Partial Transcript: Barney Hajiro was born on September 16, 1916. His parents are from Hiroshima, Japan, and immigrated to the United States. Barney grew up on a plantation in Maui, Hawaii during the Great Depression. Working on the plantation was hard labor work. However, if you are a stevedore, the work is easier. Asians did not have the opportunity to work in the office.

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Keywords: farming; Hawaii; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Barney grew up in Maui, Hawaii, during the Great Depression and recalled the hardship. He recalls the struggles of being a labor worker and not receiving raises. Post-war, Barney returned to the plantation and worked as a supervisor. In 1946, there was a strike, and no one showed up for work. Barney said he came to work because he was a supervisor. Later Barney goes back to Honolulu but could not find a job. The only positions available were stevedore or janitorial. Barney found work as a dishwasher because it was easier than plantation work.

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Keywords: farming; Hawaii; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei; plantation

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Partial Transcript: There was a large strike in 1946 that affected many territories in Hawaii. Barney discusses the importance of pineapple farming in Hawaii. He worked on a pineapple plantation as a runner and then a tractor driver. Barney reflected on the Great Depression when he earned one dollar a month working on the plantation. A soda costs five cents. Barney said his parents would not give him five cents to buy soda. Instead, they would buy 100 pounds of rice to feed the family. Barney's family had eight family members. Barney was the second oldest child.

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Keywords: employment; family; Hawaii; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; living conditions; Nisei; plantation; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Barney was born and raised on the Hawaiian Commercial Sugar Company. He was the second oldest of the siblings. His sister was the first child and moved to Japan. Barney visited Japan briefly in the 1920s. During Barney's school years, he attended first through eighth grade. He did not have transportation to go to high school. Therefore, after the eighth grade, Barney worked on the plantation weeding the grass and irrigating the sugar crops.

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Keywords: employment; family; Japanese Americans; Nisei; wedding

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Partial Transcript: Barney worked hard and never complained while working on the plantation. Later, he moved to Honolulu looking for a stevedore position but worked as a dishwasher instead. There were no opportunities for Asians to work as a stevedore. Before December 7, Barney recalls the Government requiring the men to register for the Army or go to jail. The 100th had rifle training. However, President Roosevelt took away the rifles from the Japanese American soldiers after December 7, and the Japanese American soldiers went to Camp McCoy.

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Keywords: 100th; Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Camp McCoy; farming; Hawaii; Japanese Americans; Nisei

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Partial Transcript: Barney was a draftee, but after December 7, there were no more Japanese Americans drafted into the Army. In February 1942, Barney joined the Army and did not receive weapons training. Therefore he did not go overseas with the 100th. He stayed behind at Schofield in a labor battalion (1399 Engineer Construction Battalion). Later, when the 442nd was asking for volunteers, Barney joined the 442nd. He remembers after December 7, the Japanese Americans were discriminated against because of the Pearl Harbor attack. He also mentioned the USS Arizona burning.

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Keywords: basic training; discrimination; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; Pearl Harbor; Schofield Barracks; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: When the 100th was deployed overseas, Barney stayed behind at Schofield and was part of the Labor Battalion - 1399 Engineer. He left the 1399 Engineer when he volunteered for the 442nd. Barney went to the mainland to Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for basic training. At Shelby, he was assigned to Company M Heavy Weapons as a runner and later transferred to Company I. Barney also talked about the Army rankings between the Mainland soldiers, and Hawaiian soldiers. The Mainland soldiers had stripes, and the Hawaiian soldiers were privates.

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Keywords: "Buddha heads"; "katonk"; 100th; basic training; Hawaiian soldiers; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Mainland; Mainland soldiers; Nisei; rifle; Schofield Barracks; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney discusses the relationship between the Mainland soldiers and the Hawaiian soldiers. The Hawaiian soldiers' nickname was "Buddha heads," and Mainland soldiers were "katonks." The relationship between the Mainland and Hawaiian guys was rocky due to communication, but the relationship got better.

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Keywords: "Buddha heads"; "katonk"; Camp Shelby; Hawaiian soldiers; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: When Barney was at Camp Shelby, he met Earl Finch. Mr. Finch treated the Japanese American soldiers very well and welcomed them to his home for dinner parties. Barney recalls being court martialed and combats in Italy. He was transferred to I Company and was a BAR man. Barney was also part of the Lost Battalion rescue.

