Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1378/

Miscommunications

I asked if she would meet me in Kamakura again, to see the Daibutsu I guess, that's how it happened. And so I...the next couple—it was a week later anyway—we were to meet again in Kamakura. I came all the way from Kamakura and I went to the meeting place and no Hamako—she didn't show up. So I got real mad to be stand—stood off by a Japanese girl and so it happened that she couldn't help it, she wrote a letter to me and...at this building where I was located in Japan, I mean in Tokyo...oh gosh I wish I could remember it. But anyway, the letter was intercepted by the army and the letter said, something...I couldn't make it this week that we had the date and...but I didn't know because the army would not allow any correspondence between officers and enemy people—which the Japanese were at that time—considered.

And so, let's see I don't know how she came and apologized, she showed me the letter that was sent back to her—the army intercepted it and sent back to her—so she showed me the letter and so I couldn't get mad then so from then on we dated.


armed forces military retired military personnel United States Army veterans World War II

Date: January 26, 2012

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki, Yoko Nishimura

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

Interviewee Bio

Harry Schneider, (b. 1916), was a member of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service stationed in Tokyo. Although Harry was not Japanese, he initially was recruited for the M.I.S. training program in San Francisco because of his administrative skills, but then was motivated to learn the Japanese language with the other Nisei soldiers. He married his wife, Hamako, in 1948 soon after the end of WWII. At the end of the War, special legislation was required for an Asian “war bride” to be admitted to the U.S. In 1950 Harry and Hamako married again at the Japanese Consulate in Tokyo so that they could be one of the first couples allowed to enter. Harry passed away at age 97 in June 2013. (June 2014)

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
Francesca Yukari Biller
en
ja
es
pt
Biller,Francesca Yukari

Writing a novel on the 442nd

Jewish Japanese American journalist

en
ja
es
pt
Herb Ohta
en
ja
es
pt
Ohta,Herb

How he got on the All-Navy show on Ed Sullivan

(b. 1934) Ukulele player from Hawaii

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

Invited to teach at Harvard by his boss

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

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
en
ja
es
pt
Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

The riot in Manzanar

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
en
ja
es
pt
Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Being inducted into the army

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Jimmy Ko Fukuhara
en
ja
es
pt
Fukuhara,Jimmy Ko

Serving in Tokyo

(b. 1921) Nisei veteran who served in the occupation of Japan

en
ja
es
pt
Willie Ito
en
ja
es
pt
Ito,Willie

The Dopey bank that survived the war

(b. 1934) Award-winning Disney animation artist who was incarcerated at Topaz during WWII

en
ja
es
pt
Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
en
ja
es
pt
Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Evacuated to the Jungle

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

en
ja
es
pt
Sawako Ashizawa Uchimura
en
ja
es
pt
Uchimura,Sawako Ashizawa

Captured by Guerillas after bombing of Pearl Harbor

(b. 1938) Philipines-born hikiagesha who later migrated to the United States.

en
ja
es
pt
Robert T. Fujioka
en
ja
es
pt
Fujioka,Robert T.

Grandfather picked up by US Army

(b. 1952) Former banking executive, born in Hawaii

en
ja
es
pt
Tom Yuki
en
ja
es
pt
Yuki,Tom

Father's business partner operated their farming business during WWII

(b. 1935) Sansei businessman.

en
ja
es
pt