Partial Transcript: Tony Koura was born on June 26, 1926. Before being drafted into the military, Tony was at Manzanar. He completes his Military Intelligence Service (MIS) training and visits his parents at the Minidoka Relocation Center. Then Tony hears about the atomic bomb dropping in Japan. Later at Fort Snelling, Tony learns the war is over when he is. At 17 years old, Tony tries to volunteer for the Army Air Corps. but is turned down because of his ancestry. Therefore, Tony waits for the draft.

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Keywords: Americans of Japanese Ancestry; discrimination; draft; Executive Order 9066; Fort Snelling; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Manzanar; Military Intelligence Service; Minidoka; Nisei; relocation centers

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Partial Transcript: Despite the discrimination after the Pearl Harbor attack, Tony wants to volunteer for the Army because of patriotism. Tony is in Chicago, and his brother is overseas with the 442nd. Tony wants to serve his country during wartime. After the draft notice, he receives his Military Intelligence Service (MIS) training. Tony recalls hearing the news about the atomic bomb on the train ride to Minidoka. Tony has not heard of the atomic bomb before and the devastation it can cause. When Tony goes to Japan, he sees the devastation firsthand. When the terms of surrender are signed, Tony is at Fort Snelling. He is delayed to go overseas. In the beginning, Tony is assigned to the interrogation group and later assigned to the translation group for the invasion of Japan. Tony is trained for occupation work. He learns how to treat the Japanese natives.

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Keywords: 442nd; Allied Translator and Interpreter Section; European Theater; France; Italy; Japanese Americans; Military Intelligence Service; Minidoka; Nisei; siblings; surrender; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Growing up, Tony learns and speaks Japanese at home. After primary school, Tony attends Japanese Language School. He learns how to read and write basic Japanese. At Fort Snelling, the training focuses on interpreting. The vocabulary focuses on the history, political and military terms. After training, Tony recalls a delay to go overseas. Instead of leaving in September, he ships out in November. Tony departs from Portland, OR, on the USS Links, a Navy Transport to Yokohama, Japan. On the ship, there are less than a hundred interpreters, and the rest are replacements troops. The replacements troops are white.

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Keywords: Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese language school; linguistics; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; occupation; primary school; travel

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Partial Transcript: Tony is looking forward to going to Japan and seeing his ancestral land. Tony has relatives in Japan but does not know them. When Tony arrives in Yokohama, Japan, he sees the destruction of Japan first hand. He goes to Camp Zama, the Replacement Depot. Tony is astonished by all the workers in Japan are Japanese. It is different from the mainland.

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Keywords: family; Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; linguistics; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; occupation; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: After the war, the Japanese locals carry themselves very well despite going through the war. The locals are polite. However, when American troops are around, they are cautious and stay away from occupation forces. When the locals meet Tony, they are happy someone can speak Japanese. The occupation experience is different from what Tony thinks. There is no hatred, resistance, or opposition from the locals. As a linguist in the American Army, Tony wants to represent the true face of America, not like what is in propaganda, media, and films. Tony says the true face of America is equality.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Japanese Americans; linguistics; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: When Tony meets locals in Japan, they are curious about internment camps and the Japanese Americans on the mainland. Tony goes to Camp Zama and waits a couple of weeks until he gets his assignments. Tony goes on his first train ride and goes sightseeing until he is assigned. From the train rides from Camp Zama to Tokyo, the cities have structural damage to the building and homes and food shortage. Furthermore, locals are wearing rags, and some are living on the streets. Tony gets his assignment and goes to the NYK building in Tokyo.

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Keywords: "evacuation"; Allied Translator and Interpreter Section; Americans of Japanese Ancestry; Executive Order 9066; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; linguistics; Military Intelligence Service; Minidoka; Nisei; occupation; relocation centers; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: Tony is assigned to the 5250th Technical Intelligence Company located at the former Tokyo First Armory at Camp Oji (Northern Tokyo). Tony is assigned to US Army scientists, engineers, chemists, and physicists whose responsibility is to investigate war crime activities of Japanese scientists and institutions. Tony is their interpreter. The US Army scientists are researching what the Japanese scientists were working on and discovered during the war. For example, nuclear energy, nuclear power, and chemical weapons.

