In the final video, Mr. Saiki further discusses his reunion with his brother, discussing what his life was like in Japan, and the conditions of Japan post-war. Additionally, Mr. Saiki describes his role in the Counterintelligence Corps as well as the…
Ted Wakai recounts his family's arrival in Hawaii. He discusses his childhood memories of his father, mother, and siblings. Lastly, there are stories about his school experiences up to boarding school (high school).
Ted Wakai begins with boarding school activities and discusses the Pearl Harbor attack. He then talks about his job cleaning Hickam Field after the attack and the reactions from the community and Caucasian soldiers to the attack. This interview…
Ted Wakai describes recruitment techniques for the Military Intelligence Service. He then discusses Japanese language training and basic training at Camp Snelling and Fort McClellan. The last topics for this interview segment are Fort Ritchie and…
Ted Wakai discusses his counter intelligence training at Fort Ritchie, and then becoming an instructor at the Counter Intelligence Corps school. He then describes his discharge from the US Army and recounts some instances of racial discrimination. …
Ted Wakai talks about meeting and marrying his wife, and discusses his children and their lives. Next he talks about the effects of his family's incarceration on his willingness to volunteer for the Military Intelligence Service. Lastly he gives some…
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…
Victor Abe discusses his father's arrival to the United States, attainment of higher education, and becoming a successful businessman. Next, he talks about his mother and his siblings before recounting his school experiences to Pearl Harbor. Lastly…
Victor Abe describes his induction experiences at Fort MacArthur and then his basic training at Camp Robinson. After basic training he is assigned to Fort Warren before being accepted into the Military Intelligence Service at Camp Savage. Lastly,…
Victor Abe talks about his graduation from Military Intelligence School and his subsequent journey to Australia to become a translator of captured Japanese documents. Finding the duty in Australia unexciting he volunteers to be a document translator…
Victor Abe describes the conditions at Leyte and his time in Mindanao, Philippines. Next, he discusses his furlough experiences and talks about his father's internment and eventually release near the end of the war. Lastly, he talks about his…
Victor Abe describes his discharge from the US Army after the war, and then regaining the family house they owned before the incarceration into internment camps. Next he discusses the family business and his series of jobs in structural engineering…
Jack Wilson recounts his early life in Indiana and working on building LSTs before being drafted. Next he describes his training and assignment to the 36th Infantry Division in Italy, as well as the fighting around Monte Cassino. Lastly, he describes…
Jack Wilson recounts the small battles that lead up to his unit becoming the Lost Battalion. Next he describes the resupply efforts, attempts to find a way back to friendly lines, and relief by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. The interview ends…
In this first interview with Senator Daniel Akaka, Mr. Akaka discusses his family background, childhood, and what his life was like growing up in Hawaii. Senator Akaka describes the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, what news he heard about the…
Senator Akaka focuses on the importance of recognition of Nisei soldiers and describes the role he played in upgrading awards and helping secure Medal of Honor designations for a group of Nisei veterans. Senator Akaka also discusses a book which…
John Togashi starts the interview by talking about his childhood in Modesto, California, and discusses his parents occupations. Next he talks about the tensions between Japan and the US before Pearl Harbor, and then the attack on Pearl Harbor. Lastly…
John Togashi starts with a discussion on reactions at school to Pearl Harbor and the FBI interviewing his father. Next he describes the evacuation notice posters and his family selling its possessions prior to moving to the Merced Temporary Assembly…
John Togashi begins this interview part with recounting jobs he had with the Santa Fe Railroad and working in warehouses in Detroit. Next he describes getting his draft notice and talks about the "Loyalty Questionnaire". Lastly he recounts his…
John Togashi talks about his basic training experiences and shipping out of the United States. Next he describes his military travel to Europe and joining the 442nd in northern France. Lastly he talks about his experiences with the 442nd while they…
John Togashi describes witnessing combat for the first time and experiencing enemy artillery fire. Next he recounts the 442nd move into Italy and fighting along the Gothic Line. Lastly he describes assaulting a hill in which he gets wounded by mortar…
