ddr-csujad-2 — San Jose State Schmidt (Willard E.) Papers

San Jose State Schmidt (Willard E.) Papers

CSU Japanese American History Digitization Project
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ddr-csujad-2

The Willard Schmidt collection, documents some of the administrative duties of Willard Schmidt, the Chief of Internal Security for the War Relocation Authority and the Tule Lake incarceration/segregation camp. This collection contains administrative records and photos documenting the Tule Lake camp, the largest incarceration camp with a peak population of 18,789 and with the most turbulent history. In 1943, the camp was turned into a segregation center to house "disloyal" Japanese Americans relocated from other camps based on their answers to a confusing loyalty questionnaire. The camp endured martial law from November 1943- Jan 1944 after escalating protests and unrest. The hostile environment of the camp lead to many incarcerees renouncing their American citizenship upon the end of incarceration, a process which took 14 years to reverse if they did not wish to be deported to Japan.

See the full finding aid at Online Archive of California.

1942-1945

1944

2 box 1 linear ft.

San Jose State University Department of Special Collections and Archives

Schmidt, Willard E. (author)

[Title of item], Willard E. Schmidt Papers, MSS-2007-09-01, San José State University Library Special Collections and Archives

103 Objects

doc Co-ordinating Committee meeting notes, March 9, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-1)

Memoranda from incarceree-lead government within the camp. Includes requests for the immediate release of 14 prisoners from the military stockades. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0001

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-1/

doc [New Officer "Onus Probandi"] with note from Fred J. Graves, Chief of Internal Security at Gila River (ddr-csujad-2-2)

Training manual for new police officers written by Fred J. Graves, Chief of Internal Security at the Gila River incarceration camp. Includes handwritten note from Graves to Schmidt. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0002

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-2/

doc Letter from S. Yoshiyama to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, February 22, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-3)

Letter from S. Yoshiyama requesting to meet with his fiance, Hisako Hideya, while detained by the army. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0003

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-3/

doc Letter from S. [Koni] to Hon [F de Amat], November 13,1943 (ddr-csujad-2-4)

Letter from Shunichi K. to [F. de Amat] requesting status on his application to be repatriated to Japan with his wife. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0004

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-4/

doc Letter from Aiko Takaoka to Ramond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, February 1, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-5)

Letter from Aiko Takaoka to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, requesting the release of her brother, Yoshio Takaoka from the army stockades at Tule Lake Camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0005

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-5/

doc Letter from residents of Block 30 to Ramond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, February 24, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-6)

Letter from residents of Block 30 to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, requesting the release of Hiroyoshi Tsuda from the army stockades at Tule Lake Camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0006

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-6/

Letter from residents of Block 9 to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp and Colonel Verne Austin, Commander of Military Police, February 14, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-7)

doc Letter from residents of Block 9 to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp and Colonel Verne Austin, Commander of Military Police, February 14, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-7)

Letter from residents of Block 9 to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp and Colonel Verne Austin, Commander of Military Police requesting the release of four incarerees detained in the army stockades at Tule Lake Camp: Dentaro Tani, Heizaburo Nakada, Goichi Ishimaru, and Toshiaki Oku. Signed names: Tani, Dentaro; Nakada, Heizaburo; Ishimaru, Goichi; Oku, Toshiaki; …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-7/

doc Letter from residents requesting prisoner release, February 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-8)

Letter from residents requesting the release of two incarerees: Wataru Obara, and Hiroichi Shimamura, detained in army stockades at Tule Lake Camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0008

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-8/

doc Letter from Ernest M. Kozuma to Ramond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, February 21, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-9)

Detailed letter from Ernest Kozuma to Raymond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, explaining his character and request for his release from the army stockades at Tule Lake Camp. Includes descriptions of his activities in the incarceree-led government at Tule Lake, and mention of the Tule Lake Farm Strike. See this object in the California State …

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-9/

doc Letter from residents to Ramond Best, Director of Tule Lake Camp, February 18, 1944 (ddr-csujad-2-10)

Letter from residents requesting the release of two incarerees: Wataru Obara, and Hiroichi Shimamura, detained in the army stockades at Tule Lake Camp. See this object in the California State Universities Japanese American Digitization project site: sjs_sch_0010

https://ddr.densho.org/ddr-csujad-2-10/

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San Jose State Schmidt (Willard E.) Papers

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103 Objects