Akira Otani Interview Segment 12

Father's family background (ddr-densho-1000-321-1) - 00:05:50
Father's arrival in Hawaii: attending school and learning English (ddr-densho-1000-321-2) - 00:06:53
Father's early work peddling fish (ddr-densho-1000-321-3) - 00:05:00
Description of siblings (ddr-densho-1000-321-4) - 00:02:12
Attending elementary school and Japanese language school (ddr-densho-1000-321-5) - 00:05:41
Description of father's prewar fish business (ddr-densho-1000-321-6) - 00:03:24
Father's establishment of a fish auction business (ddr-densho-1000-321-7) - 00:09:16
Working during summer breaks (ddr-densho-1000-321-8) - 00:03:22
Attending the University of Hawaii (ddr-densho-1000-321-9) - 00:02:22
Witnessing the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1000-321-10) - 00:04:39
Father's arrest by the FBI (ddr-densho-1000-321-11) - 00:03:22
Volunteering for the Hawaiian Territorial Guard (ddr-densho-1000-321-12) - 00:09:53
Reaction to being removed from the Hawaiian Territorial Guard because of Japanese American background (ddr-densho-1000-321-13) - 00:04:44
Deciding to volunteer for the army (ddr-densho-1000-321-14) - 00:02:27
Enlisting in the army: memories of send-off (ddr-densho-1000-321-15) - 00:06:42
First experiences with the South and segregation (ddr-densho-1000-321-16) - 00:09:09
Staying behind to train future recruits (ddr-densho-1000-321-17) - 00:05:44
Being transferred around in the military: "it doesn't make much sense" (ddr-densho-1000-321-18) - 00:06:33
Helping to transport father from concentration camp to Seattle (ddr-densho-1000-321-19) - 00:09:01
A surprise visit to family on stopover in Hawaii (ddr-densho-1000-321-20) - 00:07:59
Serving in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-321-21) - 00:06:42
Visiting family in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-321-22) - 00:04:56
Meeting father's friends in Japan (ddr-densho-1000-321-23) - 00:07:27
Returning to Hawaii: seeing changes in the fishing industry (ddr-densho-1000-321-24) - 00:08:20
Building the fish auction business (ddr-densho-1000-321-25) - 00:04:56
The challenges of building a successful fish auction business (ddr-densho-1000-321-26) - 00:05:14
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ddr-densho-1000-321-12 (Legacy UID: denshovh-oakira-01-0012)

Volunteering for the Hawaiian Territorial Guard

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

00:09:53 — Segment 12 of 26

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March 3, 2011

Densho Visual History Collection

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

ddr-densho-1000-321

Akira Otani

Akira Otani Interview

02:31:48 — 26 segments

March 3, 2011

Honolulu, Hawaii

Nisei male. Born January 26, 1921, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Grew up in Honolulu where father owned a successful fish auction business. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, volunteered for the Hawaiian Territorial Guard. Eventually was able to join the U.S. Army, and served in Japan during the U.S. occupation. Returned to Honolulu and worked to expand the family's fish auction.

(This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.)

Tom Ikeda, interviewer; Dana Hoshide, videographer

Densho

Courtesy of Densho

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