Jack Wayne Wilson oral history interview, part 1 of 2, November 2, 2009
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--Amphibious+operations">World War II--Amphibious operations</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--European+Theater--Rome-Arno+Campaign--Cassino">World War II--European Theater--Rome-Arno Campaign--Cassino</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--European+Theater">World War II--European Theater</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--European+Theater--Rhineland+Campaign%2C+Vosges--%22Rescue+of+the+Lost+Battalion%22">World War II--European Theater--Rhineland Campaign, Vosges--"Rescue of the Lost Battalion"</a>
Jack Wayne Wilson is born in Newburgh, Indiana, on January 3, 1924. His mother is Sadye Mae Anderson Wilson she is a descendant from the Daniel Boone family. His father is Baron Faron Wilson. Jack's father starts working the coal mines at a young age and continues until the Great Depression. Jack serves in the 141st 36th Division.
Jack grows up during the Prohibition era. At a young age, he tries to earn extra money by selling empty bottles to Bootleggers and catches Blue Gills.
After high school, Jack helps build Long Ship Tanks (LST)at the shipyard in Evansville, Indiana. Jack gets promoted to the number one layout man. Shortly after, Jack receives his draft notice and passes his physical examination. He is selected to be in the Navy; however, Jack wants to join the Army.
Jack starts basic training at Camp Blanding and joins to the 36th Division. He recalls the events of World War Two and the European Theater Operations from Mount Longo, Rapido River, Cassino, Montelimar, Italy. Jack, and his Company battle against enemy fire.
During the invasions, Jack is injured a few times and receives the Purple Heart twice.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Wilson%2C+Jack+Wayne%3A+narrator">Wilson, Jack Wayne: narrator</a>
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3A+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=48&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center">Go For Broke National Education Center</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=2009-11-02">2009-11-02</a>
video/m4v
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+Histories">Oral Histories</a>
2009OH0798A_01_Wilson
Rikio Tsuda oral history interview, part 5 of 6, October 21, 2002
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--Military+service--100th+Infantry+Battalion+%28Separate%29">World War II--Military service--100th Infantry Battalion (Separate)</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--European+Theater--Rhineland+Campaign%2C+Maritime+Alps">World War II--European Theater--Rhineland Campaign, Maritime Alps</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=World+War+II--European+Theater--%22The+Gothic+Line%22">World War II--European Theater--"The Gothic Line"</a>
After the campaigns in Italy, Tsuda's unit would move into Southern France, where they would be involved in more combat, including a mortar barrage that wounded him with shrapnel into his hip. He would head to the hospital and stay there for a short time before being sent back to the front lines. They would then begin the Champagne campaign, where Tsuda would dig foxholes for a couple of days instead of enjoying his rest and relaxation time. After this, they would continue on, taking heavy casualties while coming up one of the hills and getting artillery barrages. One battle was done in complete darkness and it wasn't until the morning that they were able to see the shadows of the German soldiers shooting at them.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Tsuda%2C+Rikio%3A+narrator">Tsuda, Rikio: narrator</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Yoneshige%2C+David%3A+interviewer">Yoneshige, David: interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3A+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher</a>
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video/m4v
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+Histories">Oral Histories</a>
2002OH0309_05_Tsuda
Frank Tadao Matsuda oral history interview, part 2 of 3, August 25, 2007
Frank Matsuda hears the news the Army is accepting Japanese American volunteers. Frank signs up to volunteer and returns to camp to take his physical exam. He passes the physical exam and goes to Camp Shelby for basic training. Frank is a BAR man (Browning Aumotatic Riffle man) assigned to the first squad, 3rd platoon.
Frank discusses the treatment of African Americans in Mississippi. Frank shares some experiences he sees in Hattiesburg regarding segregation. The people in Hattiesburg are indifferent to the Japanese Americans in the South.
At Camp Shelby, there are mainland and Hawaiian soldiers. Frank addresses the division between the mainlanders and Hawaiian. There are talks of disbandment of the Japanese American unit and Frank explains how the issue is resolved.
Frank goes overseas to Europe. His first artillery fire happens north of Rome and he sees a dead body for the first time. This is a moment he cannot forget. The day after the Last Battalion, Frank encounters a mortar barrage (Vosges Mountain) and is hit in four places on his body. James Okubo (medic) helps him, and Frank wakes up in the hospital.
After being wounded, Frank is on limited service and works in the mortar pool unit. Frank hears the 442nd is going back to Italy and asks his Captain if he can go back with the outfit. Frank receives approval and is assigned back to K Company.
