Sexo

Male

Fecha de Nacimiento

1920-09-28

Lugar de Nacimiento

Los Angeles CA, USA

Inducted

1942-11-28, Manzanar CA

Tipo de Alistamiento

Volunteer

Afiliación Militar

Army

Tipo de servicio prestado

War

Tipo de unidad militar

Combat

Unidades a las que sirvió

MISLS (Graduated Savage, Dec. 1942) Over-seas, 6th Inf. Div exclusively about 22 months with 1st, 20th, 63rd Inf. Regiments, P.T. Boat and other vessels.

Especialidad militar

Military Intelligence After 'A' bomb, spent less than 2 months in Korea (Kunzam - iri) war crime trial and prepared Japanese Nationals for repatriation back to Japan.

Asignado

USA; Camp Savage, MN Other Countries: New Guinea; Luzon, Philippines; Korea

Retirado

Camp McCoy WI

Responsabilidad en la unidad

Military intelligence, dealing with Japanese POW's. Interrogate, translate documents. In Korea, dealt with Communist terrorists. Prepared Japanese Nationals to be repatriated back to Japan.

Responsabilidad individual

Interrogate POW's and was driver, translator, interrogator for G-2 Lt. Colonel in Luzon. Took care of 2 Jeep and truck for our 10 men M.I.S. team.

Batallas principales (si sirvió en una zona de guerra)

New Guinea - with 1st Infantry Regiment, in Maffin Bay Campaign 6/6/44. Terry Mizutari KIA this period. All team members (10) received Combat Infantryman Badge, worth $10/month. July 30, 1944 we hit Samsapan, New Guinea. Resistance light, big enemy was tick, typhus, malaria, dengue fever. Trained for invasion of Luzon, P.I. combat. January 9, 1945, with 20th Infantry Regiment, hit Lingayen Bay, Luzon, P.I. Beginning of 219 days of continuous combat. George I. Nakamura KIA this period. December 10, 1945, with 63rd Infantry Regiment, left Luzon for Korea after 306 days of combat, 87 days in New Guinea and 219 days in Luzon.

Reconocimientos, medallas, menciones (individuales o de la unidad)

Being hastily discharged, we did not know all of what awards, etc., we were entitled to and didn't care. Just wanted out. Few are Bronze Star Combat Infantryman Badge Good Conduct Medal American Theater Asiatic-Pacific Theater Philippine Liberation Korea Victory Bronze Arrow Head for D-Day Landings. Guys that went to Occupation of Japan got all the goodies, promotions, etc. Intelligence gathered by our ten men team was very valuable to 6th Division.

Condiciones de Vida

During all landings, first few days were rough. Slept in slit trenches and wet blankets. In New Guinea, daily routine was to spray trees for snipers with machine guns. After several days, we had tents. Banzai attacks kept us on our toes. What we went through was 'play' compared to what 100th/442nd guys went through daily. Meals were disasters. Weight dropped from 150 # to 120#. Daily rain, rivers, or ocean was our bath. Poker was my main entertainment. Drank a little.

Recuerdo más vívido de la experiencia militar

Discrimination faced by Blacks and Nisei-Kibeis. After 6 months of intense intelligence training, all Nisei-Kibei graduates received T/5. Rest being non-Japanese, they got commissioned (officers). Logic will tell you that most were inept, very few did deserve being officers. If only some Kibeis and Niseis were commissioned to co-lead us with Caucasians it would have been o.k. but it was not to be. Blacks were treated worse than us. Have many human interest stories, tragic and humorous, but am too tired to write them down.

Lo que más extraño durante su tiempo en las fuerzas armadas

Freedom - fairness - families - friends

¿En lo personal, qué obtuvo de su experiencia militar?

Would like to forget about it all. Being interned cut short a life that would have been more productive and meaningful. I think, I would have been a better father and husband.

