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 (2806)
Military Intelligence Service (1145)

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1145 items

img Two men in cook's aprons outside building (ddr-ajah-2-789)

Caption: Cooks Fat Nakamura (left) and Wahoo Yasui pose while serving at Camp Savage, Minnesota, 1945. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-550 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-789/

img Group of men by Red Cross canteen truck (ddr-ajah-2-475)

Caption below photo: St. Paul Red Cross Canteen feeds up after Wednesday hikes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-475/

img Road through palm trees (ddr-ajah-2-652)

Caption below photo: G.I. built road

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-652/

img Man sitting on boat (ddr-ajah-2-727)

Caption below photo: Tak

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-727/

img View of sky with small place (ddr-ajah-2-590)

Caption below photo: Australian skies

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-590/

img View of military parade from above (ddr-ajah-2-612)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-612/

img Six men outside tents on dirt road (ddr-ajah-2-823)

Caption: Joe Iwataki poses with members of the Order of Battle Section (OBS) in Leyte, Philippines in 1945. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-657 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-823/

img Joe Iwataki in yard outside barracks (ddr-ajah-2-798)

Caption: Joe Iwataki, of Alameda, CA., He was there as a member of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). October 1942-June 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-438 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-798/

img Six men in uniform on steps outside camp building. Joe Iwataki in back without jacket (ddr-ajah-2-478)

Caption below photo: Ken Kata / Min Masukane / Hisao Matsamoto / Casy Kawamoto / Mickey Kuroima

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-478/

img Man in glasses reading (ddr-ajah-2-499)

Caption below photo: Iwao Shimamoto

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-499/

doc Holiday card from Kai Rasmussen to Joe Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-829)

Caption: Holiday greeting card from kai Rasmussen to Joe Iwataki. 5.25" wide by 4" tall, when folded down the center of the paper. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Rasmussen was the Commandant of the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Ft. Snelling, Minnesota.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-829/

img Man sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-686)

Caption below photo: Major Dean s. McGaughey Decatur, Illinois

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-686/

doc Intelligence School Certificate for Hideo J, Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-835)

supplemental scan on ddr-ajah-2-745

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-835/

img Man sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-690)

Caption below photo: Lt. Edward G. Cowan Detroit, Michigan

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-690/

doc Front page of Free Philippine newspaper with headline "It's All Over!" (ddr-ajah-2-832)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-832/

doc Timeline of Joe Iwataki's military service, WWII (ddr-ajah-2-837)

Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-29

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-837/

img General George Strong speaking at podium (ddr-ajah-2-561)

Caption below photo: General Strong

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-561/

img Two men in park. Joe Iwataki on left (ddr-ajah-2-608)

Caption below photo: Schrader. Caption on left: Botanical Gardens Brisbane

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-608/

img Joe Iwataki and woman standing in park (ddr-ajah-2-488)

Caption below photo: Joanne

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-488/

img Large building with columns (ddr-ajah-2-693)

Caption below photo: Post Office Building

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-693/

img Man in uniform standing by tree (ddr-ajah-2-434)

Caption below photo: Yuko Kawamoto

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-434/

img Five men standing outside tents (ddr-ajah-2-634)

Caption below photo: Don / Bernie / Cox / Bill / Bene

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-634/

doc Letter of recommendation for Joe Iwataki from G.L. Magruder (ddr-ajah-2-833)

Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-748

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-833/

img Classroom with men studying at desks and wooden burning stove (ddr-ajah-2-805)

Caption: Nisei soldiers study in a classroom at Camp Savage, Minnesota, where the Military Intelligence Service Language School was held during WWII. At far left is their "sensei" or instructor, Mr. Itami. October 1942 to June 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-429 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-805/

img Two men leaning on railing (ddr-ajah-2-720)

Caption below photo: bill / Tak

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-720/