Ishizaki continues his recollection of his time in occupied Japan, including discussion on the black market and women's rights. After his time in Japan, he was moved to Australia to begin work with the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section,…
Takejiro Higa was born in Hawaii, but spent most of his childhood in Okinawa. When his parents died, he lived with his uncle in Okinawa until the age of sixteen, where he moved to Hawaii to live with his sister. Living in Hawaii was very different…
Higa recalls returning to Hawaii after being discharged from service. He returned home to finish high school, then became a butcher. He then returned to school to earn his accounting degree, after marrying his wife and having two sons. He presents a…
Ikeda discusses his family and his childhood in Hawaii. He details about Pearl Harbor and the aftermath from it. Ikeda also discusses about enlisting into the service.
Ikeda discusses his journey back home. He details about his career after being discharged from the army. Ikeda also discusses about his life after retirement and the legacy of Nisei veterans.
Nakashima discusses his childhood growing up in Hawaii including discussing his community and gardening hobby. He then talks about his parents; childhood discipline; siblings; values taught by his parents; and attending school and Japanese language…
Ota discusses visiting Hawaii both during his childhood and while in the service, talks about his hobbies, and traveling to the Philippines. After his assignment in the Philippines, Ota went to Japan to be an interpreter for Allied Translator and…
Kawakami begins the interview speaking about how he got the nickname "Joe" and his family background as his father was from Kumamoto and his mother was born in Hilo. He would attend school and grow up playing a lot of sports until the Pearl Harbor…
Arakaki begins the interview with an introduction and talking about how his parents came to Hawaii. At the age of two, he and his family would move back Japan and Taro would live there until the age of 16, when he would make the move back to Hawaii.…
Arakaki continues his discussion on his time interpreting in the Philippines and the other places that he served during the war. He would also have the chance to visit Okinawa and see his family that was living there. He also talks about the time…
Arakaki talks a bit more about his childhood in Okinawa. As he grew up in the village of Gushiken, he would learn folk songs, and play with his siblings. He would also take an interest in karate and learn bo. Next, he talks about the home he grew up…
Tsukiyama was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. His parents were educated immigrants from Japan. He attend both Japanese language school and English Standard School. During the Pearl Harbor attack, he had been a part of the University of Hawaii…
Ted Tsukiyama talks about his law career, starting from graduating from Yale Law school to starting his own private practice in arbitration. He also talks about Hawaii statehood, and it's impact on Hawaii's political and economic stature. He…
Shima begins the interview with an introduction and his family background, coming from Okinawa and moving to the Hawaiian islands. He speaks about growing up in Hawaii and the home that he grew up in. Next, he talks about Pearl Harbor and the after…
Tateishi begins the interview talking about how his family came from Hiroshima in Japan and settled in Hawaii. Growing up in Hawaii, he would attend McKinley High School and pick pineapples in his spare time, before joining the National Guard. He…
Tateishi talks more about what it was like to grow up in Hawaii, including playing marbles and working at a brewery. He also gives more background on his family, such as his six sisters and the family he had that was living in Hiroshima when the…
Tateishi discusses more about his war experiences, missing out on Cassino because of trench foot. He also talks about interacting with local Italian civilians, including delivering mail from Rome to Livorno for a family and eating rabbit. He would…
Theodore "Ted" Mitsumori describes his family life growing up in Hawaii and his eventual employment driving a taxi in the Pearl Harbor area. Mitsumori shares his first-hand experience of the bombing of Pearl Harbor while ferrying civilians, women,…
Kono discusses his family life and childhood. He details about discrimination and his friend. Kono also discusses about Pearl Harbor, aftermath, and joining the Varsity Victory Volunteers (VVV). He also details about volunteering for the army.
Maeda recalls his favorite story of receiving a religious cross during the war, getting married and starting a family. Maeda also discusses his military awards. Later in the interview, his wife Lily Chisato Maeda joins in. Lily recalls the Pearl…
Takano discusses his birthday and birth certificate; talks about getting a driver's license; and discusses growing up on the Big Island of Hawaii. He then talks about his father including his employment at a service station and as a baker; and…
Takano discusses meeting his wife; talks about his overseas assignment in Korea; discusses the Korean Army; and talks about his assignments in New Mexico and Vietnam. He then talks about being a teacher at Fort Lee; returning to Hawaii; and discusses…
Tanaka talks about his career as a fireman and his subsequent retirement. He also talks about his wife, children grandchildren, and siblings. He also explains the complicated nature of his U.S. Identity after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Thomas Ukichi Wozumi is born July 24, 1918, in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father Utaro Wozumi, and mother, Otsuru Yamamoto Wozumi are Issei from Japan. He has two older siblings, Mildred and James.
