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 (277)
Military service (4131)

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4131 items

doc Selective Service classification notification (ddr-densho-383-520)

Classifying George Tokuda as 4C

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-520/

doc Clipping from Minidoka Irrigator (ddr-densho-383-533)

Headline story: Army will admit Nisei

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-533/

doc Letter to Clara from George Tokuda (ddr-densho-383-480)

Describing camp conditions, and the loss of his businesses, and concerns for the future.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-480/

doc Selective Service classification notification (ddr-densho-383-525)

Classifying George Tokuda at 2A

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-525/

doc Draft of writing about camp life, young men discussing enlisting (ddr-densho-383-574)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-383-574/

img Masaru Yoshioka (ddr-densho-357-742)

Handwritten caption: "At Mr. Nomira's Garden, San Leandro, Masaru Yoshioka."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-742/

img Private George Yoshioka (ddr-densho-357-780)

Private George Yoshioka sits for a professional portrait in his military uniform.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-780/

img Yoshioka family in Topaz (ddr-densho-357-733)

Private Masaru Yoshioka visits his parents in the camp in Topaz, Utah. Left to right: Yoni Yoshioka, Masaru Yoshioka, Tadaichi Yoshioka.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-357-733/

img Nisei serviceman with wife and daughter (ddr-densho-37-751)

Original WRA caption: T/4 Taniguchi visits his wife and daughter at the Minidoka Relocation Center before returning to his unit in the Pacific. Taniguchi volunteered for the Army in 1942 when he and his family were at Tule Lake before it became a segregation center. He served in the China-Burma-India theatre and served on load to …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-751/

img Honor Roll billboard (ddr-densho-37-736)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-37-736/

doc Letter to Clarence R. Walker from Gonkichi Miyagi (ddr-densho-416-34)

Letter to Clarence R. Walker from Gonkichi Miyagi. Gonkichi talks about receiving 125 dollars from Clarence Walker for Clarence having sold something of Gonkichi's. Gonkichi tells Clarence he does not expect to return to California any time soon. Gonkichi talks how he feels about his grandson William Miyagi being drafted into the army while the rest …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-416-34/

img William Miyagi and Taka Uyechi (ddr-densho-416-25)

Photograph of William Miyagi and Taka Uyechi in military uniform standing together while visiting Poston Relocation Center.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-416-25/

img William Miyagi (ddr-densho-416-33)

Framed portrait of William Miyagi in military uniform. Also inside the frame are William Miyagi's military medals, ribbons, and patches.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-416-33/

img View of military quarters (ddr-densho-420-25)

Caption on reverse: "Foreground / of quarters."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-25/

img Military quarters (ddr-densho-420-43)

Caption on reverse: "Foreground of quarters."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-43/

img Military quarters (ddr-densho-420-42)

Caption on reverse: "Foreground of quarters."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-42/

img U.S. military tank (ddr-densho-420-28)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-420-28/

doc Letter from Jin to Chimata Sumida (ddr-densho-379-45)

Letter from Jin who met Chimata Sumida at Rohwer and is presently in the Infantry "Somewhere in France."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-379-45/

img Signed photo of a man in uniform (ddr-densho-483-1164)

Black and white photo of a man wearing an American military uniform. Caption on photo: "Mr. and Mrs. Imayanagita family, Most sincerely, [name] Izumi, 1946" written in blue ink.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-1164/

img Nisei soldier (ddr-densho-2-57)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-2-57/

doc They Work for Victory: The Story of Japanese Americans and the War Effort (ddr-densho-483-137)

Pamphlet on Nisei in the United States during World War II. Includes photograph.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-137/

img Portrait of a man in uniform (ddr-densho-483-1150)

Black and white portrait of a man in a military uniform

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-483-1150/

doc Letter from Martha Nozawa to Tomoyuki Nozawa and Tomoye Takahashi (ddr-densho-423-415)

News of her classes, got a letter from Henri, news of mutual friends

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423-415/

doc Letter to Tomoye Takahashi from Algred [?] (ddr-densho-423-358)

Thanking her for hosting him on his visit, is thinking that he will not finish high school while the war in going on, doesn't know if he will be drafted or rejected for pro-Japanese sympathies. Written on letterhead from Tozai Laundry and cleaners.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423-358/

doc Envelope with one letter and two cards (ddr-densho-423-404)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-423-404/