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 Portrait of Douglas MacArthur (ddr-ajah-2-742)

Caption below photo: General of the Armies Douglas MacArthur. . .

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-742/

img View of lake (ddr-ajah-2-622)

Caption below photo: Lake Sentani

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-622/

img Man standing outside camp buildings (ddr-ajah-2-462)

Caption below photo: Al Kanzaki

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-462/

img Two woman and two men in uniform (ddr-ajah-2-490)

Caption below photo: Joanne / Mary / Yuk

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-490/

img Group of men lined up outside building (ddr-ajah-2-506)

Caption below photo: Break Period

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-506/

img Railway bridge (ddr-ajah-2-778)

Caption: U.S. Army soldiers, including Joe Iwataki (he is taking the photo) guard train tracks, tunnels and bridges (Including this one) December 8-24, 1941, near Reno, NV. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Note that Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-286 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-778/

doc Intelligence School Certificate for Hideo J, Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-746)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-746/

img Man standing on rooftop (ddr-ajah-2-606)

Caption below photo: Eddie Glubka / Winona, Minnesota

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-606/

img Large building with jeeps in front (ddr-ajah-2-692)

Caption below photo: American Red Cross Club

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-692/

img Man in uniform, autographed on front (ddr-ajah-2-733)

Caption below photo: Noboru Tagioka

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-733/

img Two flags and view of city (ddr-ajah-2-617)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-617/

img Man standing outside barracks (ddr-ajah-2-807)

Caption: The commandant of the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) at Camp Savage, Minnesota: Colonel Kai Rasmussen. Photo October 1942 to June 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-422 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-807/

img Man speaking at podium (ddr-ajah-2-813)

Caption: Speaking to the Nisei graduates from the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota is Major General George Strongs, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence, G-2, June 18, 1943. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-561 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-813/

img Joe Iwataki standing next to sign. "Off Limits to Troops" (ddr-ajah-2-568)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-568/

img Eight men posing for photo. Joe Iwataki on right (ddr-ajah-2-659)

Caption below photo: The gang again

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-659/

img Church (ddr-ajah-2-699)

Caption below photo: Quiapo Church

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-699/

doc Temporary Warrant promoting Joe Iwataki to Sergeant (ddr-ajah-2-828)

Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-744

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-828/

img Joe Iwataki sitting at desk (ddr-ajah-2-685)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-685/

img Four men on skis (ddr-ajah-2-791)

Caption: Nisei pals take advantage of the winter conditions at Camp Savage, Minnesota. They are members of the Military Intelligence Service (MIS). October 1942 - June 1943 / Hayr Sekiya / Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA., / Moff Ishikawa / Hachiya, Frank. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-466 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-791/

img Round memorial with columns (ddr-ajah-2-589)

Caption below photo: Anzac Memorial

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-589/

img Man in long underwear in barracks (ddr-ajah-2-537)

Caption below photo: Taro Yoshihashi / must be wintertime

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-537/

img Barracks (ddr-ajah-2-424)

Caption below photo: Barrack 9

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-424/

img River through city (ddr-ajah-2-695)

Caption below photo: Pasig River which divides Manila

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-695/

doc MIS Language School certificate for Dan S. Mashihara (ddr-ajah-6-28)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-28/

img Portrait of man in uniform (ddr-ajah-6-43)

Inscribed on front of photo: To the Tsuchiya's / Kenji Tomita. Caption below photo: Kenji Tomita of Alameda, CA. He served with the Military Intelligence Service

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-6-43/