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 Five men standing by tents. Joe Iwataki in center (ddr-ajah-2-626)

Caption below photo: Don / Bill / Bill / Maurice

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-626/

img Buildings in the distance surrounded by wall (ddr-ajah-2-681)

Caption below photo: The old Spanish walled city

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-681/

img Man sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-705)

Caption below photo: M/Sgt Elmer Grieder Cambridge, Mass.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-705/

img Portrait of man in uniform (ddr-ajah-2-572)

Caption below photo: Victor Abe

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-572/

img Three men standing outside camp buildings (ddr-ajah-2-529)

Caption below photo: Sally / Bob / Stamy

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-529/

img Group of buildings (ddr-ajah-2-801)

Caption: Mess Hall, Camp Savage, Minnesota, October 1942 to October 1943. Joe Iwataki, of Alameda, CA., was there to learn better Japanese as part of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS), and all Japanese America unit during WWII. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-421 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-801/

img Joe Iwataki standing next to sign reading: Off Limits to Troops (ddr-ajah-2-818)

Caption: Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA;, at Camp Chelmer, Indooroopilly, Australia February 1944. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-568 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-818/

img Man talking to group of children (ddr-ajah-2-627)

Caption below photo: Remo and Native children

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-627/

img Man and two children in canoe (ddr-ajah-2-820)

Caption: Remo Peduzzi rides Lake Sentani with local children from Hollandia, New Guinea, in a canoe made from a single tree. September - December 1944. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-628 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-820/

img Road and sign at entrance to Fort Ord (ddr-ajah-2-762)

Caption: The entrance to Fort Ord, from Monterey, CA., August 1941. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajaj-2-32 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-762/

img Man lying in cot (ddr-ajah-2-532)

Caption below photo: Karl Branstad

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-532/

img Group of men sitting by grassy hill (ddr-ajah-2-445)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-445/

img Clock tower and large building (ddr-ajah-2-592)

Caption below photo: City Hall

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-592/

img View of camp on hillside (ddr-ajah-2-621)

Caption below photo: Sea Bee Camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-621/

img Four men playing cards (ddr-ajah-2-536)

Caption below photo: Poker again

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-536/

img Group of soldiers in snow outside tunnel entrance (ddr-ajah-2-780)

Caption: U.S. Army soldiers, including Joe Iwataki (he is taking the photo)guard train tracks, tunnels and bridges in January 1942, near Belden, CA. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-314 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-780/

img Four man standing outside camp building in snow. Joe Iwataki second from left (ddr-ajah-2-458)

Caption below photo: Tak / Moff / Hooch

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-458/

img Man standing outside door of building (ddr-ajah-2-460)

Caption below photo: Ken Kato

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-460/

img Three women and man in uniform having a picnic (ddr-ajah-2-524)

Caption below photo: Roy Nakada / Honolulu

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-524/

img Man standing outside tent (ddr-ajah-2-586)

Caption below photo: Hughes Tsuneishi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-586/

img Football game in stadium with crowd in bleachers (ddr-ajah-2-516)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-516/

img Three men playing cards (ddr-ajah-2-535)

Caption below photo: Poker

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-535/

img Four men outside tent (ddr-ajah-2-816)

Caption: The original members of Tent 29 at Camp Chelmer, Indooroopilly, near Queensland, Australia. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. photo November 1943-January 1944

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-816/

img Audience of men in uniform facing speaker at podium (ddr-ajah-2-814)

Caption: Joe Iwataki and a number of Nisei soldiers graduate from the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota on June 18, 1943. Speaking that day was Major General George W. Strong, the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2. He is seated just to the left of the microphone. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-564 with additional …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-814/

img Joe Iwataki sitting with women at Camp Savage open house (ddr-ajah-2-812)

Caption: At the Camp Savage, Minnesota, open house, Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA., enjoys the company of Mary Hayano. The event included a concert band, buffet luncheon, and other entertainment. May 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-526 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-812/