Enlisting in the U.S. Army (Japanese)

My father’s business in America (Japanese) School life in Japan (Japanese) Identity (Japanese) The horror of Hiroshima after the atomic bombing (Japanese) Feelings upon listening to the imperial rescript (Japanese) Returning to America after the war (Japanese) Enlisting in the U.S. Army (Japanese) Working tirelessly after the war (Japanese) What I wanted to pass down to my children (Japanese) Father owned a café in Minot, North Dakota Japanese in Minot Didn’t speak Japanese until moving to Japan Being enlisted into the Japanese Army Wasn’t told he was being trained for kamikaze bombing Experiences in Hiroshima after the A-bomb Reaction to the Emperor’s surrender Worked for the occupation force in Japan after the war Fitting back into American life Speaking about his wife Comparing basic training of US and Japanese Armies Helping youth in the community

Transcripts available in the following languages:

(Japanese) Yes, I was pleased [to be enlisted in the U.S. Army]. I was allowed into the U.S. Army, finished my basic training, and was coincidentally stationed back in Japan. So, part of it was because after joining the army and going to Japan, I was able to see my relatives and friends in Japan—I thought, “What can possibly be better than this?” (laughs). …Compared to the Japanese military, American military was fun. For things you might get disciplined for in the Japanese military, you could get away with in the American military. I got in trouble, 2, 3 times, but so did everyone else. I’ll explain some of it later. Anyway, as a youngster in Japan… there were a few arrogant men who spoke callously to me before [while in the Japanese military], but now there they were in front of me, bowing their heads down, as I stood before them in my American uniform. I’d never felt so good before (laughs). That’s one of the things I remember.

Date: June 17, 2008
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

army Korean War