Base de Datos de Experiencias Militares de Japoneses Americanos
Shigeo J. Takayama
11/17/41-12/12/41: 19th Engr C Regt, Fort Ord, CA - Surveyor
12/12/41-3/13/42: 19th Engr C Regt, Pasadena, CA - Draftsman
3/15/42-7/20/43: Reception Ctr, Ft. Sill, OK - Interviewer,ClassificationSpecialist
7/20/43-10/25/43: Provost Marshal, Ft. Sill, OK - Clerk,Fingerprinter
10/28/43-6/10/44: 31st Engr C Bn, Ft. Belvoir, VA - Basic
6/10/44-10/10/44: 31st Engr C Bn, Camp Butner, NC Draftsman
10/10/44-10/22/44: 31st Engr C Bn, Camp Kilmer, NJ Drafstman
11/3/44-12/31/44: 31st Engr C Bn, Chester, England - Draftsman
12/31/44-3/24/45: 31st Engr C Bn, France (Le Havre-Alsace) - Draftsman
3/24/45-5/9/45: 31st Engr C Bn, Germany (Alsace-OberAmmergau) - Draftsman
5/9/45-7/1/45: 31st Engr C Bn, Reutte, Austria - Draftsman
7/1/45-7/19/45: 1101st Engr C Grp, Innsbruck, Austria - Draftsman
7/19/45-10/8/45: US II Corps, Salzburg, Austria - Draftsman
10/8/45-11/13/45: 652 Topo Engr Bn, Nr Munich, Germany - Classification Specialist
11/13/45 - 11/18/45: 79th Inf Div, Frankfurt, Germany
11/20/45 -11/30/45: 79th Inf Div, Marseilles, France
12/10/45-12/16/45: Detached, Camp Kilmer, NJ
19th Engr C Regt:
(a) Construct training facilities at Hunter Liggett Military Reservation.
(b) As engineer support unit of the So Cal Sector Command, locate all existing bridges in southern California, determine ways to destroy them, construct facilities for coastal defense units, train for combat as infantry.
Reception Center: Outfit, conduct aptitude tests, interview, assign and ship recruits to training camps.
Provost Marshal: Control and maintain order and security of the post.
31st Engr C Bn:
(a)Conduct demonstrations for Engineer School for training of field officers and officer candidates, help Engineer Board conduct tests of engineers equipment.
(b) Train men for duty as engineers under combat conditions.
(c) Serve US VI Corps as engineer combat unit.
(d) Repair roads, bridges, organize recreation program and conduct classes to train men for postwar jobs.
1101st Engr C Grp: Occupation duty.
US II Corps: Occupation duty.
652nd Topo Engr Bn: Occupation duty.
79th Inf Div: Shipment of personnel to US for discharge.
19th Engr C Regt:
(a) Served briefly as surveyor for construction of anti-tank firing range.
(b) As draftsman, trained for operations (S-3) and intelligence (S-2) sections duties, prepared and maintained location maps of other units, helped compile data on all bridges, locating them on maps.
Reception Center: Served briefly as solo nisei among 12 interviewers, then with 3 niseis conducted typing and dictation tests, placed scores of aptitude tests and other pertinent information on interview cards prior to interviews, then checked all completed cards and coded them. In time, the interviewing section was rated the best in the 8th Service Command, resulting in the nisei co-workers being declared ineligible for transfers. One, however, was released for cadre of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Later, the name of Civilian Aide to the Asst Secy of War appeared in the Oklahoma City Times so I wrote to him. His reply of support enabled us to apply for transfers. Incidentally, all nisei personnel were still denied promotions and restricted on passes to 40 miles from the post.
Provost Marshal: When my co-workers left so soon, the sudden loss provoked the reception center commander to oust me to the Post Provost Marshal where I served as a clerk and fingerprinter. My transfer was delayed by the provost marshal who I sensed was conspiring to detain me, so had the Post Commander intervene.
31st Engr C Bn:
(a) Served awhile in a line company to familiarize myself with their duties, then was assigned to Headquarters as a draftsman.
(b) Trained for duties in the intelligence section (S-2).
(c) Organized equipment and supplies (S-2).
(d) Maintained situation maps, locating units from VI Corps reports, reviewed all VI G-2 intelligence information and that collected by S-2 reconnaisance men to be forwarded to Corps G-2, prepared overlays of routes for unit's moves.
1101st Engr C Grp: This was beginning of my deployment to various units requesting services of a draftsman or classification specialist to update servicemens records. Received pass to Paris.
US II Corps: Helped deactivate US II Corps while seeing sights around Salzburg. Attended Music Festival concert.
652nd Topo Engr Bn: Another draftsman and I were requested to hastily prepare maps for two officers scheming to recommend each other for Silver Star medal. We considered them not deserving and failed to meet deadline. Visited Dachau, received pass to Switzerland.
