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Reaction of Japanese American community toward draft resistance stance

The treatment given to us, I think, severely by I think most means, is that they wanted to discourage any more resisters to come out of camp. That they wanted to make sure that we have a lot of people volunteering or entering the service to the JACL liking, or the administration's liking. And I think that's when they heard about us, they wound up with a name the “no-no boys,” also calling us the “draft dodgers” and “chicken” and anything, a “disloyal” and so on so forth. And this is one of the reasons why I thought I'd better speak up now to let the people know my reasons, my thoughts about why I had taken the stand that I did. Because all through these years, for some fifty years, nobody had asked me about why I've done it but they've all drawn their conclusion from what they read in the paper.


draft resisters resisters World War II

Date: July 25, 1997

Location: Washington, US

Interviewer: Larry Hashima, Stephen Fugita

Contributed by: Denshō: The Japanese American Legacy Project.

Interviewee Bio

Nisei male. Born 1925 in Seattle, Washington. Spent prewar childhood in Seattle's Nihonmachi. Incarcerated at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington, and Minidoka incarceration camp, Idaho. Refused to participate in draft, imprisoned at McNeil Island Penitentiary, Washington, for resisting the draft. Resettled in Seattle. (July 25, 1997)

Frank Emi
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Frank Emi

Different feelings from veterans about the draft resisters

(1916-2010) draft resister, helped form the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee

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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

A visit to Jerome after OCS

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Resisting transfer from Jerome

(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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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Near-death experience

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

General Ryder’s faith 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

442nd’s contribution to redress

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

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Young O. Kim
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Young O. Kim

Comfortable in combat

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

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Sakaye Shigekawa
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Sakaye Shigekawa

Unable to work when the war broke out

(1913-2013) Doctor specializing in obstetrics in Southern California

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