Japanese American Military Experience Database
Ko Stanley Sameshima
Gender
Male
Birth date
1921-12-6
Place of birth
Long Beach CA, U.S.A.
Inducted
1944-12-5, Ft. Leavenworth KS
Enlistment type
Draftee
Service branch
Other
Service type
War
Unit type
Support
Units served
12/1944-9/1946: Military Intelligence Service Language School, Ft. Snelling, MN & Presidio of Monterey, CA
9/1946-4/1948: Military Intelligence Service, Tokyo, Japan
12/1946-5/1947: War Crimes Trials Tribunal, Manila, Philippines
7/1950-5/1951: Tactical Control Squadron, 5th Air Force, Korea (Taegu, Pusan, Kimpo, Pyongyang)
5/1951-6/1953: Far East Air Force, Tokyo, Japan
6/1953-1/1955: 28th Air Defense Division, Hamilton AFB, CA
2/1955-8/1956: Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH
8.1956-8/1959: Wright Air Development Center, WPAFB, OH
8/1959-8/1961: University of Michigan
9/1961-7/1965: Foreign Technology Division (FTD), WPAFB, OH
9/1965-6/1970: S&T Liaison Office (AFSC, FTD), Tokyo, Japan
8/1970-6/1974: Foreign Technology Division, WPAFB, OH
7/1974-12/1976: Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO), Los Angeles Air Force Station, CA
9/1946-4/1948: Military Intelligence Service, Tokyo, Japan
12/1946-5/1947: War Crimes Trials Tribunal, Manila, Philippines
7/1950-5/1951: Tactical Control Squadron, 5th Air Force, Korea (Taegu, Pusan, Kimpo, Pyongyang)
5/1951-6/1953: Far East Air Force, Tokyo, Japan
6/1953-1/1955: 28th Air Defense Division, Hamilton AFB, CA
2/1955-8/1956: Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH
8.1956-8/1959: Wright Air Development Center, WPAFB, OH
8/1959-8/1961: University of Michigan
9/1961-7/1965: Foreign Technology Division (FTD), WPAFB, OH
9/1965-6/1970: S&T Liaison Office (AFSC, FTD), Tokyo, Japan
8/1970-6/1974: Foreign Technology Division, WPAFB, OH
7/1974-12/1976: Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO), Los Angeles Air Force Station, CA
Military specialty
Army: Military Intelligence Service
Air Force: Research & Development, S&T Intelligence
Air Force: Research & Development, S&T Intelligence
Stationed
Army: U.S.A., Philippines, Japan
Air Force: Korea, Japan, USA
Air Force: Korea, Japan, USA
Separated
Los Angeles CA
Unit responsibility
Army: Military Intelligence
Air Force:Intelligence
Air Force:Intelligence
Personal responsibility
12/1944 - Inducted into US Army
12/1944-9/1946 - Enlisted status, US Army. Student, then instructor in Japanese language. Highest grade - Master Sergeant
9/1946-4/1948 - Military Intelligence service, Tokyo, Japan 2nd & 1st Lt. Intelligence Officer
12/1946-5/1947 - War Crimes Trials Tribunal, Manila, Philippines. 2nd Lt. Official court interpreter (Japanese to English, vice versa)
4/1948 - Separated from service
7/1950 - Recalled to active duty in US Air Force for Korean War. 1st Lt.
7/1950-5/1951 - Service in Korea with Tactical Control Squadron, 5th Air Force. 1st Lt. & Captain. Intelligence and Historical Officer
5/1951-6/1953 - Far East Air Force, Tokyo, Japan. Captain. Air Technical and Staff Intelligence Officer
2/1955-8/1956 - Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH. Captain. Student, graduate aeronautical engineering
8/1956-8/1959 - Wright Air Development Center. Captain. Aircraft/aerospace preliminary design engineer; project engineer
8/1959-8/1961 - University of Michigan. Captain/Major. Student, graduate astronautics, Ph D program
(9/1961-7/1965 - Foreign Technology Division. Major. Space exploratory systems engineer, project engineer, group (Division) chief
9/1965-6/1970 - S&T Liaison Office. Major/Lt. Col. S&T Liaison Officer. Lt. Col/Colonel. Chief of Tokyo office
8/1970-6/1974 - Foreign Technology Division. Colonel. Director, Intelligence Data Services
7/1974-12/1976 - Space and Missile Systems Organization. Colonel. Director of Intelligence
12/1944-9/1946 - Enlisted status, US Army. Student, then instructor in Japanese language. Highest grade - Master Sergeant
9/1946-4/1948 - Military Intelligence service, Tokyo, Japan 2nd & 1st Lt. Intelligence Officer
12/1946-5/1947 - War Crimes Trials Tribunal, Manila, Philippines. 2nd Lt. Official court interpreter (Japanese to English, vice versa)
4/1948 - Separated from service
7/1950 - Recalled to active duty in US Air Force for Korean War. 1st Lt.
