Military Intelligence Service

The first Japanese Americans to serve in the military during World War II were linguists involved in the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS). The MISLS was charged with training soldiers in the Japanese language for intelligence purposes. Japanese Americans served as both instructors and students at the school, which opened on November 1, 1941. The Language School began recruiting instructors and later students directly from concentration camps as early as July 1942. MISLS graduates were assigned in small teams to units fighting in the Pacific and to intelligence centers throughout the Allied command. They translated captured documents, interrogated prisoners of war, wrote propaganda, encouraged Japanese soldiers and civilians to surrender, and monitored radio broadcasts. After the war, they acted as interpreters at the war crime trials and for the occupation government in Japan.

World War II (231)
Military service (2806)
Military Intelligence Service (1145)

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1145 items

img Three men standing outside building (ddr-ajah-2-754)

Caption: Joe Iwataki (left) xx Kusuda and Tsutomu "Tsunch" Inouye, all from Alameda, take their basic training at Fort Ord, near Monterey, CA. 1941. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-142 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-754/

img View of military parade from above (ddr-ajah-2-614)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-614/

img Group of buildings (ddr-ajah-2-421)

Caption below photo: The Quad

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-421/

img Man standing in snow outside camp building (ddr-ajah-2-485)

Caption below photo: Joe Ikuta

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-485/

img Man standing outside building (ddr-ajah-2-422)

Caption below photo: Colonel Kai Rasmussen / Commandant, MISLS

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-422/

img Man and two children in canoe (ddr-ajah-2-628)

Caption below photo: Remo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-628/

img Man standing in yard (ddr-ajah-2-585)

Caption below photo: George Terazawa

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-585/

img Man speaking in front of camp building (ddr-ajah-2-498)

Caption below photo: Ambassador Grew Speaks

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-498/

img Military parade seen from above (ddr-ajah-2-620)

Caption below photo: Aussie Seventh Division

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-620/

img Portrait of group of men outside barracks, with individual autographs on front. (ddr-ajah-2-806)

Inscription on back: Section 10 Class - Camp Savage, Minnesota Dec. '42 - June '43. With names and hometowns identified. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-433 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-806/

img Portrait of Frank Tomita, autographed on front (ddr-ajah-2-739)

Caption below photo: Sgt. Frank Tomita / Seattle, Wash.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-739/

img View of barracks with cots and wood stove (ddr-ajah-2-530)

Caption below photo: South end of the barracks

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-530/

img Man studying at desk (ddr-ajah-2-508)

Caption below photo: Ben Moriwaki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-508/

img Two men sitting on rocks in swim trunks (ddr-ajah-2-639)

Caption below photo: Taro / Cowan

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-639/

img Breakwater in bay (ddr-ajah-2-673)

Caption below photo: Breakwater

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-673/

img Men posing for group photo outside camp building (ddr-ajah-2-510)

Caption below photo: Section 8

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-510/

img Three men by trees. Joe Iwataki on left (ddr-ajah-2-663)

Caption below photo: Elmer / Remo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-663/

img Postcard of ball room. Printed on front: Ball room, Service Men's Center (ddr-ajah-2-554)

Caption below photo: St. Paul U.S.O.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-554/

img Man sitting on boat (ddr-ajah-2-723)

Caption below photo: Bill

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-723/

img Two men outside barracks (ddr-ajah-2-9)

Written on back: Ambassador Grew Camp Savage

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-9/

img Three men by river with men bathing in background (ddr-ajah-2-753)

Caption: Joe Iwataki, center, posed with his U.S. Army friends, while other bath in a nearby river. 1941. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-234 with notes.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-753/

img Men sitting near tents and line of trucks (ddr-ajah-2-774)

Caption: Unknown US Army camp, probably training site, circa 1941. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-222 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-774/

img Group photo of men in uniform outside Topaz camp building. Joe Iwataki standing second from left (ddr-ajah-2-785)

Caption: Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA., posed with Gis while he is on furlough to Topaz, Utah, July 1943. Photo shot in front of the Ad building. Additional note about names: These names were on the back of the photo but it was difficult to know the exact position of the person named. Supplemental scan of …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-785/

img Two men in cook's uniforms outside building (ddr-ajah-2-550)

Caption below photo: Fat Nakamura / Wahoo Yasui / cooks

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-550/

img View of bridge (ddr-ajah-2-598)

Caption below photo: Grey Street Bridge

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-598/