Interviews

1. Growing up with both Japanese and American influences

2. Starting to get angry

3. Finding out Roosevelt wanted Japan to attack

4. Strictly American, but sympathize with Japan

5. Parents expected to be taken by the FBI

6. Angry about the mistranslations of his father’s testimonies

7. Not able to go to Manzanar on a furlough

8. 525 Quartermaster Corps

9. Fort McClellan soldiers

10. “All I have dear to me is in the camp”

11. Try to be a bridge between both countries

12. Common Grounds

13. Interpretation of Nikkei

14. The Meaning of “Nikkei” (Japanese)

Shimo,Cedrick

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

Interpretation of Nikkei

It gradually evolved because at first we had the Issei, Nisei, then Sansei, Yonsei, Gosei. Then it got to a point where, you know, it’s got to come to an end somewhere so I think somebody, I don’t know who, must have tried to lump everybody together as Nikkei, which would include not only the Niseis here, but the Japanese from Japan that are living here - any Japanese living in the United States – I’m presuming means Nikkei. Sou deshou?

It’s Japanese, it could be anybody - from Brazil or anywhere, but Nikkei would be the Japanese living in the United States, that’s the way I take it…or it could be Brazil, as far as that goes, you know, but I’d say…not that…Japanese…Nikkei would include - Japanese would include Nikkei, you know when you say Japanese. But Nikkei would break it down further into those living outside of Japan I guess. That’s my interpretation.

Hawaii identity Japanese Americans Nikkei United States

Date: March 25, 2005

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Sojin Kim

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

Interviewee Bio

Cedrick Shimo was born in 1919 and grew up in the diverse neighborhood of Boyle Heights. He was active in the Boy Scouts, kendo and the Cougars, a Japanese American athletic club. He received his draft notice the day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor while he was at graduate school in Cal Berkeley so he joined the army and signed up for the Military Intelligence Service Language School. However, when he was denied furlough to visit his mother in Manzanar, he became outraged and refused to fight overseas and was placed in the 1800th Engineering Battalion – a segregated group of German, Italian, and Japanese Americans who were considered suspect. Their role was to repair damages to roads, bridges and fences caused by combat troops during training maneuvers. He returned to Boyle Heights after being honorably discharged from the 1800th and went on to become vice-president of the export division for Honda.

On November 20, 2008, Japan awarded him The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays for his efforts in promoting Japan-U.S. trade during a time of trade friction between the two countries while he was at Honda.

He passed away in April 2020 at age 100. (April 2020)