Yoshiro Tokiwa oral history interview, part 3 of 3, October 14, 2007

Files

Dublin Core

Description

At Camp Shelby, Yoshiro Tokiwa describes the living conditions and meals. He leaves Camp Shelby to go to Fort Meade. Yoshiro receives orders to go overseas to join the 442nd.

He travels overseas on USS Washington. The voyage takes two weeks for the soldiers to land in Italy. He could not tell his family where he is going, no letters are permitted. On the ship, he has kitchen police duties.

When Yoshiro lands in Naples, Italy, Yoshiro goes to Caiazzo, where the replacement depot is. Yoshiro has training in foreign weapons. At the end of April 1945, and Germany surrenders two days later.

In Italy, Yoshiro sees his cousin Rudy Tokiwa. Yoshiro's other cousin Duke Tokiwa (Rudy's brother) is also overseas but in Germany.

The war ends, and Yoshiro returns to the United States. He lands in New Jersey and drives his jeep cross country back to California. Along the way, he makes a few stops to visits friends.

Post-war, Yoshiro goes to school at San Jose State College and UC Berkeley. He majors in biochemistry. After graduating he works at two labs at the California Department of Health Services. Later he works in different fields dealing with carcinogens. Yoshiro explains the PCD compliance agreement and regulation for the museum exhibiting Military ships.

Yoshiro is remarried and has four children (two sons from his previous marriage and two step-daughters). Yoshiro is on the Board of Japanese American Service East Bay. This organization helps elderly Japanese Americans. Yoshiro is proud to serve with the 442nd.

Format

video/m4v

Identifier

2007OH0815_03_Tokiwa

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Date of Birth

1925 Apr 29

Location of Birth

War or Conflict

Branch of Service

Entrance into Service

Location of Basic Training

Citation

Tokiwa, Yoshiro: narrator, Garvey, John: interviewer, and Go For Broke National Education Center: publisher, “Yoshiro Tokiwa oral history interview, part 3 of 3, October 14, 2007,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed March 19, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1053498.