Gender

Male

Birth date

1923-8-15

Place of birth

Pauwela HI, U.S.A.

Inducted

1944-1-3, Wahiawa HI

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Support

Units served

Military Intelligence Service Language School D-2 (Graduated Savage, Feb. 1944)
Pacific Military Intelligence Research Section, Washington Document Center

Military specialty

Translator 267

Stationed

USA: Camp Savage, MN; Ft. Snelling, MN; Camp Ritchie, MD;Fort Meyer, VA
Other Countries: TDY Tokyo, Japan

Separated

Wahiawa HI

Unit responsibility

Translation of military documents

Personal responsibility

Translation of documents - mostly manuals

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

American Campaign Service Medal
Asiatic Pacific Service Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Good Conduct Medal
Army Commendation Ribbon with Pendant for meritorious service PACMIRS

Living conditions

I lived mostly in the typical barracks conditions - bunk beds in a row, latrine at the end of the building, etc. Unlike the boys in the trenches, I believe I had it quite easy.

Most vivid memory of military experience

At Camp Ritchie, one day I was surprised to see a bunch of Japanese soldiers in full combat gear, including rifles, running through the trees. We were informed later that those were Nisei boys, selected for their short stature, who were dressed in the enemy's clothing to simulate for the benefit of the non-oriental what the Japanese soldier looks like in the battlefield. The unit was known as the 'Military Intelligence Training Unit' and I have no idea what else it was assigned to do, but my reaction at that time was one of embarrassment for the boys being ordered to do such a demeaning task. I certainly can't picture myself dressing up as a Japanese soldier to show those who are unfamiliar with the Oriental what the enemy looks like in the field.

Missed most whilst in the military

Homecooking, especially Japanese style cooking - musubi, takuan, etc.

Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?

l. The knowledge that by volunteering for the armed services I did my part to show any detractors that the Nisei was a loyal American.

2. With service came the privilege of receiving higher education at a school of my choice to prepare for a relevant presence in the community.

Additional information

When my father was incarcerated as a 'potentially dangerous enemy alien' in the first year of the war, my loyalty to my country wavered. Of course, I was able to put aside that lapse in devotion to volunteer.

After the war, on the suggestion of my father, I studied for and became a Buddhist priest and served the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii for 37 years, of which 12 years were as its Bishop.