Nelson Akagi continues his story with the final leg of his family's journey to Idaho and volunteering for the army. He recounts his reaction to the loyalty questionnaire and goes over his induction and basic training at Camp Shelby. Finally, he tells…
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.
Arisumi remembers his relationship with his mother, being inducted into the Army, joining the reserve service after the war, and going to the induction center in part 2 of his interview. In addition, he recalls basic training at Camp Shelby, how he…
Doi talks about his reasons leading up to joining the Army, including having feelings that the United States would get involved with the war, and forming the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV). He would be inducted and be shipped over to the mainland,…
Doi discusses how he got his nickname, growing up in Kauai on a plantation, working at a gas station, and playing sports in high school. He also talks about attending Japanese language school, religion, friendships, and the attack on Pearl Harbor and…
K. Fujii discusses his experiences in Occupied Japan. He talks about jobs he had; describes the living conditions of Japanese civilians; and off-duty adventures he went on. He also talks about his life in Hawaii with his family, and shares his…
Fujikawa talks more about growing up in Los Angeles, specifically about the time that he spent in the Japanese language school. In regular school, he would take an interest in sciences, such as botany and would face some discrimination throughout his…
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…
Hoashi discusses more about growing up on Kauai. At the age of 12, he would begin working at McBride plantation during the summers. He also talks about the impactful people he knew during this period of time. From there, he gives us his whereabouts…
Hoashi discusses his reasons for joining the Army, and the process of induction, getting assigned to a company and getting shipped over to Mississippi. While at Camp Shelby, he would experience segregation in the South while doing his basic training.…
Ichiuji continues to talk about being in Poston concentration camp with his family, the living conditions being poor but they were able to set up a shoe repair shop. He would then volunteer to join the 442nd and talks about the loyalty questions they…
Ishikawa discusses his family and upbringing. He details about Pearl harbor and its aftermath. Ishikawa also discusses about volunteering for service and his brief experiences with Japanese Prisoners of War.
Kimoto discusses his family background, growing up in Hawaii on the island of Oahu, attending school, and excelling in baseball. Following high school, Kimoto held a variety of jobs before volunteering to join the Army after the attack on Pearl…
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…
Kondo writes to his sister about receiving her v-mail letter and expresses excitement about her trip to Salt Lake City. He hopes that the boys back home do not have to be enlisted into the war. He also writes about his experience surviving a raid of…
Kubota discusses his decision to enlist. At the beginning of the war, non-citizens are barred from enlisting due to the enemy alien law. Kubota first learns about the Nisei Regiment Formation assembly from Japanese Community Leaders and decides to…
Frank Mizufuka describes his visit to the Amache concentration camp, where he visited his girlfriend at the time. He also visited his family at the Rohwer Relocation Center, and describes the living conditions there. He talks about Yuri Kochiyama,…
After Nagasaka was at Minidoka Concentration Camp, he would be drafted into the Army and get inducted at Fort Douglas. While at basic training, he would train to be a part of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, where he would learn to use various…
Peter Nakahara talks about his childhood growing up in San Pedro, California, to two Issei parents. He discusses the Japanese values imparted to him through school and family, his relationship to his parents, and his life before Pearl Harbor. This…
Nishimoto discusses facing discrimination when in the South, taking leave in Mississippi and seeing all the segregation between white and colored. Next, he talks about his decision to join the Army, volunteering with friends, not even telling his…
Oshiro discusses his childhood and family. He details his employment and remembering December 7, 1941. Oshiro also details about volunteering for service.
J. Owada discusses his experiences at two different internment camps. He also talks about where he went after his release from internment camp. In addition, he talks about intricacies of harvesting sugar beets, and his sparse knowledge of the…
S. Ozaki discusses his experiences, and the impact on his family, being evacuated from his home and moving to an internment camp in Arkansas. He also talks about some of his combat experiences in Europe. In addition he talks about: race relations in…
Siato discusses his experience working for Joseph Rider Farrington. He also talks about social stratification in Hawaii pre and post the attack on Pearl Harbor; with an emphasis on the newspaper industry in Honolulu. In addition he shares his…
Teruya discusses Daniel Inouye; talks about attending Japanese language school; discusses his experiences with prejudice; and talks about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Sakai then talks about his experiences with prejudice; his enemy alien…
Sato and his family would be evacuated from their farm, and moved to a temporary detention center in Puyallup, called Camp Harmony. He talks about the lack of privacy and the barbed wire that surrounded the area. After this, they would be moved…
While in the camps, Sato would be faced with the loyalty questionnaire, in which he would answer yes, yes, effectively placing himself in the draft. At the time, his mother did not want him to join the Army, but would end up getting drafted and…
Satow discusses curfew conditions in Sacramento in the aftermath of the Pearl Harbor attack. He also talks about his experiences at Pinedale Temporary Detention Center before his family's relocation to the Poston Concentration Camp. He shares…
H. Shibata talks about his enlistment in the 442nd RCT and his basic training. He gives details of the organization of K Company. He also shares anecdotes regarding: friends Ted Tanouye and Rudy Tokiwa; some of the Loyalty Questionnaire resistance he…
Tahara begins the interview talking about the origin of his name and the background of his parents. His father would come to Hawaii and begin a general store, his mother was born in Hawaii and would help out at the store, while all of his brothers…
A. Takahashi discusses his youth growing up in the Central Valley of California. He talks about his parents' backgrounds, their immigration and characters. He also discusses his interest in aviation and how he enlisted in the military.
S. Takahashi talks about life his right before the war breakout and his early military experiences. He discusses his job, motivation for joining the military, and his cultural identity. He also shares anecdotes regarding participating in a Judo…
Takao discusses volunteering for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and going to the mainland for basic training. Takao and five friends volunteer and only himself and a friend is selected. Takao is assign to Company C, First Battalion, Fourth Platoon…
Mr. Tsubota discusses attending Japanese school and the role of religion in his household growing up. Forced to work after high school to help support his family, Mr. Tsubota was forced to forgo college immediately after graduation, instead working…
Tsuda discusses his family religion and the untimely death of his father while he was away in Kahuku. He also talks about his brother that was already in the 100th infantry and his progressions to get there. After this, he talks about his journey to…
Tsukayama talks about his life from birth to early adulthood. He discusses his youth in Kailua; military enlistment; and training as a medic. He shares recollections of the Pearl Attack, growing up in Hawaii, and carrying out medic duties in combat.
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,…
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…
Mary Yamada describes how her family's different religious affiliations. She never attended Japanese language school growing up, but she always wanted to learn to speak Japanese. Instead, she learned other languages in school, such as Spanish, Latin,…
Samuel Yamaguchi discusses growing up San Diego. He talks about his high school experiences and home life. He talks about his reaction to the Pearl Harbor attack and gives a summary of his military service.
Yano continues to talk about he and his families time at Gila River Concentration Camp and being reclassified for the draft. After this, he talks about the loyalty questionnaire and knowing he would answer yes, yes to the draft questions. He would…
Yokote talks about his induction into the Army, getting his draft notice and heading to Presidio Monterey. He talks about the activities they did during their first basic training at Camp Grant, including inspections and KP duty. After this, he would…
Yoshida discusses his family and childhood. He details his life after high school graduation, Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Yoshida also discusses about his experiences at Santa Anita Temporary Detention Center and Amache Concentration Camp. He…
