Military service

The story of Japanese Americans in the military during World War II is complex and in many ways ironic. It is a story of mistrust by the very country for which these soldiers placed themselves in harms' way. Many were drafted directly out of the camps and fought for democracy abroad while their parents and families were incarcerated by their own government.

World War II (283)
Military service (4287)

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4287 items

img Two hugging (ddr-densho-1007-252)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-252/

img Four men talking to soldier (ddr-densho-1007-627)

Slide, created in September 1984. Image date unknown.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-627/

img Japanese servicepeople posing with crew of the B-17 and pilots of the P-38s, who landed in Japan a week before surrender (ddr-densho-1007-117)

Caption on back.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-117/

doc Program: The Color of Honor (ddr-densho-1007-1808)

Program provides an overview of the documentary, The Color of Honor, by Loni Ding which uses personal testimonies and archival footage to examine the military and civilian wartime of experiences of Japanese Americans.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1808/

av Interview with Ray Aka, part 1 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1685)

Aka discusses moving to Japan in 1946, growing up on Maui and in Okinawa, returning to the US as a teenager, being drafted, and his Japanese education. The first few minutes of the tape are Loni Ding explaining her interview process to Aka. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions during the interview. Original title: II …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1685/

img Soldier with bag (ddr-densho-1007-872)

Slide.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-872/

av Interview with Shigeo Yamada, part 3 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1709)

Yamada discusses the military service of his brothers (for the Japanese army) and the state of Japan after the war/post-reconstruction. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: II JA #48, Shigeo Yamada, Sun. Feb. 2

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1709/

av Interview with Chris Ishii, part 5 of 7 (ddr-densho-1007-1559)

Ishii discusses his basic training in Mississippi, Jim Crow, his experiences with Nisei interrogators in China, and his father moving to the US. Video starts at 0:55. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 58, II NY #43, 6-85, Ishii. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1560/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1559/

img Smiling soldier outside (ddr-densho-1007-765)

Slide.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-765/

doc Kurato notes on Niseis' role with the US Army Counterintelligence Corps (ddr-densho-1007-1106)

Photocopy.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1106/

img Soldier Joseph Barabas talks to Okinawan children (ddr-densho-1007-87)

Newspaper clippings/captions on back

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-87/

img Servicepeople gathered in hall (ddr-densho-1007-166)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-166/

img Soldier portrait (ddr-densho-1007-609)

Slide. Zoomed-out version of ddr-densho-1007-609.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-609/

img Tokyo Army Day parade (ddr-densho-1007-362)

The tanks are units of the 1st Cavalry Division. Caption on back.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-362/

img Landing craft carrying Marine assault force in Yokosuka, Japan (ddr-densho-1007-79)

Newspaper clippings/captions on back

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-79/

av Interview with Yukio Kawamoto, part 2 of 8 (ddr-densho-1007-1546)

Kawamoto discusses working in the army's financial department, the internment of his parents, and joining the MIS. Video starts at 0:53. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 48, II NY #30, 6-85, Kawamoto. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1547/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1546/

doc History of Mr. Kojima (ddr-densho-1007-909)

Handwritten notes. Mr. Kojima is Kiyofumi Kojima, a former signal officer of the Japanese Imperial Navy on the battleship Yamato.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-909/

img Members of Company I, 299th Infantry on watch in the Hanalei Beach Area (ddr-densho-1007-164)

Caption on back.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-164/

av Interview with William Kochiyama, part 1 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1522)

Kochiyama discusses his experiences with internment at Topaz, military service and political activism. Original title: 27, II NY #6, 6-5-85. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1523/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1522/