Hamada discusses Operation Magpie and the role he played in it. He also details of what some of the Doolittle Flyers went through as prisoners of war. Hamada discusses his family.
Furumoto discusses Roy Matsumoto and the Battle of Napunga Hill. He goes on to describe the diseases he contracted while overseas. He also discusses his participation in creating Black Propaganda.
Furumoto recalls joining Merrill's Marauders on a secret mission to Burma. He discusses his task of interpreting Japanese soldiers for information, and describes the Battle of Napunga Hill.
Fukuzawa discusses about his experiences in Italy both during and post-war. He details about his experiences in France, including the Champagne Campaign and his interactions with French citizens. Fukuzawa also discusses about the casualties of war.
Taira Fukushima and his brother Jim are together for 442nd and replacements. On the mainland, Taira is a medic aide, and Jim is a litter bearer. Taira has limited training as a medic, but Tech Sergeant Hirata and Sergeant Matsuda give him support…
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…
Fujimoto continues to talk about his unit's attempt to capture Cassino, Italy. He describes a recent visit to Cassino, Italy. He discusses an air fight he witnessed. He shares his thoughts on war. He talks about his unit's retreat from Cassino,…
Fujimoto talks about his family background and his childhood, growing up in southern California. Next, he speaks about his self identity and what it was like to grow up being a Japanese American, amongst a neighborhood of caucasians. Next, the…
Fujikawa talks about his time training at Fort Snelling, studying Japanese language with the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). He briefly talks about his marriage background, his wife moving to Minnesota while he was at Fort Snelling. After this,…
Cunningham explains how he got the German soldiers to come out of the underground fortress. He talks about having trench foot. He discusses Prisoners of War. He explains the extent to which he interacted with the 100th Infantry Battalion. He…
Paul Takao Bannai discusses Nisei in the Japanese Army and wants to learn more about their experience. In Kyoto, Paul helps organize the breweries to sell alcohol to the United States military.
After Japan, Paul has one more year of service. He…
When Paul Takao Bannai hears the news of Pearl Harbor on December 7, his reaction is to help and defend the United States. Paul's parents support him and encourage him to defend America. By joining the 442nd and serving with the Military…
During Paul Takao Bannai's school years in Utah, and Colorado there are no Japanese American students. Paul's friends are mainly white. When he moves to Los Angeles, CA, his friends are more diverse, and he meets other Japanese Americans. Paul…
Araki continues his recollection of his time after being drafted into the Army and having an assignment in Hawaii, guarding Italian prisoners of war. Next, he discusses the Japanese language and the importance of the characters that are used. He…
In this video clip, Ken Akune goes into detail about his experience during the Occupation of Japan. He talks about being reunited with his family, what type of service he provided, and describes the devastation that he saw within the city.
Harry Akune describes his childhood, living and going to school in Japan after his mother died. He talks about learning discipline after living with his Grand-Uncle. He describes his experience during the Occupation of Japan, in which he helped…
Harry Akune continues to talk about his experience with the parachute landing on Corregidor Island -- he had been separated from his team, but was luckily not identified as "the enemy." After Corregidor Island, he was sent to Luzon, where he was…
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…
Harry Akune continues to describe the Women Prisoner of War camp that he helped liberate in Japan. During the Occupation of Japan, he was reassigned to the Ration and Price Control Division. He talks about the difficulties of interpretation and…
After joining the Air Force, Aki would ask to be sent to occupied Japan, instead of having to serve in the Korean War. He talks about coming into Japan for the first time since his time as a prisoner of war, and comparing the destruction he saw when…
Aki continues to talk about his experiences as a prisoner of war while in Japan. Towards the end of the war, he noticed that a lot of weird things were happening with the Japanese Army guards and that the POWs were taken out of work. He overheard…
Aki continues to talk about his experience as a prisoner of war on Wake Island. There, he would be treated pretty normally, although there were some casualties and they were guarded by the Japanese Army. He also talks about one incident that was…
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.
In this oral history interview, Raymond Aka talks about his early childhood in Hawaii and his subsequent move to Okinawa and attending school in Japan. After returning to America, Aka describes his time in high school, working in California, and his…
