Ray Mayeda oral history interview, part 1 of 4, January 7, 2010

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Dublin Core

Description

When World War Two ended, Ray Kuniteru Mayeda attended the University of Minnesota for a year, and his finances were running low. Therefore, he decided to volunteer for two years and enlisted when he was in Chicago. Ray went to basic training at Camp Lee, Virginia, and joined an integrated unit.

As a child, Ray lived in Japan for a few years after his mother passed away. He learned how to speak and about Japanese culture in his formative years. In 1947, Ray went to Military Intelligence Service Language School for six months.

After completing the Military Intelligence Language School, Ray went to the occupation in Japan and landed in Yokohama. He went to Camp Zama and then to Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS). Ray waited for a month at ATIS to get his permanent assignment before going to Maizuru.

In Maizuru, Ray interpreted for the doctor and translated documents the POWs wrote. When he was not working, he made friends and traveled. Ray also visited his uncle who was a famous photographer.

After Maizuru, Ray went to Mie-ken on a four-month temporary duty assignment. His duty was to surveillance the black market activities on staple foods. Ray was an interpreter and translated when the Japanese police spoke to the locals. He was the backup for the Japanese police.

Format

video/m4v

Language

Identifier

2010OH0988_01_Mayeda

Oral History Item Type Metadata

Date of Birth

1922 Oct 18

Location of Birth

War or Conflict

Branch of Service

Entrance into Service

Nickname

Campaigns/Battles

Citation

Mayeda, Ray: narrator et al., “Ray Mayeda oral history interview, part 1 of 4, January 7, 2010,” Japanese American Military History Collective, accessed December 22, 2024, https://ndajams.omeka.net/items/show/1055660.