T. Ono discusses growing up in Hawaii. He talks about his family, childhood, and describes his neighborhood. He also talks about his school experiences from elementary school into high school.
T. Ono discusses his schooling in Hawaii from elementary school through college. He talks about his first professional job, and getting drafted in peace time. He shares anecdotes regarding; school memories; the Pearl Harbor attack; and race relations…
Tom Shigetoki Umeda was born on August 25, 1916, in Los Angeles, CA. Tom's parents met through an arranged marriage in Japan. Previously, Tom's father worked on a farm in Hiroshima, Japan. After moving to the United States, he started a fruit stand…
Yamada discusses being born on August 21, 1940 in Hawaii. His parents
immigrated in 1910 from Japan for the opportunity to be a contract labor. In Japan, their families are farmers. Yamada admires his Father because he bought rental property,…
Tom Yamada discusses stories from his time in service. During occupation in Japan, Yamada works with naval officer Lieutenant Lim. 20 years later, Yamada runs into Lieutenant Lim at Radio City Music Hall and thinks of him kindly . Yamada also thinks…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Yukihiro discusses working at Brother-in-Law's grocery store in Bellfower post-war. Shortly after he opens a produce market for 17 years in Norwalk and went wholesale after. From prewar and post-war, Yukihiro describes the changes of the city. He…
Tokita lists his medals and awards. He describes his experiences during the Champagne Campaign. He discusses leaving France. He talks about combat in Italy. He describes climbing a mountain and chasing German soldiers. He explains the circumstances…
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…
Moto discusses about her life growing. She details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Moto discusses about her name, meeting her husband, and her husband being upgrading to the Medal of Honor.
Wallace Nagao talks about his family's history and his early life growing up on one of Hawaii's sugar plantations. Nagao goes through his educational history-- from elementary school through college and his experiences at Japanese language school. He…
In the second part of his interview, Wallace Nagao details the work he did helping the British Army in Burma, his experience meeting Admiral Mountbatten, and hearing about the Japanese surrender. He also recounts his time post-surrender in…
In this segment, Wally Yonamine introduces the audience to his family's background. He discusses remembering his roots and his modest upbringing when he was making a name for himself in Japan as a successful professional baseball player. He also…
Oka, a native of Hawaii, describes witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent government and military presence in his family's home, including the monitoring of his brother's shortwave radio and the FBI's interest in his knowledge of…
W. Kohashi talks about his last days in the European Theater and his return to Hawaii after the end of the war. He also discusses his brothers' military services. He shares anecdotes regarding: fellow soldiers he knew; travels in Europe; and spending…
William Yoshito Thompson is a World War Two veteran who volunteered for the 442nd (Head Quarters 2nd Battalion). He is born March 15, 1924, in Hilo, Hawaii. His father is from Scotland, Ireland, and moved to Hawaii. He remains a British subject and…
Mr. Kobashigawa introduces himself and talks about his family and childhood. He grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii, his father worked as a truck farmer, and Mr. Kobashigawa played baseball throughout his youth. Forced to drop out of school at a…
Yoroku Ito discusses the German soldiers surrendering and the end of the war. At the end of the war, he is the Company Mail Clerk. Yoroku discusses helping the Lieutenant mail German items back to the mainland. The Lieutenant also gives Yoroku a few…
Aka discusses his family and growing up in Hawaii. He details about moving to Japan for four years and his experiences upon his return. Aka also discusses Pearl Harbor and the aftermath.
Anzai talks about some of the battles he was a part of during the European Theater, and recalls praying during battle, a close call in Cassino while under fire, and describes the trench foot condition that plagued many of the soldiers. He then talks…
Anzai talks about assisting Hawaiian soldiers with writing letters to their families back home while in battle at Anzio, and also talks about his duties during battle which involved being a rifleman. He then discusses about some of the medals he…
Yoshio Izumi was born September 15, 1918, in South Pasadena, CA. His parents are Riozo and Otomi Izumi. Yoshio's mother was previously married and has two children from the previous married. There are nine children in the family.
Yoshino begins the interview with his family background, being raised by his grandparents on Maui. Growing up on a plantation, he was quite the rascal, and would get into a lot of fights as a child, so he was taken in by the local boxing community…
Yoshino continues his discussion on boxing in the Army and after, including a tryout for the Olympic National Team and traveling through Europe for exhibition fights. Next, he talks about time in the Army, including a friendship with General Mark…
Yukio Okutsu describes growing up in his village and learning about Japanese history and values. He also talks about changes following the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
