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

doc W.D. Form No. 50A: Notification of Personnel Action (ddr-densho-446-173)

Ai Chih Tsai's resignation as Military Intelligence Service Analyst to take job with UNRRA on May 15, 1946

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-173/

doc Letter from Lt. Col. E. M. Hudgins to U.S. Department of Justice (ddr-densho-446-115)

Letter in support of Tsai's requests to change his status to friendly alien. Hudgins is Tsai's supervisor in current Military Intelligence Service position. Hudgins offers strong support for his character, ability, assistance to US war effort.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-115/

doc Letter from Ai Chih Tsai to U.S. Department of Justice (ddr-densho-446-112)

Request for assistance changing Tsai's status to Chinese Formosan, friendly alien, and a path to U.S. citizenship [handwritten draft]

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-112/

doc Oral Memoirs of Joseph Ishikawa (ddr-densho-468-94)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-468-94/

doc Letter from Ai Chih Tsai to Robert Cashman (ddr-densho-446-101)

Request for Cashman to write a letter to whom it may concern stating that Cashman advised Tsai to withdraw his petition for status change.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-101/

doc Letter from Elaine Schulman to Ryo Tsai (ddr-densho-446-154)

Check enclosed ($53.47) for compensation for Tsai's services while employed in Office of War Intelligence.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-154/

doc Letter from Lt. James T. Watkins, IV (ddr-densho-446-93)

Letter to whom it may concern vouching for Tsai's expertise, aid to US Government, and personal qualities. Tsai has been working for Watkins since May 1944 as consultant and informant, and also as translator since Oct 1, 1944.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-93/

doc Letter from Ai Chih Tsai to President Franklin D. Roosevelt (ddr-densho-446-123)

Request for executive action to change status to "friendly alien" based on prior work for U.S. government in order to avoid deportation, to avoid consequences for wife and baby, and to allow Tsai to be considered for employment in the American Consulate in Formosa and Chinese Embassy [typed draft]

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-123/

doc Telegram from U.S. Office of War Information Personnel Office to Ai Chih Tsai (ddr-densho-446-155)

Telegram asking Tsai to report for interview.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-155/

doc Letter from Major Robert S. Loney to Lt. Col. Merillat Moses Chief, Military Branch, Military Intelligence Service (ddr-densho-446-119)

Commendation for Ai Chih Tsai

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-446-119/

img Three men in uniform carrying large sack (ddr-densho-458-34)

Naomi Higaki in center. Written on back: Kitzengen, Germany May 12, 1946. Early Sunday morning on mail run.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-34/

img Man sitting on armored jeep (ddr-densho-458-51)

Military police printed on side of vehicle. Printed on back: Photo-Gebhardt Kassel-Hofgeismar

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-51/

img Naomi Higaki (ddr-densho-458-45)

Naomi Higaki in uniform in front of a tree. Written on verso: August 22, 1945 Etampes, France to Harumi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-45/

img Toichi Arai (ddr-densho-458-39)

Toichi Arai in uniform, standing in front of a building with a window to his right. Written on back: Toichi Arai / Oct. 15, 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-39/

img Eight men in uniform outside army barracks (ddr-densho-458-48)

Naomi Higaki is crouching in the center of the front row. Written on back: Camp Wolters, Tex 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-48/

img Building (ddr-densho-458-52)

Printed on back: Photo Gebhardt Kassel-Hofgeismar

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-52/

img Naomi Higaki, Ko Hirabayashi, and Toichi Arai (ddr-densho-458-41)

Naomi Higaki, Ko Hirabayashi, and Toichi Arai in uniform sitting in front of door. Written on verso: Oct. 15, 1945 Allendorf, Germany Toichi Arai Hawaii, Ko Hirabayashi Layton, Utah

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-41/

img Portrait of Naomi Higaki in uniform (ddr-densho-458-97)

Written on photo front: to Kishiro / Sincerely Naomi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-97/

img Two men sitting in doorway (ddr-densho-458-54)

Written on back: me and my buddy

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-54/

img Naomi Higaki in uniform (ddr-densho-458-100)

inscription: Naomi - Taken July 3, '45 at Kawai's home on first furlough. Twin Falls, Idaho

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-100/

img Naomi Higaki and Ko Hirabayashi (ddr-densho-458-36)

Naomi Higaki and Ko Hirabayashi in uniform sitting on the brick wall with buildings in the background. Written on back: Wurzburg, Germany / July 1, 1946 / Ko Hirabyashi

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-36/

img Naomi Higaki seated at a desk (ddr-densho-458-33)

Written on back: Wurzburg, Germany / July 1, 1946

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-33/

img Naomi Higaki in uniform (ddr-densho-458-32)

Written on back: Taken Aug. 1945

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-32/

img Girl lighting candles by In Memoriam list (ddr-densho-458-70)

Memorial for WWII casualties from Poston

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-70/

img Naomi Higaki and Bob Fujii (ddr-densho-458-35)

Naomi Higaki and Bob Fujii in uniform leaning against a brick wall with buildings in the background. Written on back: July 1, 1946 / Bob Fujii / myself

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-458-35/