79th Inf Div: Prepared for shipment to US.
American Defense Service
American Campaign
European-African Middle Eastern Campaign with 2 stars
World War II Victory
Germany Occupation
Good Conduct.
Fort Ord, CA: Accomodations were typical 2-story wooden barracks common to most Army posts.
Pasadena, CA: Lacking pyramidal tents, for 2 months, many EMs were sheltered in tunnels of the Rose Bowl. Later, the unit moved to a former CCC camp for its headquarters and others were accomodated in pyramidal tents in a nearby park, where additional facilities were constructed by unit personnel.
Ft. Sill, OK: Accomodations for Reception Center permanent personnel were small tar-papered huts similar to those in WRA relocation centers. Accomodations at the Main Post were permanent buildings as constructed at major long established Army posts.
Fort Belvoir, VA: Accomodations were similar to Fort Ord.
Camp Butner, NC: Accomodations were poorer quality 2-story wooden barracks.
Camp Kilmer, NJ: Accomodations were similar to Ft Ord.
Chester, England: Accomodations were in small huts, with double-decked bunks, cold water showers and clay pipe latrines in separate buildings. From hereon the cooked meals were prepared with canned or dehydrated foods. When hot meals were not available, the meals were individual canned C or packaged dry K rations.
France, Germany: On landing in France, the first few nights the men slept in rain and snow in pup tents, then were transported by rail box cars for 2 nights to Alsace. There, the unit was sheltered in abandoned buildings while being equipped with vehicles, equipment and supplies. By mid-January the unit occupied buildings near Saverne, about 40 miles north of the 442nd RCT rescue of the Lost Battalion, and remained here for 2 months. The HQ was in the villa of Monsieur Dentel, with the command post and quarters for officers on the second floor and EMs in the attic. The meals were prepared in a nearby train station on field stoves. While here, the motor pool men contrived a portable boiler and shower unit that was hauled on a trailer. After the Spring offensive was launched on March 15, the 31st moved about every 3 days. On the second move, the men luckily missed being in 2 buildings that exploded by time bombs installed by the enemy during the winter lull. After crossing the Rhine River, the unit paused one day waiting for Heidelberg to surrender. Directly across the Neckar River was the 522nd Field Artillery BN. The 522nd headed east and the 31st continued south and HQ found lodging in various abandoned buildings that included a private girls school, a Hitler Youth Center, a mattress factory, a rich Berliner's summer mansion. On VE-Day it was in a hotel in OberAmmergau. Along the way, the entire battalion rested a week in slightly damaged barracks of a German Army post at the outskirts of Heilbronn that was devastated.
Reutte, Austria: The HQ accomodations were in an almost completed apartment complex where the tenants in the furnished units were evicted and made to double up with those not moved.
Innsbruck, Austria: The accomodations were in homes near Innsbruck. Hereafter all meals were prepared and services were provided by civilians.
Salzburg, Austria: The accomodations were in a hotel in Salzburg. U.S. II Corps men were among the first to return home and the unit was deactivated, so its personnel were reduced to 30% with replacements. Left with a large company fund to be expended, the EMs were provided free weekly rations and a night club with professional musicians and plenty of refreshments nightly for members and guests.
Munich, Germany: The accomodations were in an apartment complex, near Dachau.
Frankfurt, Germany: The accomodations were in a small hotel.
Marseilles, France: The Calas Staging Area.
Camp Kilmer, NJ: USA
Soon after my induction, one of the first photos I had taken had a large round spot in the middle. It proved to be an omen as Pearl Harbor was attacked on my 25th birthday, December 8, Japan time. Decades later, books reveal that the Japanese Navy coded message for the day of the attack was 'Climb NIITAKAYAMA 1208', repeat 1208.'
On February 23, 1942, while on duty at the 19th Engineers command post, I answered a misdirected phone call intended for the Southern California Sector Headquarters. The call was to report the Japanese submarine attack. After informing the caller he had the wrong party, I summoned and explained the call to my commanding officer, Colonel Horace Porter, who immediately alerted the regiment. About a half hour later, orders were received to rush one battalion to the Ventura area, and within the next half hour it was on its way. A few days later, the Sector Commander, Major General Wilson, dropped by to see Col. Porter. He then came into a small room where I was working, and seemed affable as I explained the bridge project that located and included data to destroy each in the event of an enemy invasion.
When I was ordered to leave the 19th Engineers, Col. Porter granted me 2 days off duty to go 3 miles to my home and help my father prepare for the civilian Japanese evacuation. Major Killian, under whom I was serving, later commanded the 19th through 5 campaigns in No. Africa, Sicily, and Italy before moving up to II Corps Engineer. In July, l945, I had the pleasure of serving briefly with him again in Salzburg, Austria. The 19th had supplied water to the 100th Infantry Battalion at Cassino, Italy.
