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

doc Masaomi Jim Mita interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-1121)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1121/

doc Shigeru Iba interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-1134)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1134/

av Interview with Monroe Sweetland, part 1 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1663)

Sweetland discusses meeting and befriending Frank Hachiya during service, Hachiya's death at Leyte, finding Frank's father after the war, arranging for Hachiya's burial in Hood River, and Hachiya's funeral. Video starts at 0:40. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 147, II MON #15, 9-9-85, Monroe interview, how met Frank, time …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1663/

doc Seichi Sugino interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-1125)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1125/

doc Letter from Tom Sakamoto to Loni Ding and MIS 50th Anniversary steering committee (ddr-densho-1007-1446)

Invitation to a final meeting after the MIS reunion had occurred.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1446/

doc Letter from Peter Nakahara to Tom Sakamoto (ddr-densho-1007-1107)

For a panel on war crimes for the MIS 50th anniversary reunion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1107/

av Interview with Jim Ariyasu, part 3 of 5 (ddr-densho-1007-1598)

Ariyasu discusses military language school, his medical issues after the service, his life before the military, an argument he had with his peers over whether their section leader was qualified, and his service in New Caledonia. Video starts at 0:24. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 84, II LA #25, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1598/

img Harry Fukuhara interrogating Japanese POW (ddr-densho-1007-220)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-220/

doc Military Intelligence Service Language School graduate list (ddr-densho-1007-944)

Contains graduates from the Presidio November 1941 term and the Savage June 1942 term.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-944/

doc Harry Fukuhara notes 2 (ddr-densho-1007-927)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-927/

doc Frank Kazuo Ishida interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-1133)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1133/

doc Harry S. Iida interview notes (ddr-densho-1007-947)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-947/

doc MIS Membership Card (ddr-densho-1007-1868)

MIS Association of Northern California Membership Card for Loni Ding

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1868/

doc Shiro Tokuno notes on the role of MIS in the occupation of Japan (ddr-densho-1007-1109)

Photocopy.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1109/

doc MIS Intelligencer Volume 24 No. 2 (ddr-densho-1007-1103)

50th anniversary issue, details events for reunion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1103/

av Interview with John Aiso, part 2 of 5 (ddr-densho-1007-1575)

Aiso discusses his feelings about serving the US in WWII, his community's reaction to Pearl Harbor, his high school years, his time as academic director of the MISLS, and the difficulties of living at Camp Savage. Video starts at 0:26. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 72, II LA #2, …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1575/

av Interview with Monroe Sweetland, part 2 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1664)

Sweetland discusses meeting Frank Hachiya's father, Hachiya's father's decision to have Frank buried in Hood River, Frank's funeral, what he knew of Frank's family during the war, Frank's death, and the political climate of Hood River. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 148, II MON #16, 9-9-85, Monroe interview, father …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1664/

doc Letter from Richard Oguro to Loni Ding (ddr-densho-1007-941)

Contains criticism from Oguro of Loni Ding's documentary Nisei Soldier.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-941/

av Interview with Arthur (Art) Morimitsu, part 2 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1750)

Morimitsu discusses his father's reaction to him volunteering for the military, support from Jewish community members, leaving Tule Lake for Fort Douglas, his education at Camp Savage, and his time in the Military Intelligence Service. Video starts at 0:18. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions in the background. Original title: 59B, II VFW #2, VFW …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1750/

doc Manny Goldberg notes (ddr-densho-1007-925)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-925/

av Interview with Jacob Herzog, part 1 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1539)

Herzog discusses his service in Okinawa, meeting and working with Nisei soldiers. Includes a few stories from the Pacific theater. Video starts at 0:54. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: II NY #23, Jacob Herzog. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1540/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1539/

av Interview with John Burden and Shig Kihara, part 2 of 4 (ddr-densho-1007-1789)

Burden discusses an operation attempting to get Japanese soldiers in a cave to surrender, translating captured documents, how his superiors reacted to translated information, serving in Fiji, the attitudes of Nisei whose parents were interned, his time serving with a soldier named Miyazaki, and some close calls he and his soldiers had. Loni Ding can be …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1789/