Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/257/

Interviews

Katayama,Robert

Hawaiian Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

Being ordered to keep a diary that was later confiscated, ostensibly by the FBI

We were instructed to keep diaries of our daily activities, including the boat trip from Honolulu to Oakland, California. Upon arrival in California, those diaries were confiscated. They showed up — I got mine back in 1987 or 8 — at the [National] Archives. And as I understand it, it was an FBI ploy to find out what the individuals were thinking, who had volunteered.


442nd Regimental Combat Team United States Army World War II

Date: August 12, 1995

Location: Hawai`i, US

Interviewer: Robert Nakamura, Karen Ishizuka

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

Interviewee Bio

Robert Katayama, son of a Japanese father and Hawaiian mother, left Farrington High School in Honolulu to volunteer for the United States military after the outbreak of World War II. He wanted to prove his patriotism for his country and was later surprised to learn that Nikkei on the mainland were also volunteering—despite being held in concentration camps by their own government. He served with the legendary 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit comprised entirely of Japanese Americans.(August, 1995)

Virgil Westdale
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Westdale,Virgil

Fellow Hapa 442 Hana

(1918-2022) Hapa World War II veteran, pilot

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Francesca Yukari Biller
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Biller,Francesca Yukari

Writing a novel on the 442nd

Jewish Japanese American journalist

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Harry Schneider
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Schneider,Harry

Meeting Hamako in Japan

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

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Harry Schneider
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Schneider,Harry

Meeting Mr. Amano

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

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Harry Schneider
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Schneider,Harry

Marriage and Returning to US

(1916 - 2013) Member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service

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Susumu “Sus” Ito
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Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Feeling prejudice while looking for jobs

(1919 - 2015) Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

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Susumu “Sus” Ito
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Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Generosity of the Italians

(1919 - 2015) Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

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Susumu “Sus” Ito
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Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Invited to teach at Harvard by his boss

(1919 - 2015) Nisei who served in World War II with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team

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Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
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Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

The riot in Manzanar

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

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Willie Ito
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Ito,Willie

The Dopey bank that survived the war

(b. 1934) Award-winning Disney animation artist who was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII

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Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
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Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Evacuated to the Jungle

(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

Captured by Guerillas after bombing of Pearl Harbor

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

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Robert T. Fujioka
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Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather picked up by US Army

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

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Tom Yuki
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Yuki,Tom

Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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Tom Yuki
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Yuki,Tom

Father was convinced the constitution would protect him

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

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