John Togashi discusses his ambulance ride to the field hospital with Daniel Inouye. Next he describes the end of the war in Europe and the feelings he had about the atomic bombs being used on Japan. Lastly he describes his discharge and return to…
John Togashi concludes the interview by giving advice to future generations about his and the Japanese American experience during WWII, as well as his general feeling of satisfaction in overcoming all the challenges he was confronted with during that…
Mitsuo Tominaga begins the interview by recounting his childhood experiences with family and school mates. Next he discusses his American identity growing up in a community that was mostly Caucasian. Lastly he talks about volunteering for the Army…
Mitsuo Tominaga talks about the duties performed while in an infantry regiment prior to WWII. Next he describes the Pearl Harbor attack and what it meant to his unit. Lastly he recounts patrols along the California coast looking for a potential…
Mitsuo Tominaga discusses his feeling about about being reassigned to an all Nisei unit, and their interactions with civilians while in Michigan. Next he describes his unit's time at Fort Shelby conducting weapons training, and the racial conditions…
Mitsuo Tominaga discusses arriving in Italy, and then his unit shipping out to France. Next he recounts his first combat experiences during the time of the Lost Battalion incident, and then suffering a serious noncombat foot injury. Lastly he…
Mitsuo Tominaga begins this interview segment by discussing his transfer to the ordnance unit, the end of the war, and working with German POWs. Next he talks about returning back to the US and his discharge from the Army. Lastly he discusses his…
Mitsuo Tominaga describes his personal feelings about WWII and serving during the war. Next he recounts some post war racial discrimination and meeting family in Japan. Lastly he discusses the immigrant experience in America and the importance of…
This interview segment records color photographs taken of Mitsuo Tominaga's squad during WWII in southern France, and a number of certificates that he possesses.
Mr. Estes describes his life growing up in rural Georgia and his decision to join the military following the Pearl Harbor attack. Assigned as a mortarman, Estes moved up the ranks eventually becoming platoon sergeant. Estes was part of the Lost…
Mr. Estes describes his combat wound and his return trip home at the war's end. Mr. Estes discusses his career after the war and talks about his family, including what he has shared with his children and grandchildren about his military service.…
George Oiye begins the interview by describing his family and childhood experiences growing up in Montana. Next, he describes his parents' emphasis to Americanize, as well as discussing the small Japanese American population in Montana. Lastly, he…
George Oiye describes experiences of discrimination, lack of personal relationships, and going to college. Next, he talks about community reactions to Pearl Harbor and the feelings about the west coast evacuation of Japanese Americans. Lastly, he…
George Oiye talks about the reputation of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, experiences as a forward observer, and the units transfer to France. Next, he discusses the attacks on Bruyeres and Biffontaine. Lastly, he describes the Rescue of the…
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…
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 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 concludes this interview by describing his love for photography, how he managed to bring his personal camera overseas with him, and the kind of pictures he took while in Europe. Next, he describes some of his personal pictures he took…
James McNaughton begins the interview by giving a short biographical introduction and how he came to work for the Defense Language Institute. Next he discusses learning about the Nisei and their role in the Military Intelligence Service (MIS).…
James McNaughton begins this interview part by discussing the differences between the Nisei fighting in the different theaters of War in WWII. Next, he discusses the importance of military intelligence to the war effort, and the Nisei's contributions…
James McNaughton discusses the risks the Nisei took in fighting during WWII, and the advantages of having Nisei linguists during the occupation of Japan. Next, he describes researching information for his official history, and helping to research…
George Aratani begins the interview by detailing his father's vocation in Japan, and then his immigration to the United States where he starts businesses in agriculture. Next, he discusses his mother, and his parents sending him to Japan to learn…
George Aratani begins this interview part discussing how the bombing of Pearl Harbor prevented him from being able to completely take control of his father's businesses, and then arranging management of the businesses while in internment camp to an…
