Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1378/

Miscommunications

I asked if she would meet me in Kamakura again, to see the Daibutsu I guess, that's how it happened. And so I...the next couple—it was a week later anyway—we were to meet again in Kamakura. I came all the way from Kamakura and I went to the meeting place and no Hamako—she didn't show up. So I got real mad to be stand—stood off by a Japanese girl and so it happened that she couldn't help it, she wrote a letter to me and...at this building where I was located in Japan, I mean in Tokyo...oh gosh I wish I could remember it. But anyway, the letter was intercepted by the army and the letter said, something...I couldn't make it this week that we had the date and...but I didn't know because the army would not allow any correspondence between officers and enemy people—which the Japanese were at that time—considered.

And so, let's see I don't know how she came and apologized, she showed me the letter that was sent back to her—the army intercepted it and sent back to her—so she showed me the letter and so I couldn't get mad then so from then on we dated.


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)

Tom Yuki
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Yuki,Tom

Father was convinced the constitution would protect him

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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Fumiko Hachiya Wasserman
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Wasserman,Fumiko Hachiya

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Sansei judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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Kay Sekimachi
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Sekimachi,Kay

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Yamada,Mitsuye

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Holly J. Fujie
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Fujie,Holly J.

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Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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Holly J. Fujie
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Fujie,Holly J.

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Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

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Kakita,Howard

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(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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Kakita,Howard

His parents had little hope that he had survived the atomic bomb

(b. 1938) Japanese American. Hiroshima atomic bomb survivor

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Howard Kakita
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Kakita,Howard

His views on nuclear weapons

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Iwao Takamoto
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Takamoto,Iwao

Loss When Leaving for Manzanar

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Jimmy Naganuma
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Naganuma,Jimmy

Forcibly deported to the U.S. from Peru

(b. 1936) Japanese Peruvian incarcerated in Crystal City

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Monica Teisher
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Teisher,Monica

Stories of Grandfather at a concentration camp in Fusagasuga

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Monica Teisher
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Teisher,Monica

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(b.1974) Japanese Colombian who currently resides in the United States

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Jimmy Naganuma
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Naganuma,Jimmy

Family welcomed at Crystal City

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