USA: Camp Savage, MN Other Countries: Australia; New Guinea; Indonesia; Philippines.
Separated
Camp Beale CA
Unit responsibility
To advance forward from New Guinea to Mindanao Island capturing strategic military sites and airfields. Military intelligence
Personal responsibility
To serve as interpreter, translator of captured enemy documents, and interrogator of POW's.
Major battles (if served in a war zone)
Southern Philippines; Bismarck Archipelago; New Guinea.
Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)
Distinguished Unit Badge, HQ USAFFE 04/17/1943
Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 Bronze Star
Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal with Bronze Arrowhead
World War II Victory Medal 10/23/1945
Good Conduct Medal
Combat Infantryman's Badge 08/01/1945
Living conditions
Comforts were few, if any, but we managed to keep our spirits up. Meals were sufficient to keep us active and healthy. I wonder how I managed to get along without snacks in the evening?
We slept on cots in tents. Had to sleep in foxholes for a few nights after invading Morotai Island in September 1944. Bivouac was located near sources of water, but were we able to shower/bathe daily? How often were we able to do our laundry?
Playing cards - bridge, pinochle, poker - was the main entertainment and the quickest way for me to make new friends at a new post.
One USO show is remembered. Held at Milne Bay, New Guinea, October 1943. We sat on coconut log seats in the blackout outdoor theater. What nostalgic memory of singer Lanny Ross's 'White Christmas'!
Most vivid memory of military experience
'The war is over. Let's start anew!' As leaflets were dropped from a cub plane, Japanese soldiers and civilians came streaming down the hills outside of Davao City to seek shelter and protection from the US Army. Approximately 17,000 servicemen and slightly fewer civilians were interned and repatriated to Japan by early November 1945. Mission accomplished!
On November 13, I received the order to return to the states to be discharged
Missed most whilst in the military
I can't recall what was missed the most. I had some concerns, however. The well-being of my Issei parents and three younger sisters at home in Hawaii was a major concern.
Mother touched me daily with her prayers. She wrote me regularly. Extracts from two of her early letters: 'Haha no kokoro shinjin mo Kengo no shinjoo ni todokimashoo ne. Kengo ni itsumo oya ga tsuite mamotte imasu kara, shinpai wa hitotsu mo irimasen.' 'Kengo mo chikara tsuyoku hataraki nasai. Mae niwa haha, ushiro niwa chichioya tsuite orimasu kara, kokoro o ohkiku motte shigoto o shinasai'.
Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?
Was it the military experience or the internment of AJA's or a combination of both and other factors which led me to pursue teaching as a career rather than accounting after the war? I was a junior majoring in accounting at UCLA on December 7, 1941. By the time I was discharged in December 1945, I had firmly decided to become a school teacher. The decision was right. Thirty-two years of service as teacher and principal at six schools on the Big Island was a joyful, fulfilling experience.
Additional information
Twelve years of study at the Papaikou Dokuritsu and the Hilo Hongwanji Japanese Language Schools has had a great impact on my life. In fact, if I had not learned the language sufficiently, I would not be a MIS veteran today. When I expressed concern about not passing the physical examination, the recruiting officer responded, 'Don't worry. If you can read and translate this material, you're in the Army.' In addition to language skills, character development and good citizenship were emphasized. Certain concepts/virtues, such as 'o-n', family unity and honor, loyalty, and industriousness, have been guiding lights for me in my endeavor to be a contributing member of society.
Novo Design do SiteVenha dar uma olhada nas novas e empolgantes mudanças no Descubra Nikkei. Veja o que há de novo e o que estará disponível em breve!Mais informações
Estamos procurando histórias como a sua!Envie o seu artigo, ensaio, narrativa, ou poema para que sejam adicionados ao nosso arquivo contendo histórias nikkeis de todo o mundo.Mais informações
