Interviews
Mr. Finch, godfather of the 442nd
Mr. Finch? He was called the ‘Godfather of the 442.’ Well, he said, “Look, would you go to Minnesota and see if the Japanese there need anything.” This Mr. Finch was certainly a godfather.
He got so attached to the Japanese American soldiers, he did everything. Anything the boys wanted that they couldn’t get, he would go to, I don’t know where, some other state, like Japanese from Hawaii like abalone. And, I don’t know where you get abalone, but he would get abalone for them. He would get Japanese food and bring it back to Mississippi. And every time a Japanese soldier, whether, you know, in training or what, was injured, he would go visit them at whatever hospital they were sent to. He would…anything the Japanese soldiers needed or even if the parents needed… “Is there anything your mother or father need? How old are they?” and stuff like that. Mr. Finch was an unusual person, and it seems like, in this whole world…always someone like that will show up.
Date: June 16, 2003
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Karen Ishizuka, Akira Boch
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum.
Explore More Videos
State Department records show concern for treatment of Japanese American internees
(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist
Remembering December 7, 1941
(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation
Meeting Japanese Americans from the mainland in MIS
(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation
Awareness of concentration camps as a Japanese American
(1923-2011) Lawyer, MIS veteran, founder of Francis and Sarah Sogi Foundation
Manhunt
(1919 - 2005) Challenged the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.
The Final Verdict
(1919 - 2005) Challenged the constitutionality of Executive Order 9066.
Search of family home by the FBI following the bombing of Pearl Harbor
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Not recognizing father after reunion at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
A child's memories of activities at Crystal City, Texas
(1937 - 2021) Teacher
Hearing about Pearl Harbor
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Traveling to Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Victory Corps Work during World War II
(1925 - 2018) Nisei educator from Hawai‘i
Jobs in Manzanar
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Sugar beet and potato farming in Idaho
(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan
Recalling Pinedale and Tule Lake concentration camps
Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.
Discover Nikkei Updates
Be in our video celebrating Nikkei worldwide. Click to learn how to submit! Deadline extended to October 15!
November 12
5pm PDT | 7pm PET
Featured Nima:
Graciela Nakachi
Guest Host:
Enrique Higa
Presented in Spanish
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Facebook