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 (277)
Military service (4131)
Military Intelligence Service (1387)

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1387 items

img Six men seated, holding ATIS sign (ddr-ajah-2-16)

Written on back: 25th Anniv. MIS Reunion, Jack Tar Hotel S.F. / Nov. 11-13, 1966 / Jack Tsutomuida, -, George Kayano,-,- and Hiro Fuchiwaki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-16/

img Men shoveling snow from roof of barracks (ddr-ajah-2-782)

Caption: Snow makes life for Army soldiers difficult. Location is either Belden, in Northern California, or somewhere near Reno, Nevada. The U.S. Army sent Joe Iwataki ad his outfit to this area of California to guard trains, tracks and tunnels. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. January 1942. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-290 with additional notes.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-782/

img Three women and two men in uniform having a picnic (ddr-ajah-2-523)

Caption below photo: Mary Ann / Mizota / Cosmo / Mary

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-523/

img View of building (ddr-ajah-2-597)

Caption below photo: Commercial Bank Bldg A.M.P. G.H.Q. Offices / Downtown Brisbane / Our office - top floor C.B.B.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-597/

img Two men sitting on park bench (ddr-ajah-2-601)

Caption below photo: Remo / Taro

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-601/

img Man sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-702)

Caption below photo: Sgt Henry R. Schmidt Wichita, Kansas

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-702/

img Man standing next to structure (ddr-ajah-2-571)

Caption below photo: Bud Uyeda

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-571/

img Inside of barracks with cots (ddr-ajah-2-765)

Caption: Barracks interior, Fort Ord, near Monterey, CA, 1941. Probably the barracks of Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-157 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-765/

img Four men outside tents. Joe Iwataki second from right (ddr-ajah-2-633)

Caption below photo: Bill / Bene / Bernie / Our Tent

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-633/

img View of island (ddr-ajah-2-671)

Caption below photo: Corregidor

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-671/

img Joe Iwataki standing by palm trees (ddr-ajah-2-660)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-660/

img Man standing at entrance to railway tunnel (ddr-ajah-2-779)

Caption: During WWII, U.S. Army soldier Howie Hurst guards a train track and tunnel in January 1942, somewhere in the Feather River Canyon of Northern California. The canyon is located along Highway 70 between Oroville and Quincy. Howie's fellow soldier, Joe Iwataki, is taking the photo. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-315 with …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-779/

img Group of men in uniform with cameras (ddr-ajah-2-12)

At Camp Savage

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-12/

img View of islands from ship (ddr-ajah-2-645)

Caption below photo: Leyte as seen from our ship "Panama Express"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-645/

doc MIS Calendar titled "The Secret MIS Weapon" (ddr-ajah-2-24)

Calendar of sketches referencing the experiences of MIS soldiers. Signed on January page by Jack Matsuoka

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-24/

img Portrait of Richard S. Oguro, autographed on front (ddr-ajah-2-736)

Caption below photo: Sgt. Richard S. Oguro Honolulu

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-736/

img Group of men and women posing in line (ddr-ajah-2-495)

Caption below photo: Aiso / Grew / Stuart

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-495/

img Man sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-687)

Caption below photo: Major Robert P. McCampbell Omaha, Nebraska

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-687/

img Group of men sitting on lawn (ddr-ajah-2-507)

Caption below photo: Bull session

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-507/

img Man wearing Minnesota t-shirt leaning on fence (ddr-ajah-2-575)

Caption below photo: Naotsuzuku Jim Miyasaki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-575/

img Man sitting in grass (ddr-ajah-2-570)

Caption below photo: Fred Nakahara

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-570/

img Seven men posing for photo by trees (ddr-ajah-2-668)

Caption below photo: Again

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-668/

img View looking out over city (ddr-ajah-2-591)

Caption below photo: Panoramic view of Brisbane

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-591/

img Yasuharu Koike with mortar (ddr-ajah-2-875)

Caption below photo: Yasuharu Koike poses in Taipha Ga, Burma, with a captured Japanese mortar. Koike served with he MIS in the China-Burma-India campaign in 1944. He was from Alameda, CA. Koike was trained to be a translator, but was not strictly one. He also served in combat.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-875/

img Portrait of Joe Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-771)

Caption: Joe Iwataki at Fort Ord, near Monterey, CA., He was from Alameda, CA. 1941. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-735 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-771/