Frank did not interact with civilians much because he is in battle. Frank recalls the civilians knowing the war is over before he did. Frank returns to the United States after a month or two when the war ends. He is discharged at Fort Douglas, Utah, and goes back to Seattle, Washington. Shortly after, Frank goes to live in Chicago with his sister. Post-war, Frank gets married and has children.
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Horsting%2C+Robert%3A+interviewer">Horsting, Robert: interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3A+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher</a>
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2007OH0793_02_Matsuda
Sukeo Oji oral history interview, part 5 of 7, May 26, 2002
Sukeo "Skeets" Skeets recalls the saddest part of the war was seeing political prisoners' dead bodies. He never forgot the smell of the bodies. The American troops advanced to the 2nd Infantry Division; Skeets received orders from the CIC to form an engineer task force.
During the Korean war, Skeets faced challenges in battles with the enemy soldiers and interrogating POWs. He recollects before going to Sunchang, the troops had to go through a mountain road and were under artillery fire. The 2nd Division had a heavy loss of men and could not continue. Therefore, they had to recuperate for a month waiting for replacements.
Besides combat, Skeets interrogated the officers and non-combats. However, there were too many of them. Skeets recalls getting Chinese POWs in Korean uniforms. With the dilemma, McArthur Headquarters went to Chiang Kai Shek to find a Chinese linguist.
Skeets was called back to the 8th Army in Taegu to start an Interrogation Poisoner of War Training School at Army Prison in Pusan. Skeets picked about 20 Niseis from the frontline for 2 weeks of training. The training consisted of map reading, interrogation, and how to evacuate POWs.
The Niseis practiced their interrogation skills on the POWS at the 8th Army Compound. The interrogation later moved to Pusan. After Skeets conduct about four classes of interrogation training, he received orders to go to Japan. Skeets wanted to return to the States. However, linguists were needed.
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2002OH0285_05_Oji
Masato Yamashita oral history interview, part 3 of 3, October 4, 2011
Masato Yamashita's interview is with Lloyd Fujitani.
When the news of the war is over, Masato Yamashita hears that they might go to the Pacific, and soldiers from I Company sign up for the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).
At the end of the war, Masato's duty is guarding German Prisoners and attends school. Lloyd Fujitani also has guard duty at the end of the war. He watches over the surplus supply and Army equipment. Lloyd recalls the Army recruiting him for the 88th Division. However, he wants to return home.
In December, Masato is discharged and returns to Lodi, CA. He lives with his mother since the passing of his father. Masato works on the ranch for a few years before going to National Trade School to learn mechanics. Later he works at Pine Street Garage in Lodi for ten years. Masato saves enough money and buys the building next door to the auto shop. He owns a supply store called Pine Auto Supply for several years before selling the business.
In September 1946, Lloyd is discharge. Lloyd works on the ten-acre vineyard producing wine for winemakers.
Masato and Lloyd discuss the Nisei legacy. Masato says Japanese Americans and other Asians have more equality now than before thanks to the 442nd contributions.
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Horsting%2C+Robert%3A+interviewer">Horsting, Robert: interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3A+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=48&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center">Go For Broke National Education Center</a>
2011OH1049_03_Yamashita
Ken Nihei oral history interview, part 3 of 5, August 20, 2004
Overseas, every two months Ken's company moved to a different area.
Ken's first battle was on Mount Fogarito. In the Headquarters Platoon, Ken did various assignments. One job was to be a litter-bearer and carry the wounded soldiers off the battlefield. Ken discusses the risk of being a litter-bearer. His friend Tom Nishimoto died when he was a litter-bearer carrying Captain Cassey down the mountain.
Another job was escorting POWs down the mountain. Ken, Norbori, and Chizuo Uyeda took the POWs down and were attacked by mortar shells. They were not hit, but one of the POWs was wounded.
After Mount Fogarito, the Company marched into Carrera, Italy, and he recalls the townspeople were happy to see them. Ken was in combat with the German soldiers for several weeks until Genova.
Post-war, Ken was assigned to ship the German POWs back to Germany. The group was divided into two modes of transports truck and train. Ken and his men were on the train convoy, and they had to watch 400 POWs.
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<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Hanamura%2C+Wendy%3A+interviewer">Hanamura, Wendy: interviewer</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Go+For+Broke+National+Education+Center%3A+publisher">Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher</a>
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2004OH0483_03_Nihei
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