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 (239)
Military service (3289)
Military Intelligence Service (1180)

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1180 items

vh Grant Hirabayashi Interview Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-183-26)

Description of dramatic siege at Nhpum Ga

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-183-26/

vh Grant Hirabayashi Interview Segment 24 (ddr-densho-1000-183-24)

Descriptions of fellow soldiers' outstanding work in the field

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-183-24/

vh Grant Hirabayashi Interview Segment 23 (ddr-densho-1000-183-23)

Description of mission in Burma

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-183-23/

vh William Marutani Segment 2 (ddr-densho-1000-44-2)

Serving in the U.S. occupation forces in Japan, confronting racism while in uniform

This interview was conducted at the Voices of Japanese American Redress Conference, held on the UCLA campus and sponsored by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the UCLA School of Public Policy and Social Research. Because of the full conference schedule, our …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-44-2/

vh Kiyoshi Seishin Yamashita Interview Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-265-17)

Teaching at the U.S. Naval Intelligence Language School

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-265-17/

vh Kiwamu "Kiyo" Tsuchida Interview Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-405-20)

Serving with the MIS in the Philippines

This material is based upon work assisted by a grant from the Department of the Interior, National Park Service. Any opinions, finding, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of the Interior.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-405-20/

vh Rick Sato Segment 13 (ddr-densho-1000-80-13)

Completing basic training and then being recruited for the Military Intelligence Service

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-80-13/

vh Paul Bannai Interview I Segment 26 (ddr-densho-1000-128-26)

Attending Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS), Camp Savage, Minnesota, studying hard to catch up on Japanese language skills

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-128-26/

vh Paul Bannai Interview I Segment 27 (ddr-densho-1000-128-27)

Description of Military Intelligence Service Language School

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-128-27/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 20 (ddr-densho-1000-9-20)

Visiting relatives in occupied Japan

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-20/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 18 (ddr-densho-1000-9-18)

Military Intelligence Service recruitment, training, and duties

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-18/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 16 (ddr-densho-1000-9-16)

Witnessing racial segregation: "that was kind of an eye-opener for me"

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-16/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 17 (ddr-densho-1000-9-17)

Recruitment, training, and the role of the Kibei in the Military Intelligence Service

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-17/

vh Francis Mas Fukuhara Segment 19 (ddr-densho-1000-9-19)

Working in Japan after the end of World War II

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-9-19/

vh Hisaji Q. Sakai Segment 8 (ddr-densho-1000-475-8)

Serving with the Military Intelligence Service in Japan

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-475-8/

vh Hisaji Q. Sakai Segment 7 (ddr-densho-1000-475-7)

Drafted into the Military Intelligence Service

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-475-7/

vh Paul Bannai Interview II Segment 1 (ddr-densho-1000-150-1)

Serving as language interpreter and translator overseas in the Pacific; setting up prisoner of war camp in the Philippines; wearing an Australian army uniform to avoid being mistaken for a Japanese soldier

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1000-150-1/