’s produce market; and recreational activities such as his involvement with a boys club, going to camp, attending dances, and playing basketball.…
Huberth discusses about his post-war life. He details about his love for horses. Huberth also discusses about attending a reef ceremony and gives a message to future generations.
Ikeguchi discusses the work done by the Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) and double agents; talks about his assignment during the Vietnam War; and discusses attending Counter-insurgency school and Vietnamese language school. He then talks about…
Murakami describes his childhood in Sherwood, Oregon. He talks about his siblings. He discusses his father's immigration to the United States and his father's career. He talks about his mother's immigration to the United States. He describes the…
Murakami gives a summary of his injuries. He talks about his friends who were killed in combat. He describes the other units within the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He reflects on his military service. He discusses his return to the United States.…
Shintaku discusses about his experiences at Fort Snelling. He details about being chef in camp. Shintaku also discusses about his post-war life and family.
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…
Ogawa discusses about combat and experiences in Europe. He reflects on The Lost Battalion and coming home. Ogawa also discusses about his post-war life.
Imada discusses about his family and schooling. He details about his childhood and career aspirations. Imada also discusses about the Japanese community, photography, Pearl harbor and its aftermath.
Yamaguchi discusses about starting his own business. He details about his family and the first house he built. Yamaguchi also discusses about his squad mates and gives a message to future generations.
Kimura discusses meeting his wife while living in Japan as a soldier and then marrying her as a civilian. Next, he talks about becoming a civilian translator, working for double the pay after being discharged from the Army. He would return to the…
Hayashi continues his recollection of interpreting assignments in Manila, working at the War Crimes Trials. After this, he was discharged from the Army so that he could continue his college education, but decided to travel the East Coast first. He…
Yagura talks about how people reacted when Korean War soldiers returned to the United States. He reveals how much he has shared his war stories with family. He explains the reasons for wars. He briefly talks about several United States presidents.…
Tahara talks about the end of the war, as they were marching through Europe, a plane flew overhead and threw leaflets out to them. He would return to Hawaii, seeing his mother and hearing about the death of his father. He also talks about seeing his…
Endo discusses more about his experiences in occupied Japan. He details about his involvement with gymnastics and his post-military business. Endo also discusses about his wife and how they got married.
Mori discusses when his Father passes away and going to the assembly center. Mori recalls artillery fire and advancing the Gothic Line. Post-war, Mori gets married and has children. He talks about his grandchildren and great grandchildren. He has a…
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…
Masuda discusses about being drafted and basic training. He details about the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and experiences in Japan. Masuda also discusses about his family and career.
Tokita explains how he met his wife. He talks about his marriage and children. He explains the extent to which he has shared his war stories with family. He shares his motivations for serving in the military. He leaves a message for future…
Miyashiro talks about his post-war experiences in Sacramento; discusses the food in the POW camp; and talks about the checkpoint between East and West Germany (checkpoint Charlie) and Russian POWs, He then talks about returning back to Hawaii and…
Muramoto talks about his various jobs including working on lunar mapping as a cartographer, and working for an orthodontist. He then talks about joining the Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW), attending E Company reunions, and discusses his wife and…
Kagawa discusses the Lost Battalion rescue, talks about his friends who were involved in a flag bearer ceremony in France, and discusses the end of the war including his duties guarding a bridge and processing German POWs. He then talks about going…
Sato talks about his career history, first getting his pilots license and getting a position at North American Aviation, working on various projects. After they closed down, he would then work for for the Navy, helping to assemble Neptune bombers…
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.
Following the end of the war, Sakamoto would get out of the camp and head back to Los Angeles, where he would get a place with his brother in Bunker Hill and start working at Columbia Records, manning the hydraulic press to make the plastic records.…
Sakamoto continues to talk about his family background, which now includes grandchildren. After this, he speaks about his career work in landscape architecture, with some of his favorite projects being California State University Northridge and…
Kanada talks about his experiences during the Lost Battalion rescue, getting injured, and staying in a hospital. He then talks about getting reassigned, getting discharged, a friendship that started while he was in the hospital, and his Army uniform…
Kanada talks about receiving the Purple Heart and a unit citation; returning home; marriage; teaching dance; and provides a message to future generations.
Tanaka discusses his post-war employment. His work is mainly in corporate and property law. In 1982 , he is appointed to Intermediate Member of Court of Appeals. Tanaka recalls the highlight of his career is being appointed a judge,
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…
Masuda discusses more about his time on Tinian. He also discusses about his knowledge and thoughts about the atomic bombings. Masuda details about his life after leaving the army.
