According to Willie Tanamachi, there are two ways Japanese Americans joined the military. One way is being drafted before the war. Another way is enlisting. Willie’s brothers Goro, Saburo, Walter, and himself served in the military. Unfortunately,…
Tanaka discusses about the role and his experiences with the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion. He details about his experiences in France. Tanaka also discusses about his experiences in Germany.
George Oiye begins this interview part by describing the similarity and differences between American and German concentration camps. Next, describes some photographs in his possession, his feelings about Dachau, and recollecting meeting German youth…
George Oiye describes a number of pictures in his possession, including units, military equipment, unit buddies, and photographs that document the 522nd's involvement with the liberation of the subcamp of Dachau Concentration Camp.
George Oiye discusses his unit's time in the Maritime Alps and the search for and eventual destruction of a railroad gun. Next, he describes how the 522nd was sent into Germany while the 442nd returned to Italy. Lastly, he describes the liberation of…
Shikashio briefly talks about Civitavecchia, Italy. He describes German 88's. He explains the location of his service battery on the front lines. He describes being hit by enemy fire. He discusses German booby traps. He briefly talks about…
Mr. Tsubota discusses some of his memories from his time in the European Theater, including liberating the Dachau concentration camp and being bombarded by German shells. Mr. Tsubota describes some of his duties and assignments, including working as…
Mr. Tsubota discusses his role as a supply officer in the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion. Mr. Tsubota was shipped out after his training at Camp Shelby where he served in Italy helping to procure supplies for the infantry. Mr. Tsubota discusses his…
Sato discusses the occupation in Japan and wartime experiences. Post-war, Sato gets married and has children. He also gets involved with the Hawaiian Holocaust Project .He discusses the involvement and contributions of the 552nd Field Artillery…
Fukasawa discusses living off the land and surviving off the rations. In the rations there are meat, eggs, can vegetates, rice and bread. The Caucasian soldiers did not want the rice, therefore he is able to have a good amount of rice to eat. In…
Mori describes his second round of basic training and maneuvers. He talks about his first combat experience. He explains how he got supplies while overseas. He discusses his relationship with other soldiers. Mori talks about the Dachau Concentration…
Matsushita talks more about his time in occupied Japan, making lots of friends there and even being there during the Korean War. After his discharge, he would begin his career in the civil service sector, working for OSHA until he retired. Following…
Hibino talks about the rescue of the Lost Battalion. He lists the contributions of Japanese American soldiers. He explains how he met his wife. He describes his courtship with his future wife. He discusses his emergency return to the United States.…
Hibino talks about his combat experiences on the Gothic Line. He describes war-torn Nuremberg, Germany. He discusses his interactions with civilians. He explains what happened when his unit found Dachau Concentration Camp. He talks about advancing…
Sakaguchi describes the different sounds of weapons as they fire. He talks about German military equipment. He explains how the Allies defeated the Germans. He continues to talk about the rescue of the Lost Battalion. He describes the courage of the…
Ishihara discusses arriving in Italy and traveling to Naples, what it was like being a part of an artillery battery, his assignments picking up water and rations, and experiencing enemy fire while in a bivouac area. He then talks about his…
Ito talks about the atrocities of the Dachau Concentration Sub camp. He explains that while in Germany, he felt that the war was coming to an end, and how he had been looking forward to returning home. Upon returning home, he went back to school to…
Ito continues to describe the Rescue of the Lost Battalion. He talks about the Japanese good luck charm (Sennibari) that his mother made him, which he kept with him through the entirety of his military service. He discusses the gratitude expressed…
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.
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…
