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 (66)
Military service (842)
Military Intelligence Service (635)

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635 items

doc 50 years of excellence (ddr-csujad-1-189)

An event program for Military Intelligence Service Language School Reception and Defense Language Institute 50th Anniversary, held Monterey California, October 31-November 1, 1991. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_03_01_003

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-189/

doc Letter from Jim Mita, President, Military Intelligence Service Club of Southern California to the members (ddr-csujad-1-186)

A letter from Jim Mita, President, Military Intelligence Service Club of Southern California, to the members. Includes updates on their activities. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_02_17_002

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-186/

doc [Documents on Military Intelligence Service] (ddr-csujad-1-73)

Contains a collection of photocopied documents on the Presidential Unit Citation to the Military Intelligence Service. Includes a map, "The Pacific War: 1942-1945 the Allied offensive." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_02_07_002

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-73/

doc Military Intelligence Service Language School: Camp Savage, Minnesota, 1942-1944 (ddr-csujad-1-187)

This book was published "to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Military Intelligence Service Language School and to document the records of wartime episodes of Japanese-American Nisei soldiers in the Pacific Theater of Operation and to compile a collection of treasured remembrances of Camp Savage ..." See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-187/

doc MIS intelligencer, volume 32, number 1, Jan 2000 (ddr-csujad-1-74)

An issue of "MIS intelligencer," volume 32, number 1, (Jan 2000). which is an official newsletter of the MIS Association, Northern California, Inc. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: ike_02_07_003

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-74/

doc [Newspaper articles from "Pacific citizen"] (ddr-csujad-1-192)

Newspaper clippings from "Pacific citizen" published on November 22, 1991. Includes two articles collecting Nisei Military Intelligent Service's experience. "Surviving and spying behind enemy lines" written by Harry K. Honda, Senior editor, Pacific Citizen, describes Sakakida's story of wartime intrigue, which was delivered at the MIS 50th anniversary reunion dinner on October 31, 1991. "Anecdotes by …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-192/

doc Letter from Drusilla Tanaka to Col. Kim with article (ddr-csujad-1-65)

A photocopy of a letter from Drusilla Tanaka, one of the Board's Research Team members, to Col. Kim. In the letter, Drusilla Tanaka described her team's research on Americans of Japanese Ancestry who were killed in action during World War II. The other members' names of the Board's Research Team, Karleen Chinen and Ted Tsukiyama, are …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-1-65/

doc Letter from Makoto Okine to Mr. Okine, June 28, 1945 (ddr-csujad-5-82)

A letter from Makoto Okine in Lecce, Italy to his father, Seiichi Okine, in the Rohwer incarceration camp in Arkansas. It is mailed via New York by the US Army Postal Service. In the letter, Makoto assumes that not many people participate in the bonodori event in the camp this time because many of the young …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-82/

doc Western Union telegraph from Masao Okine to S. Okine. September 26, 1946 (ddr-csujad-5-162)

A Western Union telegram from Masao Okine to his father Seiichi Okine in Whittier, California. It notifies of Masao's arrival at San Francisco from Japan where he has been stationed as a Nisei soldier and his next destination, Chicago, where his wife, Ayame, resides. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-162/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, September 7, 1945 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-88)

A letter from Masao Okine in Fort Snelling, Minnesota to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine, in the Rohwer incarceration camps. Masao writes about Military Intelligence Service Language School in Fort Snelling and informs that he is finishing the language training in February 2, 1946. He also talks about his trip to Chicago, visiting their relatives …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-88/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, June 10, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-148)

A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine. Masao Okine writes from Japan where he is stationed as a US Army soldier. This letter is mailed via San Francisco by the U.S. Army Postal Service. The letter includes updates, informing of the arrival of his parents' four letters written on May 20, …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-148/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, October 22, 1945 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-96)

