Harvey Watanabe Interview Segment 16

Father's occupation supplying Issei laborers to local farms (ddr-densho-1008-5-1) - 00:02:54
Father's experiences fighting in the Russo-Japanese War (ddr-densho-1008-5-2) - 00:05:26
Circumstances of parents' immigration to the U.S. (ddr-densho-1008-5-3) - 00:04:37
Exposure to other ethnicities through neighbors (ddr-densho-1008-5-4) - 00:02:09
Japanese language school: why many of the Issei sent their children (ddr-densho-1008-5-5) - 00:03:58
FBI visit following bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1008-5-6) - 00:06:55
Being followed by the U.S. Counterintelligence Corps while serving in Australia (ddr-densho-1008-5-7) - 00:01:52
Drafted into the army prior to the bombing of Pearl Harbor (ddr-densho-1008-5-8) - 00:01:41
Hearing of the bombing of Pearl Harbor while at Fort Lewis (ddr-densho-1008-5-9) - 00:02:57
Removal and evacuation of Japanese American servicemen (ddr-densho-1008-5-10) - 00:06:19
Parents' reactions to decision to join the military (ddr-densho-1008-5-11) - 00:03:47
Being recruited for the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) (ddr-densho-1008-5-12) - 00:02:48
Unable to help family during mass removal (ddr-densho-1008-5-13) - 00:02:21
Watched by armed guards while visiting family in an concentration camp: "I was in uniform" (ddr-densho-1008-5-14) - 00:03:20
Loss of family property (ddr-densho-1008-5-15) - 00:02:42
Prewar Italian neighbors not affected by the government's wartime actions (ddr-densho-1008-5-16) - 00:01:15
Translation services: difficulties of performing technical translations (ddr-densho-1008-5-17) - 00:04:38
Being allowed to attend military briefings (ddr-densho-1008-5-18) - 00:02:14
Duties in Australia: questioning prisoners, destroying documents (ddr-densho-1008-5-19) - 00:03:15
Being tailed by a Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) agent (ddr-densho-1008-5-20) - 00:03:54
Activities during "down time" while serving in Australia (ddr-densho-1008-5-21) - 00:02:52
Reaction to the news of the atomic bombs destroying Hiroshima and Nagasaki (ddr-densho-1008-5-22) - 00:03:56
Visiting family while serving in Japan during the occupation (ddr-densho-1008-5-23) - 00:05:22
Persuading Japanese officers to remove their sidearms and sabers (ddr-densho-1008-5-24) - 00:06:42
Refusing bodyguards: "People in Japan are people like you and me" (ddr-densho-1008-5-25) - 00:03:35
Managing the Dai Ichi Hotel in Tokyo with Japanese staff (ddr-densho-1008-5-26) - 00:04:36
An incident with laundry service while managing the Dai Ichi Hotel (ddr-densho-1008-5-27) - 00:02:23
Hiring a band to provide entertainment at the Dai Ichi Hotel (ddr-densho-1008-5-28) - 00:04:53
Problems with the hotel heating system: preempting "hara kiri" (ddr-densho-1008-5-29) - 00:02:05
Returning to the United States, working for the Boeing Company (ddr-densho-1008-5-30) - 00:02:09
Working at Boeing, security clearance for presidential airplane project (ddr-densho-1008-5-31) - 00:06:21
Raising children (ddr-densho-1008-5-32) - 00:00:59
Retiring for health reasons (ddr-densho-1008-5-33) - 00:04:06
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PARTNER

Densho
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SEGMENT ID

ddr-densho-1008-5-16 (Legacy UID: denshovh-wharvey-02-0016)

SEGMENT DESCRIPTION

Prewar Italian neighbors not affected by the government's wartime actions

Members of the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) arranged for and conducted this interview in conjunction with Densho.

00:01:15 — Segment 16 of 33

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DATE

December 12, 1997

LOCATION

PARENT COLLECTION

National Japanese American Historical Society Collection

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

National Japanese American Historical Society Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the National Japanese American Historical Society

RIGHTS

PARTNER

Densho
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INTERVIEW ID

ddr-densho-1008-5

NARRATOR

Harvey Watanabe

INTERVIEW TITLE

Harvey Watanabe Interview

01:59:01 — 33 segments

DATE

December 12, 1997

LOCATION

Seattle, Washington

DESCRIPTION

Nisei male. Born February 1919 in Exeter, California. Spent prewar childhood in Visalia, California. Drafted prior to World War II. Served in an activated National Guard unit at Fort Lewis, Washington. When World War II broke out, he and all the other Nisei servicemen at Fort Lewis were sent inland. About twenty, Harvey included, went to Fort Hayes, Columbus, Ohio. Recruited for the Military Intelligence Service and trained at the Military Intelligence Language School at Camp Savage, Minnesota. Sent overseas to serve in the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) of General MacArthur's headquarters in Australia, Manila and Japan. Assisted in negotiating the surrender of Japanese troops in Manila. Managed the Dai Ichi Hotel in Tokyo for headquarters staff. Later served in the Korean War. Resettled in Seattle, Washington and worked for the Boeing Company. Mr. Watanabe passed away on February 26, 2011.

(Members of the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) arranged for and conducted this interview in conjunction with Densho.)

PRODUCTION

Marvin Uratsu, interviewer; Gary Otake, interviewer; Matt Emery, videographer

TOPICS

FACILITY

PERSONS/ORGANIZATIONS

CONTRIBUTOR

National Japanese American Historical Society Collection

PREFERRED CITATION

Courtesy of the National Japanese American Historical Society

RIGHTS

API