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 Iwao Yamaguchi interviewee form and notes (ddr-densho-1007-1127)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1127/

doc MIS personnel killed in WWII (ddr-densho-1007-1467)

Lists soldiers by region.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1467/

av Interview with Yukio Kawamoto, part 1 of 8 (ddr-densho-1007-1545)

Kawamoto discusses his childhood in Berkeley, his high school colleauges, Pearl Harbor, being drafted, and trying to get a job pre-war. Video starts at 1:01. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 47, II NY #29, 6-85, Kawamoto. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1546/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1545/

doc Letter from Jimmie Matsumura to Mr. Harrington (ddr-densho-1007-1008)

Xeroxed copy. Big list of names at end

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1008/

doc James Oda interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-1129)

Used for the film Color of Honor.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1129/

doc Harry S. Iida interviewee form (ddr-densho-1007-946)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-946/

doc Letter from Tom Sakamoto to Loni Ding (ddr-densho-1007-1447)

Thank-you letter to Ding after her participation in the 50th MIS Anniversary reunion.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1447/

doc Letter from Bennie K. Ouchida to Harry Fujita (ddr-densho-1007-937)

Mentions PFC Sadao Munemori and others.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-937/

img Harry Fukuhara (cropped) (ddr-densho-1007-223)

From folder labeled "Harry Fukuhara".

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-223/

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 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/

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

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

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/

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/

doc Minoru (Min) Hara notes (ddr-densho-1007-922)

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-922/

doc Letter from Robert Y. Thornton (ddr-densho-1007-1085)

Copy of short autobiography by Thornton. Unclear who original recipient was; may have been Loni Ding.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1085/

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/

av Interview with George Nakamura, part 2 of 5 (ddr-densho-1007-1681)

Nakamura discusses his deployment to Asia, his service in Chongqing, interrogating Japanese prisoners of war, and translating captured documents. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions in the background. Original title: 197, II JA #15, George Nakamura, Fri. Jan 31. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1682/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1681/

Monroe Sweetland and Shig Kihara walking and talking about the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center; exterior shots of the Center (ddr-densho-1007-1662)

av Monroe Sweetland and Shig Kihara walking and talking about the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center; exterior shots of the Center (ddr-densho-1007-1662)

Exterior shots of Sweetland and Kihara walking into Hachiya Hall; stills of signage outside; Kihara and Sweetland walking together and discussing the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. Video starts at 0:29. Original title: 146, II MON #14, 9-9-85, DF Walk, Shig & Monroe

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1662/

doc Hawaii Buddaheads, Relocation Camp Kotonks N' Associates (ddr-densho-1007-943)

Collection of stories from the 1942 class of Camp Savage, including Spark Matsunaga, John Aiso and many others. Full list of graduates on page 2.

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-943/

av Interview with Arthur (Art) Morimitsu, part 5 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1753)

Morimitsu discusses his relationship with Caucasian American soldiers, stories from his service, and his thoughts on draft resisters. Video starts at 0:25. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 62B, II VFW #5, VFW - LA, Art Morimitsu, Feb. 15, 1987. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1754/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1753/

av Interview with Bill Dizer, part 1 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1676)

Dizer, who lives in Japan, discusses how he started to learn Japanese at the University of Michigan, his thoughts on evacuation and his deployment in Japan. Interview starts at 6:15. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: 193, II JA #10, Bill Dizer, Fri., Jan. 31. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1677/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1676/

av Conversation between John Burden and Shig Kihara, part 2 of 3 (ddr-densho-1007-1654)

Burden and Kihara discuss their service in the Pacific theater, Kihara's time in Japan after college, Kihara's time teaching at the Military Language Service Language School, and Kihara's father's thoughts on his joining the military. Original title: 139, II B/K #2, Burden/Kihara, Cressey Field, 12/15/85, needs color correction. Conversation continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1785/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1654/

av Interview with Jacob Herzog, part 3 of 6 (ddr-densho-1007-1541)

Herzog discusses WWII military intelligence, particularly in the Pacific (Saipan, Okinawa, the Gilbert Islands). Talks about the difficulty of getting Japanese soldiers to surrender. Video starts at 1:00. Loni Ding can be heard asking questions behind the camera. Original title: II NY #25, Jacob Herzog. Interview continues at ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1542/

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-densho-1007-1541/