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 (231)
Military service (2806)

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doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 88, No. 2027 (January 26, 1979) (ddr-pc-51-3)

Selected article titles: "I. Magnin, Joseph Magnin Urging Kenzo Label Change" (p. 1), "Yankee Samurai: Secret Role of Nisei in America's Pacific Victory" (pp. 1, 9-12), "Japan's Pearl Harbor Spy Saw Evacuation as 'Cruel Joke'" (p. 2), and "Min Yasui Letters: From the Multnomah Jail" (p. 5).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-51-3/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 89, No. 2053 (July 27, 1979) (ddr-pc-51-29)

Selected article titles: "U.S. Responds to 'Save the Boat People' Campaign" (p. 1), "In the Last 100 Years: Estimate 905,000 Japanese Emigrated" (p. 1), "Guest Speaker: A 'No-No' Segregee" (pp. 4, 9), and "Nisei in Japan: Yankee Samurai Here and Now" (p. 10).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-51-29/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 94, No. 9 (March 5, 1982) (ddr-pc-54-9)

Selected article titles: "Nisei Veteran Wins Honorable Army Discharge After 36 Years" (p. 1), "'Day of Remembrance' in 1982: WW2 Aid of Quakers Recalled" (p. 1), "Redress Phase 3: JACL's Redress Ambassador Min" (p. 2), and "Trust Fund for Redress Seen as Breech of Faith" (p. 6).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-54-9/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 95, No. 25 (December 17, 1982) (ddr-pc-54-50)

Selected article titles: "Matsui Chides Hayakawa for Dec. 7 Anti-Redress Speech" (p. 1), "U.S.-Japan Trade: Showdown Nears" (pp. 1, 4), "A-Bomb Survivors to Seek Hibakusha Research Bill" (p. 2), and "From the Frying Pan: Niihau: Bizarre Episode of WWII" (p. 5).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-54-50/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 121, No. 11 (December, 1995) (ddr-pc-67-23)

Holiday issue organized into sections A 1-36, B 1-56, and A 37-64. Selected article titles: "Who Were the Japanese Americans?" (pp. A15-A16), "'Ethnicity: Please Check One'" (p. A18), "MIS: The Untold Stories" (pp. A34-A35, A37, A39, A41-A42), and "A Bill of Rights for Asserting a Multiracial Identity" (pp. B6-B7). The holiday issue included advertisements bought by …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-67-23/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 123, No. 8 (October 18-31, 1996) (ddr-pc-68-20)

Selected article titles: "Immigration Bill Softens Impact of Welfare Reform" (pp. 1, 11), "Congress Passes Land Transfer Bill for Manzanar Site and JA Patriotism Memorial" (p. 1), "MIS Pushes Search for Medal of Honor Awards" (p. 5), and "Personally Speaking: Historic Northern California Nisei Baseball Artifacts on Display" (p. 6).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-68-20/

doc Pacific Citizen, Vol. 122, No. 11 (June 7-20, 1996) (ddr-pc-68-11)

Selected article titles: "Board-Approved Budget Places Priority on District Allocations" (p. 1), "From JACL: PSW Condemns California Civil Rights Initiative as 'Deceptive'" (p. 3), "ORA Reports on Redress Payments, Eligibility Requirements" (p. 4), and "East Wind: Nisei Military Service: WWII" (pp. 8, 11).

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-pc-68-11/

Report on Heart Mountain to Tule Lake transfer Sam Horino, leader of movement to challenge Selective Service for incarcerated Japanese Americans (ddr-csujad-2-45)

doc Report on Heart Mountain to Tule Lake transfer Sam Horino, leader of movement to challenge Selective Service for incarcerated Japanese Americans (ddr-csujad-2-45)

Informational report to Willard Schmidt about Sam Horino, an incarceree transferred from Heart Mountain Camp to Tule Lake Camp. Horino was accused of protesting the Selective Service program for incarcerated Japanese Americans and creating bulletins he posted throughout Heart Mountain Camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0045

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-45/

doc [Some reactions to selective service: Tule Lake] (ddr-csujad-2-58)

Report on selective service reactions at Tule Lake Camp. Report discusses Japanese identity compared to American identity, especially for the Nisei, repatriation requests, and draft evasion. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0058

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-58/

img Sasaki family at the Jerome camp (ddr-csujad-38-275)

