Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/366/

442 soldiers visiting U.S. concentration camps

Dan Inouye tells the story of how he was in the 442nd at Camp Shelby. The conflict between the Japanese from Hawaii, called Buddhaheads, and the Japanese from the mainland, called Kotonks getting in constant fights, and he says that it became so bad, they were thinking of disbanding the 442nd. And someone, they did counseling and all of this but nothing seemed to work.

So they, someone had the bright idea that maybe these Hawaii boys ought to see what the Japanese on the mainland experienced. So Dan says, some of the Hawaii boys, the leaders of the Hawaii gangs were put on buses and sent to, I guess, Jerome or Rohwer in Arkansas to see the camps. And they were just amazed at what they saw. So the attitudes changed towards the Kotonks. And as Dan says, "Would we have volunteered had we been treated that way? Put in concentration camps."

So... but, I don't think you really, Mitch, you can't get the full flavor of this. So in a sense, I'm hoping that if I get to Rohwer or Jerome I'd get a -- of course, my uncle was interned. And I think he was at Jerome for a while, his whole family, and at Tule Lake. And one of the ironies was when I was in the army and I was gonna be shipped overseas, the war, and from -- fortunately, the war with Japan had just ended. I stopped by -- as I was sent to Fort Mason in San Francisco -- I stopped by to see my uncle in Tule Lake.

And here I am in a uniform of the U.S. army, and I've got to get checked through to see my uncle who's interned in Tule Lake. There's an irony in this.


442nd Regimental Combat Team California concentration camps imprisonment incarceration Tule Lake concentration camp United States United States Army World War II World War II camps

Date: March 19, 2004

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Mitchell Maki

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

Interviewee Bio

Dr. Richard Hiromichi Kosaki (born September 14, 1924) was raised, educated, and has lived most of his life in Honolulu, Hawai`i. During World War II he served in the Military Intelligence Service, first as an instructor, then for several years in Japan as an interpreter during the Occupation. He graduated from the University of Hawai`i in 1948, then received his Masters and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

Returning to the University of Hawai`i to teach political science, he embarked on a distinguished career there that included positions as Vice President for Community Colleges, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Chancellor of the West Oahu College, Acting Chancellor for the University of Hawai`i at Mānoa, and President of Tokai International University in Honolulu. Along the way, he helped found the East-West Center, and was the architect of the University of Hawai`i’s community college system. His favorite maxim is the cornerstone of his educational philosophy: “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.”

Dr. Kosaki is married to Mildred (Doi) Kosaki. Their son Randall was born in 1962. (March 19, 2004)

Terry Janzen
en
ja
es
pt
Janzen,Terry

Arriving at Poston

(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.

en
ja
es
pt
Virgil Westdale
en
ja
es
pt
Westdale,Virgil

522nd and Dachau

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

en
ja
es
pt
Virgil Westdale
en
ja
es
pt
Westdale,Virgil

Fellow Hapa 442 Hana

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

en
ja
es
pt
Rose Ochi
en
ja
es
pt
Ochi,Rose

“A Low Tolerance For Injustice…”

(1938-2020) Japanese American attorney and civil rights activist

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Murakami
en
ja
es
pt
Murakami,Jimmy

Leaving Tule Lake

(1933 – 2014) Japanese American animator

en
ja
es
pt
Francesca Yukari Biller
en
ja
es
pt
Biller,Francesca Yukari

Writing a novel on the 442nd

Jewish Japanese American journalist

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Murakami
en
ja
es
pt
Murakami,Jimmy

Introduction to Film

(1933 – 2014) Japanese American animator

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Murakami
en
ja
es
pt
Murakami,Jimmy

Seagulls

(1933 – 2014) Japanese American animator

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Murakami
en
ja
es
pt
Murakami,Jimmy

Reparations

(1933 – 2014) Japanese American animator

en
ja
es
pt
Harry Schneider
en
ja
es
pt
Schneider,Harry

Meeting Hamako in Japan

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

en
ja
es
pt
Harry Schneider
en
ja
es
pt
Schneider,Harry

Meeting Mr. Amano

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

en
ja
es
pt
Harry Schneider
en
ja
es
pt
Schneider,Harry

Marriage and Returning to US

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

en
ja
es
pt
George Takei
en
ja
es
pt
Takei,George

Father's Influence

(b. 1937) Actor, Activist

en
ja
es
pt
Susumu “Sus” Ito
en
ja
es
pt
Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Feeling prejudice while looking for jobs

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

en
ja
es
pt
Susumu “Sus” Ito
en
ja
es
pt
Ito,Susumu “Sus”

Generosity of the Italians

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

en
ja
es
pt