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 Letter from Alex Yorichi to Tomoye and Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-88)

News about where he is deployed overseas (censored), written on Australian YMCA stationary

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-88/

doc Selective Service registration card for Henri Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-390)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-390/

doc Letter from Ben to Tomoye (Nozawa) Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-433)

Written from Italy, thanking her for her letter, his regiment is guarding German prisoners

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-433/

doc Letter from Alex Yorichi to Tomoye Takahashi (ddr-densho-410-162)

Likely written from Burma, thanking her for letting him know about his father's death in camp

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-162/

doc Letter from Jas Takeshita to Tomoye Takahashi and Martha Nozawa (ddr-densho-410-131)

Describing life in Japan and asking if they can send some things

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-131/

doc Handwritten notes of speech by Charles Ernst, Topaz camp director. (ddr-densho-410-33)

A transcription of this speech is available at object ddr-densho-410-32.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-410-33/

img Frank Watanabe portrait in uniform (ddr-densho-488-11)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-488-11/

img Man in military uniform (ddr-ajah-6-898)

Caption below photo: Taro Takeda waits at the Alameda, CA., train station, which was across the street from his house at 2418 Railroad Ave. He joined the military before Pearl Harbor and was not part of the 442nd RCT or the MIS. He was stationed in Honolulu and San Francisco.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-898/

img Tsutomu Inouye driving jeep with two other men (ddr-ajah-6-483)

Caption below photo: Tsutomu Inouye (driving) of Alameda, CA., at For Ord, Monterrey, CA., for basic training. July 1941

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-483/

img Japanese American man in military uniform (ddr-densho-255-120)

Unidentified Japanese American man in military uniform. Written on reverse: "When reordering, give number 13641. Hyland's Studio. Box 12, Hattiesburg, Miss."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-255-120/

img The U.S.S. Argonne (ddr-densho-432-60)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-60/

img Navy sailor standing on the steps of a building (ddr-densho-432-62)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-62/

img The graduating class of Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia (ddr-densho-432-26)

This is probably a photograph of the graduating class of Office Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia. Tustomu Matsumoto is sitting in the front row, second from the right.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-26/

img Three Navy sailors (ddr-densho-432-58)

Caption in album: "1937 / Bill. E.F. Spratt."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-432-58/

img Recruit Training Command (RTC) unit 34A (ddr-densho-255-193)

Portrait of Recruit Training Command (RTC) unit 34A. Caption on front: "Co A-34 BN. Fort McClellan ALA. Nov. 44. Co-Com. Captain R.A. Merrill. 1st Sgt. J.H. Moser."

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-255-193/