Military Intelligence Service

The first Japanese Americans to serve in the military during World War II were linguists involved in the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS). The MISLS was charged with training soldiers in the Japanese language for intelligence purposes. Japanese Americans served as both instructors and students at the school, which opened on November 1, 1941. The Language School began recruiting instructors and later students directly from concentration camps as early as July 1942. MISLS graduates were assigned in small teams to units fighting in the Pacific and to intelligence centers throughout the Allied command. They translated captured documents, interrogated prisoners of war, wrote propaganda, encouraged Japanese soldiers and civilians to surrender, and monitored radio broadcasts. After the war, they acted as interpreters at the war crime trials and for the occupation government in Japan.

World War II (231)
Military service (2824)
Military Intelligence Service (1146)

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1146 items

img Two men standing in snow (ddr-ajah-2-472)

Caption below photo: Yuk

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-472/

img Man standing in snow smoking a cigarette (ddr-ajah-2-454)

Caption below photo: 10 minute break - Don Hikido

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-454/

img Portrait of Bill Cox, autographed on front (ddr-ajah-2-740)

Caption below photo: Bill Cox

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-740/

img Street and building (ddr-ajah-2-596)

Caption below photo: Rich Building / G.H.Q. Barracks

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-596/

img Lines of men marching in snow (ddr-ajah-2-455)

Caption below photo: Hup - 2 - 3 - 4

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-455/

img Man standing by trees (ddr-ajah-2-661)

Caption below photo: Elmer Grieder

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-661/

img Group of men in uniform outside camp building (ddr-ajah-2-494)

Caption below photo: G.I.'s visiting Topaz. Furlo to Topaz, Utah, July 1943

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-494/

img View of military parade from above (ddr-ajah-2-611)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-611/

img Joe Iwataki standing outside building (ddr-ajah-2-808)

Written on photo front: Camp Crowder, MO. Joe 1942. Caption: Joe Iwataki of Alameda CA at Camp Crowder, Missouri, 1942. Duplicate of ddr-ajah-2-411

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-808/

doc Military Intelligence Division certificate for Hideo Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-745)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-745/

img Man standing by palm trees (ddr-ajah-2-655)

Caption below photo: Bernie Strain

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-655/

doc Honorable Discharge certificate for Joe Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-836)

Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-31

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-836/

img Group of men in uniform outside building with names on front (ddr-ajah-2-803)

Caption: Barracks 15, at Camp Savage, Minnesota. Military Intelligence Service Language School. Not pictured is this barracks' leader, Sgt. Lincoln Taira. October 1942-October 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-432 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-803/

img Line of men walking in snow (ddr-ajah-2-448)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-448/

img Two men standing on path outside building (ddr-ajah-2-769)

Inscribed on front: Joe - Tsutomu 1941. Caption: Joe Iwataki (left) and Tsutomu Inouye, both fro Alameda CA., are young soldiers taking basic training at For Ord, near Monterey, CA., The photo was probably shot back home in Alameda. Supplemental scan of duplicate of ddr-ajah-2-130 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-769/

img Man with pipe standing in snow (ddr-ajah-2-470)

Caption below photo: Fred Dobana

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-470/

img Train on tracks through canyon (ddr-ajah-2-781)

Caption: U.S. Army soldiers, including Joe Iwataki (he is taking the photo) guard train tracks, tunnels and bridges in January 1942, near Belden, CA.. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-326 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-781/

img Group portrait of men in uniform (ddr-ajah-2-811)

Caption: Nisei soldiers from Barracks 15, Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) Camp Savage, Minnesota, April 24, 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-743 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-811/