7/1950-5/1951 - Service in Korea with Tactical Control Squadron, 5th Air Force. 1st Lt. & Captain. Intelligence and Historical Officer
5/1951-6/1953 - Far East Air Force, Tokyo, Japan. Captain. Air Technical and Staff Intelligence Officer
2/1955-8/1956 - Air Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB, OH. Captain. Student, graduate aeronautical engineering
8/1956-8/1959 - Wright Air Development Center. Captain. Aircraft/aerospace preliminary design engineer; project engineer
8/1959-8/1961 - University of Michigan. Captain/Major. Student, graduate astronautics, Ph D program
(9/1961-7/1965 - Foreign Technology Division. Major. Space exploratory systems engineer, project engineer, group (Division) chief
9/1965-6/1970 - S&T Liaison Office. Major/Lt. Col. S&T Liaison Officer. Lt. Col/Colonel. Chief of Tokyo office
8/1970-6/1974 - Foreign Technology Division. Colonel. Director, Intelligence Data Services
7/1974-12/1976 - Space and Missile Systems Organization. Colonel. Director of Intelligence
Major battles (if served in a war zone)
Korea: 8/1950 to 4/1951 - Pusan Perimeter Defense; UN Offensive: UN Retreat: Front Stabilization
Awards, medals, citations (individual or unit)
Army Commendation Medal: Language Instructor, MISLS
Bronze Star Medal:Intelligence and Historical Officer, 6147th Tactical Control Squadron during Korean War
Commendation Medal: Air Force Special Projects Officer, HQ, Far East Air Force, Tokyo
Bronze Star Medal w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Special Projects Officer, HQ, FEAF, Tokyo
Air Force Commendation Medal: Aircraft Design Engineer, WADC, OH
AFCM w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Aerospace Systems Engineer, HQ, FTD, OH
Legion of Merit: Director Data Services, HQ, FTD, OH
Legion of Merit w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Director of Foreign Technology, SAMSO, Los Angeles, CA
Letter of Commendation: From Ass't Chief of Staff, G-2, GHQ, Far East Command, Tokyo for service as US Army civilian Operations Officer, Civil Censorship Detachment
Letter of Appreciation and Plaque: From Chief of Staff, Japan Air Self Defense Force for service as Chief, Science Liaison Officer, AF Systems Command, Tokyo
Bronze Star Medal:Intelligence and Historical Officer, 6147th Tactical Control Squadron during Korean War
Commendation Medal: Air Force Special Projects Officer, HQ, Far East Air Force, Tokyo
Bronze Star Medal w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Special Projects Officer, HQ, FEAF, Tokyo
Air Force Commendation Medal: Aircraft Design Engineer, WADC, OH
AFCM w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Aerospace Systems Engineer, HQ, FTD, OH
Legion of Merit: Director Data Services, HQ, FTD, OH
Legion of Merit w/1st Oak Leaf Cluster: Director of Foreign Technology, SAMSO, Los Angeles, CA
Letter of Commendation: From Ass't Chief of Staff, G-2, GHQ, Far East Command, Tokyo for service as US Army civilian Operations Officer, Civil Censorship Detachment
Letter of Appreciation and Plaque: From Chief of Staff, Japan Air Self Defense Force for service as Chief, Science Liaison Officer, AF Systems Command, Tokyo
Living conditions
In Korea, much like the scenes portrayed in the TV series - 'MASH'.
Most vivid memory of military experience
Various - See additional comments.
Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?
Army: Participated in and observed events and circumstances unique in history.
Air Force: I was given a fair shake at opportunities. The color of our uniforms was the same.
See Additional Comments.
Air Force: I was given a fair shake at opportunities. The color of our uniforms was the same.
See Additional Comments.
Additional information
Ko Sameshima was drafted from Amache, CO.
Academic Background (or Education)
California Institute of Technology (CalTech): 9/1940-3/1942
University of Texas: B.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 6/1944
Air Force Institute: M.S. Aeronautical Engineering, 8/1956
University of Michigan: Post M.S. Astronautics, 8/1961
Ko S. Sameshima has written a Summary Autobiography/Memoirs, dated August 12, 1995 covering the period December 1921 through December 1992. It was provided to JANM on July 20, 1996. If you wish to review this document, please request it from the librarian.
