Nakao discusses growing up in Sacramento, California, where he attended Japanese language school, learned martial arts, and was a liquor salesman for Japanese liquor. He also talks about encountering racism during his time in the Quartermaster Corps…
Yokoyama discusses about living in Japan, schooling, and the aftermath from Pearl Harbor. He details about his home life and experiences at Camp Shelby. Yokoyama also discusses about his experiences in the military, at camp Savage, and his family.
Hashisaka would work at the post office as clerk until he volunteered for the Army as part of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He would first head to Schofield Barracks in Honolulu before being sent out on a victory ship to California, where…
Ariyoshi discusses his experiences in Minnesota while at Military Intelligence Service (MIS), including the cold weather, building an ice skating ring in the barracks, and becoming friends with the local townspeople. Ariyoshi was then shipped out to…
Kono discusses his employment after high school and during the war in the grocery department of Theo H. Davies Company and talks about witnessing discrimination there. He then talks about his high school friendships and classmates; attending high…
A. Otani discusses his family background with his Issei father and Nisei mother. He talks about his youth in Hawaii and his experiences in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack. He shares anecdotes regarding: FBI taking his father away;…
Takekawa talks about Earl Finch, discusses his participation in the 171st Training Battalion, going to Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Fort Benning; and his assignment at a training regiment in Fort McClellan. Next, Takekawa went to Military…
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…
Otoshi discusses his high school activities such as his involvement in student government, swimming, and yearbook committee. He then talks about volunteering with the United States Engineering Department digging trenches for the defense system, as…
Hayashi begins the interview speaking about his family background, being born in Denver and what it was like to grow up there. As a child, he would have the chance to live in Japan and would do so for two years, learning all about the Japanese…
While at the Topaz Concentration Camp, Kimura would see Army recruiting teams, looking for Japanese speakers to join the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He would volunteer and pass the tests, giving him a sense of patriotism and a reason to get…
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.
Ikeguchi talks about his experiences at Camp Robinson, his Signal Corps assignment, and his assignment at Camp Carson as a shipping clerk in Quartermaster Corps. He then talks about his promotion in rank; discusses going to Military Intelligence…
As reading interested Hamashige, he began reading a lot about the racism throughout the United States government which led to a deeper understanding of the modernization of Japan, which eventually turned to the attacks on Pearl Harbor. He speaks…
Kishi discusses about his experiences at Merced Temporary Detention Center. He details about his experiences at Granada (Amache) Concentration Camp. Kishi also discusses about joining the Army, going to the Military Intelligence Service Language…
Tanji discusses about forced removal and his experiences at Merced Temporary Dentition. He details about his experiences at Granada (Amache) Concentration Camp. Tanji also discusses about volunteering for the Army, joining the Military Intelligence…
Katagiri discusses life after leaving Tule Lake, including moving to Minnesota and going to college. Katagiri also details about the experiences of being drafted and basic training. Katagiri discusses what it was like being stationed in Japan after…
Tanaktsubo continues his discussion on moving from the main basic training camp to a segregated unit made up of all Japanese American soldiers. The team is moved to Fort Lewis then Camp Crowder, and finally to Camp Savage, doing menial military work…
Matsuhara discusses and gives an overview of his life. He details about the aftermath from Pearl Harbor and his experiences at Tule Lake Concentration Camp. Matsuhara also discusses about volunteering for service, experiences at Camp Savage,…
Yukio Kawamoto describes his basic training experience at Camp Robinson and Camp Crowder. He was later recruited into the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota. He talks about his experience visiting his parents at…
Kazuo Yamaguchi describes how his grandfather was taken by the FBI and interned at Ellis Island. The local newspaper soon started to defame his family, but through the support of his friends and local neighborhood, they put a stop to the harassment.…
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…
Oka discusses his observations while in Occupied Japan. He details about his interactions with Japanese citizens. Oka also discusses his work with the Military Intelligence Service.
Yoshiaki Fujitani was able to visit his father while he was interned in Santa Fe. When he was enlisted into the United States Army, he was sent to Camp Savage, Minnesota for Japanese military language (Heigo) training. He talks about the Nisei…
Thomas Sakamoto shares more personal photographs from his World War II military experience. The first two are from his time spent in Japan at the Lutheran Missionary School in Kyushu. He shares a photo album from the Military Intelligence Service…
In this video clip, Thomas Sakamoto talks about saying good-bye to his family before being shipped out for military service. He was shipped to Camp Savage in Minnesota to teach at the Military Intelligence Service Language School. He later decided to…
In this segment, Sadami "James" Okada describes his training to become a linguist with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). First, Okada attended MIS Language School at Camp Savage in Minnesota before receiving a two-week furlough. During that…
Harry Fukuhara discusses his recruitment into the Military Intelligence Service, and the difficulty most Nisei and Kibei had with the decision to volunteer for military service while being interned. He talks about being sent to Minnesota (Fort…
Nishijima describes his experience volunteering for the army and his time at the Military Intelligence Service Language School. He also talks about his experience at Camp Savage, as well as shipping out overseas.
In this video clip, Sho Nomura talks about his parents' reaction to him volunteering to serve in the United States Army. He describes his first experiences in military life during training at Camp Savage and Camp Shelby. He also describes his journey…
Takejiro Higa describes his experience on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack. He talks about how reluctant and hesitant he was to volunteer for military service when the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was recruiting Nisei in Hawaii. His brother finally…
Ted Tsukiyama talks about his transition from the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion to the Military Intelligence Service. After graduating from the Military Intelligence Service Language School, he was assigned to a team that was sent to Florida for…
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…
Harry Akune recalls meeting his wife in Chicago after the war. He describes his Japanese language training at the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, where they studied Japanese military language. Half-way through his…
Akune discusses his reasoning for volunteering to serve in the military. He discusses Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, Mississippi before being shipped out for basic training.
Sogi discusses his training and experiences as an instructor at the MIS Language School and talks about the contributions the MIS made to the American war effort. He also briefly speaks about the importance of preserving oral histories in the…
