Kawahara discusses his prom experiences, life after high school, and his college studies. He talks about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath, including his experiences with forced removal and at Poston Concentration Camp. Kawahara also discusses about…
Kanegai discusses washing out of Camp Savage. He details his personality, receiving a promotion, and American Concentration Camps. Kanegai also discusses about his voyage overseas and his experiences once there.
Hinatsu discusses what it was like growing up in Portland, Oregon. He details about his experiences Minidoka Concentration Camp. Hinatsu also discusses his experiences during basic training. He also details about the mindset during combat
Masayasu discusses growing up in Sacramento and Martha discusses growing up in Portland. They both speak about their experiences with Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. Masayasu details about his time in Japan during the Occupation. They both discuss…
Ted Wakai begins with boarding school activities and discusses the Pearl Harbor attack. He then talks about his job cleaning Hickam Field after the attack and the reactions from the community and Caucasian soldiers to the attack. This interview…
Riess discusses more about his father's background, including the legacy that he left in both Greece and the then Czechoslavakia. On trips back to those YMCA's, his father is still remembered by those that were there when it was first built. Next, he…
Takehara begins the interview speaking about his family background and growing up in Maui. During his childhood, he would attend school and Japanese language school, where he would learn kendo and judo. He would attend high school in Maui and then…
Konoshima discusses how he ended up joining the Army, despite not being an American citizen. He would not become a citizen until the McCarron-Walter Act would allow him to do so. Next, he discusses the importance of becoming a U.S. citizen and what…
Sameshima and Hayashi are joined by George Hayakawa as they remember Joe Hayashi, who served with the 442nd Regiment and earned a Medal of Honor while in Italy. They talk about various memories of him, including a time during kendo practice, where…
Yamada begins the interview talking about his family and how they came to move from Hiroshima to Los Angeles. His father would work as a flower farmer while Kazuhiko and his siblings attended english and Japanese school. He would attend Gardena High…
Yamada discusses learning Japanese at a young age, taking Japanese language school, in addition to his regular schooling. He would also visit Japan with his family and see the farming community that his family came from. While back in the United…
Ouchi begins the interview with an introduction and from there jumps right into Pearl Harbor and the aftermath. He speaks about the hardships of selling the store they owned and the low offers for their personal belongings. After this, Ouchi would go…
Iso discusses about the time he spent in the Santa Anita Temporary Detention Center and Heart Mountain Concentration Camp. He also details about the struggles that Japanese Americans faced in the military and in american society. Iso details the…
Ohta begins the interview with an introduction and talking shortly about his family background, his parents being from Maui. Next, he talks about what it was like to grow up in Hawaii up until the Pearl Harbor attacks. After that, he would join the…
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…
Kawanishi continues his recollection of his time at Camp Shelby in Mississippi as he began his basic training with the 442nd Regiment. He talks about the Hawaiian soldiers and segregation he saw in the South, as well as a few times he got in trouble…
Hagiwara talks more about seeing his parents and gives background on how he met his future wife. While at Fort Sheridan, he would often visit his wife but would get word that he would get transferred. After moving around to a couple of places, he…
After getting wounded during the Lost Battalion campaign, Ota would return to the United States to recover and rehabilitate for about a year and a half. He discusses the recognition he received from other members of the military after the war and the…
Yamasaki discusses the work he did during the occupation of Japan. He details about the interactions he had with Japanese citizens. Yamasaki discusses about he time spent in camp Gila River.
Following his time in occupied Japan, Uyeda was discharged from the Army and from there, he began schooling at MIT. Uyeda discusses the reform of Japan and the implementation of democracy by the United States. Next, he speaks about the discrimination…
Matsunaga talks about his time overseas and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. At the outset of the regiment, there were many differences between the Hawaiian and mainland soldiers which were put aside after Earl Finch took the Hawaiian soldiers to…
Miho discusses about Camp Shelby, Mississippi. He details about the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Miho also discusses about visiting American Concentration Camps, friends, and being assigned 522nd Field Artillery Battalion.
Kosobayashi discusses about his family, schooling, and briefly moving to Japan as a child. Kosobayashi details about Pearl Harbor, its aftermath, and his experiences at Tule Lake Concentration Camp. He also discusses about his induction into the…
After the forced removal from Los Angeles, Teragawa and family were rounded up and sent to the temporary detention center at the Santa Anita race tracks, where they would live in a horse stall with other families. After a couple of months, they were…
Kurihara discusses growing up in Visalia, California, family, and his high school experiences. He details about Pearl Harbor and the aftermath from it. Kurihara also discusses about his family experiences with forced removal and their experiences…
Ito briefly talks about his family history and childhood, then he talks about how he got drafted while at an internment camp. Ito recounts the assignments he carried out during the post-war U.S. occupation of Japan. He discusses some specifics of his…
Takusagawa and his family ended up at the Gila River Concentration Camp after a stint at the Tulare Temporary Detention Center. There, he saw a sign to recruit men into the 442nd Regiment, so he joined right away. Takusagawa was sent to Camp Shelby…
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.…
Kanatani discusses his upbringing, remembering Pearl Harbor , and its aftermath. He details about his family's forced removal and visiting both Heart Mountain and Poston Concentration Camps. Kanatani also discusses basic training, being assigned to…
Saiki continues his conversation about being in Camp Shelby and they would be given the chance to take a furlough to the American concentration camps where he had cousins living. After that, he would be shipped out to Europe, joining up with the…
Nakamura discusses life in Hawaii during the war time, including martial law and heavy food rations. He talks about the various restrictions that the civilians had, and the few things that they would do for fun, such as going to the movies. He then…
Sakato discusses what it was like growing up in California. He details about his education. Sakato also discusses he experiences from when he moved to Arizona.