Información adicional

In New Guinea, Ensign Sherman was in charge of us. Good officer. Then 2 M.I.S. 2nd Lt.s came and took leadership (lousy). In matter of several months they were promoted twice to captain. Meantime, we were never promoted under them and also never received R & R every 6 months (3 rotations). Usually after R & R, promotion happens. (sour grape) On January 4, 1999, the following letter was sent to Congressman Martinez:< Dear Congressman Martinez: I am writing this letter seeking your help in obtaining the Purple Heart and Bronze Medal, which because of discrimination against Japanese-Americans during World War II, was unjustly denied to me. I was one of 14 men who volunteered for the Military Intelligence Service (M.I.S.), U.S. Army, from the Manzanar Internment (Concentration) Camp located in the windy desert of Owens Valley, California. The need for qualified Japanese linguists was critical, and the best source for such people were the Nisei-Kibeis, who were incarcerated in the ten camps. 120,000 people, most of whom were American of Japanese descent, underwent the most inhumane treatment when we were uprooted from our homes, businesses, and schools simply because of our ethnicity. I was at Manzanar in early November 1942 when I came across recruiters for M.I.S. (Military Intelligence Service). I talked to them and decided to volunteer to prove my loyalty, thinking it would made it easier for family and friends, who had to endure the hardships of the internment camps. Camp Savage, Minnesota, a deserted camp for the homeless, was hastily repaired to accommodate us Japanese-American G.I.s. However, new quarters for non-Japanese-American G.I.s were being built, and in the meantime, they stayed at Fort Snelling which was a comfortable, well-equipped base. After six months of intensive training, we were given the rank of T/5, while the non-Japanese-Americans, were given 2nd Lieutenant's bars, deserving or not. That hurt! What a gross injustice, a slap in the face. It would have been easier to take if the Service had given the top 10 to 15 percent of Japanese-Americans commissions so they could co-lead. In late 1943, we were formed into ten-man detachments; I was part of the 169th Language Detachment. We left Angel Island, San Francisco and zigzagged across the Pacific on a Liberty ship, Ada Rehan, unescorted, avoiding enemy submarines. It took 30 days to arrive in New Guinea, enduring a typhoon. Eventually, we were attached to the 6th Infantry Division, Headquaters Company for the next 20 months. We served with all regiments, the 1st, 20th, and 63rd, and also with their Artillery Battalions. We also served on P.T. boats, landing craft that went up and down the coast seeking escaping enemeies. Since I had auto-mechanic training, I was in charge of two jeeps and a truck. I also served as driver-bodyguard, and did intelligence work for Division G-2. I also did the same work for late arriving M.I.S. Officers who came with the rank of 2nd Lieutenants, and who, in a matter of several months made Captains. However, the Japanese-American M.I.S. were never promoted after initially receiving the rank of T/4 (truck driver rank). Nor did we receive R&R, nor were we rotated to General Headquarters like other detachments, where in most cases, they received promotions. In the course of our work, we dealt with 1,700 P.O.W.s, working under the most dangerous and sensitive conditions. Our work was very valuable: combat interrogating, translating documents, and interpreting for superior officers. Although we saved countless lives, we were never acknowledged by either Division Headquarters or by the M.I.S., after spending 20 plus months at this risky, yet essential effort. Thanks to Ensign Sherman, a Yale man who was temporarily in charge of us in the beginning, we were able to get all of the team members the Combat Infantryman Badge, in recognition for hitting the beach and fighting with the first wave. Two men killed in action, Terry Mizutari and G.I. Nakamura, received Silver Stars. A third Star went to Kiyoshi Fujimura for making contact with Japanese General Yamashita, that led to the enemy surrender. Silver Stars were given in order to explain the two deaths and Kiyo's deed, otherwise all of it would have been ignored. In the course of my tour of duty, I came down with Dengue fever in New Guinea and Malaria in Luzon, Philippine Islands. I also received a knife wound in the buttocks, was sprayed with D.D.T. and other toxic chemicals numerous times by planes in the hopes of eradicating mosquitoes, tick, etc. In New Guinea, we lost more G.I.s to disease than to enemy action. About a year ago, I was encouraged to go to West L.A. Veteran's Administration Hospital to be treated by their newly formed Geriatric team for World War II Vets. I was told to apply for disability and for a purple heart and bronze star. I did so, and the response was that there were no records of my deeds, injury, or illness, which led me to believe that both the 6th Division Headquarters and the M.I.S. officers in charge of us did not keep records of our Detachment, or lost them or destroyed them. Three of my buddies that served with me wrote notarized letters but it was of no use; we did not keep diaries. The only hospital that I can remember is where I was treated for malaria in Quezon City Hospital, in the outskirts of Manila. Mrs. McArthur (General Arthur) visited our ward, and she kidded me about being General Yamashita's nephew, and I answered in the affirmative; we all had a good laugh. She was a very nice lady. I served in Korea after the A-bomb was dropped, with the 63rd Infantry Regiment, in the War Crimes trials. I also prepared Japanese nationals living there to be repatriated back to Japan. Since I had enough points, I opted for discharge in November, 1945 and came home the first part of January, 1946. I have never received the Bronze Star that comes with the Combat Infantryman Badge, nor the Purple Heart for my wound, both of which I feel I deserve and would have received had it not been for war-time discrimination. Hopefully by writing and asking for your help, Congressman Martinez, a wrong that has gone on for too long will be brought to a just conclusion. Mr. Moreno, who is with KCET, and who is a fellow member at Maryknoll Catholic Church in Little Tokyo, suggested that going through your office would be the best way to get something done. I believe that as my Representative in Congress, you will take the interest in obtaining this redress for an injustice that goes against the basic ideals of our democratic nation. Thank you. Interned at Manzanar Relocation Center, CA.