George Aratani recounts meeting two Nisei in prewar Japan and their subsequent experiences during WWII fighting for Japan. Next, he discusses the origins of the Mikasa chinaware company and how he managed to get Macy's to buy into the dinnerware.…
George Aratani continues his discussion on the keys to his business success, and then talks about the Military Intelligence Service Language School students. Next, he talks about his various philanthropic work in the Japanese American community.…
Sakaye Aratani begins the interview by giving background information about her parents, and her childhood years growing up in Gardena and Los Angeles, California. Next, she describes life in Poston Concentration Camp and meeting, dating, marriage,…
Kazuo Komoto begins the interview with detailing his father's reasons for leaving Japan and then returning to Japan to find a bride before starting a family in the United States. Next, he discusses his mother's wishes for her children to get a…
Kazuo Komoto discusses his high school life in Japan and witnessing the increasing militarism of the Japanese society during the conflict in Manchuria. Next, he talks about not feeling attached to the Japanese society and wanting to return to the…
Kazuo Komoto talks about performing guard duty over an aircraft plant in California, and how a newspaper picture of Nisei's guarding the plant created some issues with the local community. Next, he discusses his transfer to Camp Savage and the…
Kazuo Komoto discusses the trip from Camp Savage to his first overseas duty on Fiji Island as a team leader of a 10 man Japanese language team, and then he discusses the duties performed while on Guadalcanal. Next, he describes how he volunteered for…
Kazuo Komoto discusses returning back to the United States to recover from his wound, his mother receiving letters from Washington DC informing her of his wounding, and his chance to visit his mother at the Gila River Concentration Camp. Next, he…
Kazuo Komoto concludes this interview by showing some personal photographs taken while in the military, family photos, and then some military documents and a selective service ribbon.
Mrs. Kato was raised on a farm in Nebraska and describes her early childhood growing up in the rural community of North Platte. Mrs. Kato volunteered to join the Women's Army Corps following the attack on Pearl Harbor, where she served with the…
In this joint interview, Sue Kato begins by showing a few photographs during her service in the Women's Army Corps and gives some concluding thoughts about her military service and the role of the Nisei soldiers during World War II. Min Kato, Sue's…
Mr. Seiso Kamishita describes his personal history and family background. He talks about his siblings, childhood, and growing up poor. He also describes his education background.
Seiso Kamishita describes attending Japanese language school, about his high school experience, and about not being able to go to college because of his father. Kamishita also discusses pre-war tensions between Japan and the United States, the…
Seiso Kamishita describes the changes that occurred as a result of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He talks about being transferred to Camp McCoy for basic training and becoming a rifleman. He describes the difficulty of his basic training, about…
Seiso Kamishita describes finding German soldiers and about his court-martial case. He recalls the landing in Oran, Africa, and facing combat with F Combat for the very first time at the river crossing of the Volturno River. He describes his…
Seiso Kamishita talks about rejoining his company in the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate) and being put in charge of the Special Police Platoon. He describes his combat experience in Anzio and Bruyeres, and witnessing the starving children in…
Seiso Kamishita describes writing letters home, fighting prejudice at home and on the front line, as well as a memorable experience with Italian soldiers. He recalls hearing about the end of the war, being discharged, perpetuating the legacy of the…
Kazuo Fujii begins the interview with background information on his family, and his early childhood being influenced by his primary school teachers. Next, he describes having to work hard on the family farm, and then taking it over after graduating…
Kazuo Fujii discusses his personal experiences after Pearl Harbor, seeing his family before their evacuation, and visiting American Concentration Camps. Next, he talks about the basic training for combat engineers, and the altercations between…
Kazuo Fujii talks about the different tasks combat engineers perform and the conditions that they have to do it under. Next, he discusses the 232nd Combat Engineer Company's arrival in Italy, their first combat action, and the tasks they were…