Masao Okine writes from the Military Intelligence Service Language School in Fort Snelling, Minnesota, to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine in the Rohwer incarceration camp. The letter describes the school situation in which the US Army demands that the students need to complete the study and training in a shorter period of time. He also …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-96/

doc Card from Masao Okine to Mrs. S. Okine, March 5, 1946 (ddr-csujad-5-136)

A card for Mother's Day from Masao Okine to his mother, Tomeyo Okine in Hawthorne, California. He probably writes from Japan where he is deployed as a U.S. Army soldier. The card is mailed via San Francisco by the U.S. Army Postal Service. The handwritten notes on the backside of the envelope read: Arrived on March …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-136/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, January 10, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-121)

A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine in Hawthorne. This letter is written in Japan where Masao is currently stationed as a Nisei soldier and mailed via San Francisco by the U.S. Army Postal Service. In the letter, Masao describes his work as a US Army solider in Japan: He has …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-121/

doc Letters from Seiichi Okine to Naraji Okine, Masao Okine, and Jokichi Yamanaka, September 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-159)

Contains one envelope and three letters written by Seiichi Okine addressing his son, Masao Okine, his brother Naoji Okine, and his brother-in-law, Jokichi Yamanaka, in Japan. Those three letters are enclosed in an envelope and mailed to Masao Okine who is stationed in Japan via San Francisco by the U.S. Postal Service, but the letter is …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-159/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to [Hatsuno] Hotty Okine, April 24, 1945 (ddr-csujad-5-76)

A letter from Masao Okine in Fort Meade, Maryland, to his sister, Hatsuno Hotty Okine in the Rohwer incarceration camp, Arkansas. He encloses a dependency allotment form 620 in the letter and instructs Hatsuno to fill it out and talk to the Red Cross for assistance. He also asks her to send him a letter and …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-76/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, July 21, 1945 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-80)

A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine in the Rohwer incarceration camp, Arkansas. He probably writes from Military Intelligence Language School in Fort Snelling, Minnesota. The letter informs that he has been serving as a truck driver until his Japanese language school starts in August, 1945; and his brother-in-law, Nobuyuki Tanimono, …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-80/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. S. Okine, August 16, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-156)

A letter from Masao Okine who is stationed in Yokohama, Japan as a Nisei soldier to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine. This letter is mailed via San Francisco by the U.S. Postal Service. In the letter, he describes his work and daily routine in Japan. He has been transferred from Tokyo to Yokohama and his …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-156/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. Okine, July 24, 1946 [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-151)

A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine. He writes from Japan where he is stationed as a Nisei soldier. In the letter, he writes about his duties as a jeep driver, working a night shift from 10PM to 6AM. He drives for Japanese coworkers who speak English and serve as interpreters …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-151/

doc Letter from Masao Okine to Mr. and Mrs. S. Okine, March 30, 1946, [in Japanese] (ddr-csujad-5-189)

A letter from Masao Okine to his parents, Seiichi and Tomeyo Okine. He writes from Japan where he is stationed as a Nisei soldier. In the letter, he writes about his duties in Japan, driving a truck. He also writes about the illness of his brother, Makoto, who is also stationed in Italy as a Nisei …

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-5-189/

doc Gilbert Tanji interview (ddr-csujad-6-33)

Oral history interview with Gilbert Tanji. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_TANJI_GILBERT

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-33/

doc Dr. Frank Nishio interview (ddr-csujad-6-26)

Oral history interview with Dr. Frank Nishio. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_NISHIO_FRANK

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-26/

doc Anne Moore interview (ddr-csujad-6-23)

Oral history interview with Anne Moore. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_MOORE_ANNE

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-23/

doc Kiichi Tange interview (ddr-csujad-6-30)

Oral history interview with Kiichi Tange. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_TANGE_KIICHI

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-30/

doc Izumi Taniguchi interview (ddr-csujad-6-31)

Oral history interview with Izumi Taniguchi. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: SCRC_TANIGUCHI_IZUMI

http://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-6-31/