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 Group portrait, with names written on front (ddr-ajah-2-432)

Caption below photo: Barrack 15 / Sgt Lincoln Taira, Leader

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-432/

img Men outside Reno Junction station (ddr-ajah-2-783)

Caption: U.S. Army soldiers, including Joe Iwataki (he is taking the photo) guard train tracks, tunnels and bridges in January 1942, near Reno, NV. Iwataki was from Alameda, CA. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-283 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-783/

img Three soldiers holding captured Japanese flag (ddr-ajah-2-856)

Caption below photo: Yasuharu Koike (center) displays a captured Japanese flag. Koike served in the MIS in the China-Burma-India campaign in 1944. He was from Alameda, CA.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-856/

img Men sitting at desks (ddr-ajah-2-427)

Caption below photo: The famous C-3 Class/ Taira

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-427/

img Market stalls in front of building, with horse drawn carriage (ddr-ajah-2-700)

Caption below photo: Stalls in front of church

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-700/

img Three men at speakers table with banner in background (ddr-ajah-2-15)

Written on back: 25th Anniv. MIS Reunion, Jack Tar Hotel, S.F. / Nov. 11-13, 1966 / Col. S. Mashbir / George Kangae

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-15/

img Man kneeling on rooftop (ddr-ajah-2-718)

Caption below photo: Bill on roof of Dai Ichi Bldg Tokyo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-718/

img Three men playing cards (ddr-ajah-2-824)

Caption: A game of poker in Barrack 15 at Camp Savage, Minnesota, where Japanese Niseis were members of the Military Intelligence Service, 1945. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-535 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-824/

img Men playing pool (ddr-ajah-2-555)

Caption below photo: Sho / Ishii

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-555/

img Rows of palm trees (ddr-ajah-2-656)

Caption below photo: Cocoanut trees

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-656/

img Man sitting on steps (ddr-ajah-2-602)

Caption below photo: Remo

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-602/

doc Letter of recommendation for Joe Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-748)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-748/

img Group of men by Red Cross canteen truck (ddr-ajah-2-474)

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

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-474/

img Classroom with desks and wood burning stove in center (ddr-ajah-2-429)

Caption below photo: Itami Sensei / Classroom Scene

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-429/

doc Temporary Warrant promoting Joe Iwataki to Sergeant (ddr-ajah-2-744)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-744/

img Joe Iwataki (ddr-ajah-2-819)

Detailed sidebar with Joe Iwataki's wartime service titled: Across the Pacific. Supplemental scan of ddr-ajah-2-574 with additional notes

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-819/

img Portrait of couple (ddr-ajah-2-734)

Caption below photo: Edith and Harvey Watanabe

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-734/

img Joe Iwataki standing in front of building. Autographed on front (ddr-ajah-2-755)

Inscribed on back: Don't I look foolish tho. This was taken in front of my "home" barrack. Don't I look like a convict from Devil's Island. Caption: Joe Iwataki of Alameda, CA., at Fort Ord, near Monterey, CA. He is wearing fatigues, versus a standard uniform. 1941. Supplemental scan of duplicate of ddr-ajah-2-57, front and back …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-ajah-2-755/