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Working as a typist in the army

So I finished my school as typist, clerk typist, and then I was finished, then I'm going to be assigned somewhere to go, assigned to army base. Then while I'm there, they put me to work while I'm there as a typist, and they put me with a bunch of WACs, women soldiers, I was the only man in there typing. It's all women typing, I'm typing with all these women. And my boss was my lieutenant, this lady, and she was very nice. She says, "Anytime you want a pass, let me know, you can go home anytime." So every weekend I'll go home.


typists United States Army

Date: September 20, 2019

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Tom Ikeda and Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum and Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

George Kazuharu Naganuma was born in Lima, Peru to his Issei parents in 1938. His family were forced to board a ship, to be incarcerated at Crystal City, Texas, during World War II. They remained there even after the war had ended, without a place to go. They were able to leave via a sponsorship by a reverend in San Francisco, California, where they were able to find jobs and housing. George joined the Boy Scouts in San Francisco and was able to visit Japan with his troop. He joined the U.S. Army and worked as a clerical typist. (June 2020)

Yuri Kochiyama
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Yuri Kochiyama

Father as prisoner of war in hospital

(1922–2014) Political and civil rights activist.

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Art Shibayama
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Art Shibayama

Family's deportation from Peru to U.S. after the bombing of Pearl Harbor

(1930-2018) Nisei born in Peru. Taken to the United States during WWII.

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Roger Shimomura
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Roger Shimomura

Dealing with racism within army unit in Korea

(b. 1939) Japanese American painter, printmaker & professor

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Bill Hashizume
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Bill Hashizume

Laid off for being Canadian

(b. 1922) Canadian Nisei who was unable to return to Canada from Japan until 1952

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Francis Y. Sogi

Volunteering to serve for the U.S. military in Japan

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Francis Y. Sogi

Awareness of concentration camps as a Japanese American

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

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Francis Y. Sogi
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Francis Y. Sogi

Being stationed in Japan during the American occupation

(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation

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Clifford Uyeda
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Clifford Uyeda

Attempts to sign up for military service

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Basic Training

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Appearance vs. Combat Effectiveness

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

They had to succeed

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Do it for all Asians

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

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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Young O. Kim

“Agreement of silence”

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Horrible pictures of war

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

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