Kazuo Fujii recounts his unit going to southern France, and shipping out back to Italy to participate in the attacks on the Gothic Line. Next, he talks about his platoon sergeant and how everyone followed his orders, and then the Nisei soldiers…
Kazuo Fujii discusses returning home, and encountering some instances of racism around his hometown. Next, he talks about how he met his wife, and her background. Lastly, he gives a message for future generations, and provides some information on his…
Yoshito Fujimoto describes his family history and personal background, his time spent in Japan as a child, and returning to the United States. He recalls attending Japanese language school, how he was recruited into the Military Intelligence Service,…
Yoshito Fujimoto describes awaiting overseas assignment with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and being recruited into the Military Intelligence Service Language School. He recalls shipping overseas to Australia, where he was assigned to ATIS and…
Yoshito Fujimoto talks about his experiences fighting in the Philippines, and about his reassignment to Japan. He recalls his arrival at the Atsugi Air Field, about his stay in Yokohama, about the signing of the Termination of War documents, and…
Yoshito Fujimoto describes working on the reconciliation of Japanese political leaders, observing the post-war labor conference, and other happenings during the occupation of Japan. He talks about the atomic bomb drop sites and how he was prohibited…
Yoshito Fujimoto describes his second tour of duty in Japan, in which he worked undercover and spent time in Korea. He discusses his time in Japan after Korea, the reconstruction of Japan, and returning to California after his father's death. At the…
Yoshio Nakamura begins the interview with his family's background, how the family adapted to life without a mother, and the family's farming business. Next, he describes his elementary and high school experiences and activities. Lastly, he recounts…
Yoshio Nakamura recounts the experiences of evacuation to the Tulare Temporary Detention Facility. Next, he describes the transfer from Tulare to the Gila River Concentration Camp. Lastly, he discusses his father's difficulty living in the camps,…
Yoshio Nakamura talks about his school experiences while at Gila River, and his involvement setting up student organizations. Next, he discusses getting his draft notice, traveling to Camp Blanding, and the training he did there. Lastly, he talks…
Yoshio Nakamura recounts a touching story about a Caucasian man buying his lunch, and then the process of going overseas to Europe, but his unit gets quarantined due to an outbreak of measles. Next, he discusses meeting up with his unit in southern…
Yoshio Nakamura discusses the end of the war in Europe, and getting the opportunity to study some university classes in Florence, Italy. Next, he talks about his journey back to the United States, and the process of being discharged from the army.…
Yoshio Nakamura talks about his career working with Rio Hondo College and being an art teacher. Next, he discusses his opportunities to speak out about the Japanese American experience in WWII. Lastly, he gives some advice to future generations about…
Kenneth Masamitsu describes his personal history and family background. He talks about his parents, siblings, and about his childhood, which include attending Japanese language school, learning judo, and growing up in Lomita, California.
Kenneth Masamitsu describes being drafted into the military, about his experience in basic training, and his recruitment into the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. He also recalls hearing the news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and visiting a few of the…
Kenneth Masamitsu talks about how his brother was wounded in action, about becoming a commissioned officer, and his journey overseas. He also describes his experience fighting in the European Theater, and becoming assigned to the Anti-Tank Company.
Kenneth Masamitsu recalls how he was wounded in Italy, and about returning to his platoon before they entered France. He describes his experiences in Bruyeres, and about the Rescue of the Lost Battalion. He also talks about receiving a Purple Heart…
Kenneth Masamitsu describes more memories from his military service overseas, his duties at the end of the war, and becoming a farmer. He tells the story about how he met his wife, talks about his family, and about the importance of remembering the…
Cover of an album containing photographs taken by MIS veteran Walter Tadao Oka. Cover has been customized with Oka's name, Japanese cities: Kyoto, Osaka, Sasebo, Tokyo and patches, including the 8th Army of the Pacific patch. His military…
General Douglas MacArthur at General Headquarters, Dai-ichi Building in Tokyo Japan. Commander Head Quarters patch (blue flag with yellow text). Eighth Army, US Army Pacific patch (red with white "x")
