Sexo

Male

Birth date

1914-9-11

Local de nascimento

Livingston CA, U.S.A.

Inducted

1944-2-6, Harvard Univ, Cambridge MA

Tipo de alistamento

Volunteer

Ramo das Forças Armadas

Army

Tipo de serviço

War

Tipo de Unidade

Support

Unidades onde serviu

100th Battalion, 442nd Regimental Combat Team
171st Battalion

Military specialty

Chaplin

Stationed

USA:Camp Shelby, MS, Fort McClellan, AL
Other Countries: Italy

Separated

Fort Dix NJ

Unit responsibility

To overcome the racial prejudice at home and to win the battle against our common enemies. To seek to end the war and hope for a prolonged peace in the world.

Personal responsibility

Keep the morale of the men at the highest level and be on their side against undue prejudice from the officers. Even though chaplains were in war zones, their responsibility was to be with the men at all times in a caring way. To ensure the rights and the privileges of the enlisted men.

Major battles (if served in a war zone)

Final battle in Italy.

Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)

American Campaign Medal
European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
Distinguished Unit Badge

Living conditions

The men always took good care of me in every way.
I ate what they ate; I slept where they slept.
As a chaplain, therefore, an officer, I was accorded many privileges.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Since I was the last to join the 442nd at Camp Shelby as a chaplain, when the unit departed for Italy, I was left behind to be with the training battalion (171st) at Camp Shelby.

Our commanding officer turned out to be vicious and power hungry, even to the extent of breaking (AR) Army Regulations. Our men suffered sorely. Thus, I kept a diary on him and sent a letter to the chief of chaplains in Wash. DC of my documented findings.

I knew that I could be court martialed for not going through channels but I took that chance and sent it directly to the chief of chaplains, asking him for an investigation. A Colonel from the ground forces in Washington, DC came to investigate and ordered our commanding officer 'never to command troops again.'

I wanted to be true to my vow that I was a volunteer always to be with the men and help them in every way. I was deeply grateful it came out so well but it was a very lonely battle since I could not consult anyone about my doings, not knowing who might be a friend/spy for our commanding officer.

There were other incidents like this overseas but this was the most difficult assignment I took upon myself. I was sad to turn him in but the men were suffering so much. In fact, one of the trainees died and the major fault in my opinion was our commanding officer. I had the highest respect for the enlisted men. To be one of their chaplains was an honor and a deep privilege.

Missed most whilst in the military

Home and my family in Boston.

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

By far, the most important thing I like to remember is that the volunteers from the concentration camps did prove to themselves and to everyone else that they were as good Americans as any others.

I feel sad about the volunteers who were disowned by their families and were killed in action. They never had the chance to heal that wound but died in a strange land with no loved ones near them. I salute the men for they held their head high; took their responsibilities without flinching; they 'kept the faith' of our fathers and mothers.

Additional information

I am very much interested in the exploits of the men. We chaplains were there with the men for morale purposes and most honored to be with them at all times. My part as a chaplain was only in a supportive way and needs no mention at all. They are the ones who did the work heroically and went far beyond the call of duty.

On May 6, 1942, three days before my graduation from Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, CA., I was evacuated to Tanforan Race Track, just south of San Francisco. A month later, I was ordained in a mess hall overlooking the horse stalls, barracks, and barbed wire fences. I was sent to Topaz, Utah, then to Jerome WRA Arkansas Detention Camp.

In May of 1943 we lost our first born, then came the call to volunteer for the US Army. With my wife, Misaki, at my side, I volunteered primarily to be with the volunteers whom I saw as MY CHURCH.

Being the last Nisei to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team at Camp Shelby, when the unit went overseas, I was ordered to be the chaplain for the replacement battalions at Camp Shelby and also at Fort McClellan, Alabama.

Eventually, I joined with the unit in Italy, replacing Chaplain Israel Yost, the first chaplain of the 100th Battalion in 1943. The other chaplains were Masao Yamada and Hiro Higuchi, both from Hawaii.

I was the first Asian to be accepted in the Chaplain Corps from the continental United States. It was a great honor to be the chaplain of the finest men on earth.