Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1376/

Meeting Hamako in Japan

And I got on a trolley and went to Kamakura and I saw the area there a little bit, and then when I went to get back on the trolley it didn't come, it didn't come. And there were a crowd of Japanese and a couple of soldiers—American GIs—were in this crowd waiting for the trolley and my wife, Hamako was...she had just come from having her eye operated on, she had some trouble with her eye. And she had a patch on it and she looked kind of weird, but I was eager to use my Japanese language so I spoke up to her anyway and at first she was very, you know, stand-off-ishy because good Japanese girls from nice families—which she was from a very high class family there—but I guess she was interested that I could speak the language.


armed forces military retired military personnel United States Army veterans World War II

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Harry Schneider, (b. 1916), was a member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service stationed in Tokyo. Although Harry was not Japanese, he initially was recruited for the M.I.S. training program in San Francisco because of his administrative skills, but then was motivated to learn the Japanese language with the other Nisei soldiers. He married his wife, Hamako, in 1948 soon after the end of WWII. At the end of the War, special legislation was required for an Asian “war bride” to be admitted to the U.S. In 1950 Harry and Hamako married again at the Japanese Consulate in Tokyo so that they could be one of the first couples allowed to enter. Harry passed away at age 97 in June 2013. (June 2014)

Yumi Matsubara
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Matsubara,Yumi

Concentration camp from a Japanese mother’s point of view (Japanese)

Shin-Issei from Gifu. Recently received U.S. citizenship

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Frank Emi
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Emi,Frank

Meeting other Americans in jail

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

They had to succeed

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

People with talent in the 100th infantry battalion

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Young O. Kim
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Kim,Young O.

“Agreement of silence”

(1919 - 2006) World War II and Korean War veteran

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Masao Kinoshita
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Kinoshita,Masao

Makegumi - Movement to regognize the defeat of Japan (Japanese)

A central figure for the “Makegumi” (defeatists)

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Cedrick Shimo
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Shimo,Cedrick

Strictly American, but sympathize with Japan

(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.

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Cedrick Shimo
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Shimo,Cedrick

Not able to go to Manzanar on a furlough

(1919-2020) Member of the 1800th Engineering Battalion. Promoted Japan-U.S. trade while working for Honda's export division.

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Henry Suto
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Suto,Henry

Enlisting in the U.S. Army (Japanese)

(1928 - 2008) Drafted into both the Japanese Imperial Army and the U.S. Army.

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Father's Service in WWII

(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

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Terry Janzen
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Janzen,Terry

Moving to Upland Post-Camp

(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Kindergarten in Davao, Philippines

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Family was shipped back to Japan after the war

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

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Herb Ohta
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Ohta,Herb

Living in Hawaii after Pearl Harbor

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Life in the Philippines

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

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