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Keywords: Allied Translator and Interpreter Section; Japanese American soldiers; linguistics; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei soldiers; occupation; World War Two

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Partial Transcript: The sites Tony visits for his assignments are within Tokyo. Tony recalls going to Tokyo University because they hear the institution is doing atomic energy research. However, Tony only finds holes where the reactors used to be. The first occupation forces pulled out the reactors and dumped them into Tokyo Bay. Tony also visits other colleges and institutions because they are involved with the chemical. Tony is teaming up with a chemist, and they investigate chemical research. Tony says he is not good with technical terms in Japanese. Fortunately, Japanese researchers can read and write formulas on the blackboard. When they talk among themselves, Tony can interpret what they are saying.

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Keywords: Allied Translator and Interpreter Section; Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: (Interview starts at 26 minutes, 10 seconds). Tony goes to various sites at universities and colleges with a Captain to meet with Japanese scientists. In the beginning, the Japanese Scientist is reluctant to speak about their activities. Tony tries to break the ice by explaining the US Army is only interested in what they have been working on and learning what they have discovered. As a result, the Japanese scientist becomes interested and share their knowledge of their projects. The Captain and the interviewee (the Japanese scientist) converse and exchange information. Moreover, the interviewee would use the blackboard to write and explain formulas.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: The Japanese scientist uses the blackboard to write and explain formulas to Tony's Captain. The chemical formulas are universal. Tony is on the sidelines taking notes and is there to help interpret if needed. Tony's notes about the conversation help the Captain write a report afterward. The sessions take a couple of hours. However, Tony recalls sometimes the Japanese scientist gets enthusiastic, and he has to stop them. The longest session Tony has is half a day. Tony and his Captain are the only US Army at the sessions. At the end of the session, everyone is cordial with each other. Depending on the session, Tony would stay overnight or return to Tokyo.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: After the sessions, Tony discusses with the Captain what happens. Not all sessions are easy. Tony recalls a session with a Japanese Admiral in charge of Military research (probably on ships). The Japanese Admiral says he does not know any specifics. Tony could not get any information.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: When Tony goes with his Captain to interview Japanese scientists, the Captain carries a weapon. Other times, Tony is armed with a 45 on a holster. He learns how to shoot a 45 from basic training. The gun is for self-defense only. Tony goes to Japan a few months after the war for occupation, and there is no resistance from the locals. Therefore, he knows he never has to use the gun.

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Keywords: basic training; Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: Tony understands the Japanese culture and language before the war. He learns from his family and friends. Growing up, Tony is bilingual at home. He speaks Japanese to his Issei parents and grandparents. With his siblings, he speaks English. Tony is the second to the youngest child in the family. In the household, there are six children, his parents, and grandparents. Tony says his grandparents are influential to him. Although his grandparents left Japan when they were teenagers, they pass on the Japanese values and culture to Tony and his siblings.

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Keywords: family; Issei; Issei parents; Japanese Americans; Japanese identity and values; Nisei; siblings

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Partial Transcript: Tony goes to Japan for the first during the occupation. The locals are friendly, and Tony gets along with everyone. Being in a small group, they can use the company Jeep, five gallons of gas, and rations. For the weekends, Tony would explore the countryside and the beach. Tony says they would trade the rations for rice or other food they want to eat. The PX Army in downtown Tokyo and many of the GIs would visit downtown Tokyo. Tony recalls activities such as a dance hall, swimming, and riding the jeep on the beach.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; occupation; social activities

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Partial Transcript: Tony goes on a business trip to Chiba. There is a beach and fishing village. Tony goes to take pictures of fishing boats being pulled manually on the shore. Tony shows the photo of the people from the village pulling in the fishing boat. Tony says the whole village would come to help.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; Nisei soldiers; occupation

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Partial Transcript: Tony narrates photos. He shows a photo of the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre, renamed the Ernie Pyle Theater for the occupation forces. He recalls watching some movies there. Another photo Tony shows is the Kawana Hotel which became an Army R and R Center. Tony plays a golf course at the hotel for the first time.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Military Intelligence Service; Nisei; occupation

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Partial Transcript: Tony and a team are sent to Manchuria. In Manchuria, the objective is to investigate what equipment has been removed by the Russians after the surrender. However, the railroad and roads are occupied by the Chinese Communists. After three weeks of waiting, the team returns to Tokyo because the railroad and roads do not open up. Tony shows a photo of the team (Ed Nakamura, Mickey Yamatatsu, and Takashi Inouye) on an American transport loaned to the Japanese. Tony mentions Japan is responsible for shipping back the Japanese to Japan for repatriation. In the next photo, Tony shows the team on a Japanese ship, Unzenmaru.

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Keywords: Japanese American soldiers; Nisei; Nisei soldiers

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