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Keywords: Camp Shelby; friendship; Hawaiian soldiers; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; Lost Battalion; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney was court martialed by Captain Hempstead and left Company M. Later, Captain Hempstead was KIA (killed in action) by the German soldiers. Barney was transferred to I Company and assisted with the ADA fighting against the Italian civilians on the war front. In I Company, Barney was assigned to carry the BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) gun. He said the soldiers who carry the BAR gun did not survive long in battle because they were against German soldiers who had automatic guns at the front line.

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Keywords: 442nd; artillery; artillery fire; civilians; European Theater; German soldiers; Hawaiian soldiers; Italy; Japanese American soldiers; Killed in Action; rifle; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney fought in the Bruyeres Biffontaine battle and later participated in the Lost Battalion rescue. Barney mentions Captain Hempstead and his relationship with the Hawaiian soldiers. In I Company, Captain Wheatley was Barney's Commanding Officer.

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Keywords: 442nd; Bruyeres-Biffontaine; European Theater; German soldiers; Hawaiian soldiers; Lost Battalion; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney hauled the BAR in battle. He recalls his friend Fred Kameda was KIA (killed in action) in Italy by German soldiers. Barney said he carried the BAR in honor of Kameda. In 1944, Barney chased away the German soldiers on Suicide Hill and almost caught up to Hitler. Shiro Kashino was also in I Company. Barney said he was a good soldier.

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Keywords: 442nd; European Theater; France; German soldiers; Hawaiian soldiers; Killed in Action; Lost Battalion; Mainland soldiers; Medal of Honor; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney met Shiro Kashino in I Company before the Lost Battalion rescue. Shiro was a good soldier. Although he was wounded, he still wanted to fight alongside his fellow soldiers. Barney also recalled Mutt Sakamoto. Mutt was in the same Company but a different platoon. Mutt was part of the Lost Battalion rescue. During wartime, Barney did not smoke.

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Keywords: European Theater; France; Hawaiian soldiers; Killed in Action; Mainland soldiers; Medal of Honor; platoon; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney received the Medal of Honor for his service during World War Two. Barney said that the medal is not for himself but everyone in I Company. He recalls the Vosges Mountains battle and carrying the BAR. Barney's friend Fred Kameda was KIA (killed in action), and he carried BAR in his honor while fighting against the German soldiers. Barney met Fred on the mainland, and they accompanied each other overseas.

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Keywords: 442nd; artillery fire; France; German soldiers; Hawaiian soldiers; Japanese American soldiers; Killed in Action; Medal of Honor; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Barney recalls leaving Camp Shelby and going overseas on a Liberty ship to Italy. The voyage took a long time. There was not much to do on the boat. Barney said some of the guys gambled or got seasick. Barney did not get motion sickness. The ship first landed in Naples, Italy. He meets the 100th Battalion in Rome. The 100th Battalion was the veterans, whereas the 442nd were the rookies.

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Keywords: 100th; 442nd; European Theater; Hawaiian soldiers; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: In Naples, Italy, the civilians treated the American soldiers well. Barney's favorite dish in Naples was spaghetti. The 100th Battalion was in Rome, so Barney went to Rome to see some of his friends in the 100th. When Barney met his friends, they talk about other things other than war.

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Keywords: 442nd; European Theater; friendship; Hawaiian soldiers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: In Italy, Barney loved spaghetti and would eat it all the time. However, he does not eat spaghetti anymore. Barney recalls his first battle with M Company. Later he joined I Company and was in a rifle company. He remembered carrying the BAR and crossing the Arno River, searching for the German soldiers. Barney also mentioned paid day and borrowing money from George Okada. Post-war, Barney looked for George to pay him back.

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Keywords: 442nd; Arno; European Theater; friendship; German soldiers; Hawaiian soldiers; Italy; Japanese American soldiers; Nisei soldiers; Rome-Arno

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Partial Transcript: Barney explains the higher commanders ordered them to leave Italy to go to France. From Naples, they take a boat to France. Barney landed in Marseille and said there was not that much damage from the war. He recalls the German soldiers stole a lot of clothing from the French natives and hid it at their headquarters. Barney chased after the Germans and returned it to the French locals.

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Keywords: 100th; 442nd; civilians; European Theater; France; Hawaiian soldiers; Italy; travel

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