Photographed is the Sasaki family incarcerated at the Jerome camp in Arkansas, including Ichiji and Shika Sasaki, and their Nisei son in the U.S. Army uniform. The photo was sent from Sally Sakaye Sasaki at the Jerome camp to Mitzi Masukawa Naohara at the Poston camp in Arizona. A photo from: Mitzi Naohara photo album (csudh_nao_0200), …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-275/

img Kazumasa Sasaki (ddr-csujad-38-41)

A photo of Kazumasa Sasaki in U.S. military uniform. Kazumasa is the husband of George Naohara's cousin, Yoshiye Dorothy Naohara. A photo from "George Naohara photo album" (csudh_nao_0001), page 11. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: nao_01_11_002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-38-41/

img Man in military uniform (ddr-csujad-37-10)

Photograph of a man in a military uniform standing at snow covered Heart Mountain camp, Wyoming. Handwritten note on front of photograph states, "To [Elda] Johnny, and [Nike] Sincerely Shigeto." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mhf_010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-37-10/

img Man in military uniform (ddr-csujad-37-7)

Photograph of a man, most likely Yoshito, in a militiary uniform. Handwritten note on the front of photograph states, "To my Dear Aunt Ai-Chan." Handwritten note on back of photograph states, "Miss you a lot dear Ai-chan. Hope peace will come soon so we could all get together again forever." See this object in the California …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-37-7/

img Seated Japanese man in uniform (ddr-csujad-26-90)

A Japanese American man wearing a military uniform is seated in a home. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_027

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-90/

img Men boy and dog (ddr-csujad-26-116)

Three men including a Japanese American man in uniform, Robert Billigmeier with a dog, and a small Japanese American boy pose for a group photo. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_081

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-116/

doc Personality cards (ddr-csujad-26-44)

Journal entries written by high school students discussing their observations and perspectives on a variety of topics including social and cultural differences, personality conflicts, friendships, social interactions, school, dogs, memories, reflections on camp life, weather, a friend in the military visiting his parents in camp, hobbies, and opinions about other people and daily life. Each entry …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-44/

img Single soldier (ddr-csujad-26-99)

A Japanese American soldier poses in front of a building in his gear and holds a rifle. Handwriting on front of photo reads, "To [Henry] and Bob, just tired 'doggie' [Vaj] Ft. Mc Clellan, Ala. 1944." Caption on back of photo reads, "If I look tired - I am or was. It was one of those …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-99/

img Man in military uniform (ddr-csujad-26-112)

A man in military uniform poses in front of buildings possibly in an incarceration camp. From photo album of Robert Billigmeier. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: mei_05_076

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-26-112/

img Group of children with Ben Kuroki (ddr-csujad-32-22)

Group photograph of children with Ben Kuroki in military uniform at the Minidoka incarceration camp. Photo featured on page 9 of the Minidoka Incarceration Camp Photograph Album (csudh_ben_001). See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ben_01_001_010_033

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-32-22/

doc Heart Mountain Relocation Project Fourth Community Council, 17th session (March 27, 1945) (ddr-csujad-45-20)

The council minutes feature the plans for awarding the Silver Star for Mrs. Aoyama late son's service. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: HMRC_01-01_049

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-45-20/

img Photograph of five people, including an army soldier, posing in front of the Manzanar barracks (ddr-csujad-47-204)

Photograph of five people, including an army soldier, posing in front of a building at Manzanar incarceration camp, possibly a barracks. The women are wearing dark sweaters and skirts, and the man is wearing a suit. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ecm_merritt_0340

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-47-204/

doc Community Analysis Notes, no. 1, January 15, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-84)

Titled as: From a Nisei who said "No." Account by an unnamed Community Analyst at Manzanar of the "life experience and viewpoints" influencing a young man's "No" response to the Army registration form's Question 28. The account stems from the analyst's notes, reproduced verbatim, from an exchange between the young man and the Hearing Board authorized …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-84/

img Soldier in the Snow (ddr-csujad-13-26)

A soldier in uniform poses next to a vehicle in the snow. The caption on front of photograph reads, "11/15/42 Cresent [Crescent] Lake Oregon Conklin." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_021

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-13-26/

img Soldiers and Incarcerees (ddr-csujad-13-2)

In this photo, two soldiers holding guns are seen surrounding at least one incarceree as well as a man who appears to be addressed as a chef or kitchen worker. The caption on back of photograph reads, "Major [illegible] + social worker during disturbance in Jap area. [illegible]2 armed E.M.E. [illegible] standing by for possible difficulty." …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-13-2/

img Three Men (ddr-csujad-13-27)

Three men dressed in what appear to be military uniforms are photographed together. The caption on back of photograph reads, "Rogers Beeson Ford." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: tul_01_01_022

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-13-27/