Kurokawa continues his discussion on what it was like to be in Japan during war times, including activities that were available during that time such as watching sumo wrestling. He also speaks about the living conditions, food shortages and…
Nagasaka discusses attending Japanese language school as a child and coming from a Buddhist family. He also talks about his recreational activities in school, such as handball, in which he was always the best. Next, he talks about the after effects…
Iseri discusses his brother who volunteered for the Army. He details about forced removal, his experiences at Pinedale Temporary Detention Center, and at Tule Lake Concentration Camp. Iseri also discusses about his life once leaving camp.
Ishihara describes his experiences working in Alaska including discussing the process of trapping and canning fish. He then talks about the discipline he received growing up, what life was like after the attack on Pearl Harbor including his…
Mr. Yabu spends the first portion of the interview discussing memories of his time at Heart Mountain. He discusses the magpie, which became his family's pet, he rescued on a trip to the Shoshone River and the swimming hole he frequented while in the…
Guy talks more about his combat experiences, including taking heavy casualties at the Battle of Rapido River. There he would receive a wound and be hospitalized, requiring surgery in Naples. While there, he would meet members of the 100th Infantry…
Kawaguchi discusses his experiences at Topaz Incarceration Camp in terms of signing a statement to pledge his allegiance against Japan; and provides an explanation of the term "concentration camps" in regards to Japanese incarceration. He also…
Masuda discusses what it was like visiting his family in Tule Lake and Topaz. Masuda also details about the relationship he had with his parents. He also gives some insight of what it was like growing up a Japanese American.
Kiyabu describes his early life in growing up in Hana (Maui), Hawaii. He details about Pearl Harbor and its aftermath. Kiyabu also volunteering for the Army and traveling to the Mainland.
Suehiro discusses reasons for joining the Army and how he felt that it was the right thing to do when called for. He also talks about the legacy of the Nisei soldiers and how much of a brotherhood they became because of the hardships of war. He…
Yokote begins the interview discussing what it was like to grow up in Placer County in California, which is a more rural area. His parents would come from Wakayama prefecture in Japan and settle there, having a small farm. After this, he discusses…
Sakamoto discusses his family and his childhood experiences. He details the aftermath from Pearl Harbor and the affects it had on his family. Sakamoto also discusses he time in the military before being shipped overseas.
Arakaki talks about visiting Japan as a toddler and remembering how poor his family was while living there, often only having a slice of bread for lunch. The family would move back to Hawaii to escape that, and would have much more opportunity and…
Yamashita discusses the fighting between the Hawaiian and mainland soldiers, until Earl Finch decided to take some of the Hawaiian soldiers to the American concentration camps to show them what the mainland soldiers were going through. After that,…
Sato, Wada, and Ito discuss about the social life and culture within the American Concentration Camps. They detail about the unpleasantries of camp life and how they heard about the 100th Infantry Battalion. The three also discuss their draft…
Sato and Wada discuss their experiences surrounding the temporary detention centers. Sato, Wada, and Ito detail about their first day and other experiences in the American Concentration Camps. They also recollect their fondest memories from camp.
Fujimori reflects on being sent to American Concentration Camps and his experiences in the military. He details about the role MIS played during the war. Fujimori also discusses veteran organizations and gives a message to future generations.
Fujimori discusses what it was like growing up in California. He details about the affects that Pearl Harbor had on him and his family. Fujimori also discusses his experiences in Manzanar.
Yamamoto discusses what it was like growing up on a farm. He also details what it was like growing up in Watsonville, California. Yamamoto discusses the aftermath of Pearl Harbor and his memories from Camp Poston.
Morihiro discusses his memories from Puyallup and Minidoka. He details about his journey to the army. Morihiro also reads a letter written by his father.
Morihiro discusses his childhood and family. He details about his experiences with discrimination. He also discusses about Executive Order 9066 and the aftermath of Pearl Harbor.
Katagiri discusses what it was like living after the events of Pearl Harbor. Katagiri discusses what is was like living in the temporary detention facilities. Katagiri relates stories about moving and staying at the American Concentration Camp…
Sakagami discusses more about his experiences at Pindale, but also his time at Tule Lake. He details about being drafted and basic training. Sakagami also discusses about the period before he was shipped out.
Hara discusses pass forging and sneaking out of the training barracks to go dancing with the locals. Next, he speaks about the differences between fighting in France and Italy. As a Jeep driver, Hara was able to get a lot of experience and was…
Roy Yokote recounts the events leading up to his family's evacuation, the resulting economic losses, and the emotional toll. He describes his family's experience and living conditions at the Marysville Assembly Center and Tulelake Relocation Center…
In this segment, Katsumi "Kats" Hikido shares many personal memories involving his fallen comrades and their families. Hikido becomes emotional at recalling how the family of a fallen Nisei soldier, a friend in his squad, was forced to hold the…
Rudy Tokiwa describes his trip to Manchuria, where he and his parents visited his pregnant sister. His brother-in-law took him sight seeing in Manchuria and Korea. During his time in Manchuria, he noticed that the Manchurians respected the Japanese…
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…
During this portion of the interview, Thomas Haga talks about his experience moving to Arizona to be with his children. Next, we hear about the medals and honors that Thomas received in honor of his military service. From here, Thomas discusses the…
In this video clip, Tets Asato describes being transferred to the Heart Mountain interment camp and what the living conditions were like there. During his stay there, he helped work at the local farms topping sugar beets. He also worked for the Fire…
Fujimori describes his experience of moving away from his home and into Manzanar Concentration Camp and his experiences living in the camp. He also describes volunteering for the army and his basic training at Fort Snelling.
Nishijima discusses forced removal into American concentration camps. He describes what it was like to live at Pinedale Temporary Detention Facility and at the Tule Lake Concentration Camp. He also talks about his decision to work on sugar beet…
In this video clip, Sho Nomoru describes his experience hearing the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He talks about how his life changed once he and his family were relocated to an assembly center, and later, a concentration camp. He explains his…
Paul discusses the end of the war, as well as the emotional and psychological implications of his internment experience. He goes on to recount his visit to Japan, his legacy and gives details regarding his family post-war. Paul's daughter, Ilene…
Paul recollects his forced removal and incarceration experience and details regarding his military embarkation to Europe. Paul discusses his first visit to New York City and military experience as a merchant marine, as well as his experiences during…
Matsumoto describes his role in tutoring language officers and helping them with their Japanese. Later he encounters his cousin and younger brother as captured Japanese soldiers in China. After a reunion, Matsumoto is relived to hear that his parents…
Matsumoto returns to the topic of his grandfather and his days working as a contract laborer in Hawaii, before coming to the mainland U.S. Following this discussion, Matsumoto describes the living conditions during his time at the Santa Anita…
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…
Tsukiyama was among the 2,500 recruits from Hawaii accepted into the 442nd Regimental Team and sent to Camp Shelby for basic training. He talks about how this experience, his first time away from Hawaii and describes interactions between Hawaiian…
Growing up, Don Seki attended Japanese language school and took Kendo classes. He talks about how he used to walk around barefoot all the time in Hawaii. After volunteering to join the U.S. Army, he was shipped to Camp Shelby for basic training. He…
Akune recalls his experiences on a dairy farm life before the attack on Pearl Harbor. He describes the affects of Pearl Harbor on the Japanese American community. He also describes his experience at the Merced Temporary Detention Facility and…
In this video clip, Ray Nosaka describes his job as a military dog trainer. He also talks about the different kinds of food that he and his training group ate, as well as his religious beliefs that helped him during combat. He goes on to talk about…
Nelson Akagi talks about Larry Lubetzky, a Jewish POW turned interpreter for their unit. He recounts finding Lubetzky through the Holocaust Center after almost 50 years and seeing him in person at the 50th year reunion. Akagi also describes the…
Nelson Akagi talks about experiences during the Bruyeres-Biffontaine/ Volges Campaign and more of what it was like being a scout. He also tells of the sorrow of the I Company after the Lost Battalion rescue and his experience liberating Jewish POW's.
During this part of the interview Edward Ichiyama recalls attending The Medal of Honor ceremony, as well as being the chief researcher for the AJA Veteran's Council. In addition, he gives details in regard to his friend, Thomas Shiratsuki, and being…
This interview picks up mid-story with Edward Ichiyama discussing details about his friend, Tsaneshi Naruo, as well as the eulogy of his friend, [Shimizu]. Next, Ichiyama moves on to recall his first time entering Germany and chasing the German Army…
Minori Sueda recalls his reaction to Pearl Harbor and joining the military. He also talks about volunteering for the 232nd Combat Engineer Unit, basic training, and additional engineer training at Camp Shelby.
Sogi discusses being a student at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack and his reaction to the events that took place afterwards, including Executive Order 9066. Sogi also speaks about discrimination, the…
