Returning home in 1945: families, soldiers and the end of the camps

Vol. 21, No. 11, September 15, 1945. 8 pages. View this issue

The autumn of 1945 was a time of return, and this eight-page issue followed it from several sides. Families came back from the camps to find housing in Richmond, Renton and the Fresno district, while the Gila News Courier, Topaz Times and Granada Pioneer closed as their camps emptied. Larry Tajiri’s column argued that prejudice against one minority affects all, and editorials took on a planned congressional investigation of a supposed Black Dragon Society and the press attention given to Tokyo Rose. Soldiers of the 442nd Combat Team and the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion drew awards and cheers, and Harry W. Flannery predicted a shift in West Coast opinion.

Also inside: a Spokane VFW post rejecting Staff Sgt. Spady Koyama, a perfect softball game pitched in Germany, a Nisei USO in Washington, and California escheat suits over farm lands. At Tule Lake, a mess hall burned. At Poston, a train wreck killed two men.

What’s in this issue

Community

• Evacuee Families Find Homes in Richmond Units, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Ten families of Japanese ancestry, with men in the service, were placed in Richmond Housing Authority dwellings. The move followed their return from a war relocation center.
• Placer County Bars Aid to Issei Group, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The Placer County Board of Supervisors adopted a policy refusing relief to aliens of Japanese ancestry returning from war relocation camps. The board denied aid to an elderly Issei man who had been employed in the county before evacuation.
• Returned Evacuee Florists Donate Roses to Naval Hospital, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Shibata family of Mt. Eden, Calif., donates roses twice weekly from their nursery to the Navy’s Camp Shoemaker. Mrs. Jinjiro Shibata said the gifts bring happiness to the hospitalized boys, and her four sons are serving in the Army.
• Evacuee Families Housed at Renton, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Twelve Japanese American families found housing in the Renton-Highlands Federal public housing project. Among the first to move in were the Takiyake and Ichikawa families, one of whom had a husband serving in India.
• 400 Evacuees Return to California State Welfare Rolls During July, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The State Department of Social Welfare reported that 44 families of Japanese ancestry returning from war relocation centers received resettlement assistance in July. An official said the number was lower than expected.
• Washington Nisei Will Elect Council at Coming Picnic, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Washington Nisei will elect five council members at a picnic on Sept. 16 at St. Paul’s Episcopal grounds, open to the Issei community. The day includes games, a meeting, and a speaker.
• Nisei Participate in Interracial Meeting, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei and other participants discussed constructive relations between Americans and Japanese Americans at a meeting in Los Angeles. The discussion focused on propaganda and interracial understanding.
• Dance Time for Nisei GIs, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Nisei GIs and Washington hostesses enjoy the regular Saturday dances at the Washington Nisei USO. Photos show servicemen and junior hostesses selecting music at the club.
• Nisei USO Entertains Soldiers Visiting in Nation’s Capital, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Washington’s Nisei USO has entertained more than 6,000 GIs and civilians in eight months, operating under the YWCA USO. Nisei hostesses organize weekly dances and activities for servicemen stationed in the area.
• Chicago JACL Will Sponsor Discussion on Resettlement, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The Chicago JACL chapter will hold a panel discussion on resettlement at the Hyde Park YMCA. Topics include housing, employment, discrimination, and opportunities for Issei and Nisei.
• WRA Reports Fresno District Returnees Near 2000 Mark, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Eighty evacuees arrived in Fresno from Poston, bringing the district’s returnees to nearly 2,000. Many were housed temporarily in hostels at the Buddhist Temple and Japanese Methodist Church.
• Granada Pioneer Suspends as Staff Leaves, Camp to Close, by P.C. Staff, page 7. The Granada Pioneer, the camp newspaper at Amache, published its final issue after about three years of service. The paper had been the only news source for many families at the center.
• Anti-Evacuee Incident to Face Federal Court in October, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Watson brothers pleaded not guilty to Federal explosives charges for the attempted dynamiting of Sumio Doi’s farm. Their trial is set for October 2 in Federal court.
• Nisei Fellowship to Hold Retreat, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Cleveland Nisei Christian Fellowship will hold a two-day retreat on the theme “The Challenge of Christ.” Several speakers and discussion leaders are scheduled.
• Former Sacramento Resident Fears U.S. Public Reaction, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Toshio Machida, a former Sacramento resident working in Japan as a civilian interpreter, said he wants to return to the United States but fears the public reaction to Japanese ancestry. He expects hostility for years.
• Evacuee Family Stays in Hostel, by P.C. Staff, page 8. The Pittsburgh Bureau of Building Inspection refused to force out an evacuee family from the Gusky Orphanage hostel despite protests by the Twenty-Sixth Ward Citizens Committee. The family remained housed there.

Incarceration & Redress

• Two Evacuees Die in Poston Train Wreck, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Two men of Japanese ancestry from Poston were killed in a Santa Fe train crash at Arcadia, Calif. Several other Japanese Americans, including a Nisei veteran of Iwo Jima, were injured.
• Mess Hall Reported Destroyed by Fire at Tule Lake, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A mess hall serving evacuees at the Tule Lake center was destroyed by fire of unknown origin. The center’s fire department prevented the blaze from spreading to other buildings.
• Military Police Detachments Withdrawn from Centers, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Military control of civilians in war relocation centers in the Ninth Service Command ended at midnight on Sept. 4. Military police units stationed at the centers were reassigned.
• Topaz Families Raise JACL Fund, by P.C. Staff, page 2. 571 families at the Topaz relocation center raised $1,006.96 to support national JACL headquarters. National treasurer Hito Okada announced the total.
• Tule Lake Administration Not Changed by Act, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Tule Lake acting project director Harry Black said the end of military restrictions does not change WRA administration of the center. Passes and work badges will continue under WRA jurisdiction.
• Gila News Courier Publishes Final Issue, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Gila News Courier published its final edition on Sept. 5 as remaining staff prepared for relocation. The paper had served the Gila River camp community.
• Topaz Newspaper Ceases Publication, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Topaz Times, the evacuee newspaper at the Central Utah relocation center, suspended publication on Aug. 31 because of personnel losses and the approaching closure of the camp.
• Largest Group of Evacuees Returns to Tulare County, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The largest single group of evacuees to return to the Tulare County area arrived by special train from Poston on Sept. 6. Most were met by friends or relatives who provided housing, while others stayed in a temporary hostel.

National

• Tokyo Rose to Be Extradited for Trial, by P.C. Staff, page 1. U.S. Attorney Charles H. Carr said he would seek extradition of Iva Toguri, known as Tokyo Rose, to face treason charges in Los Angeles. Toguri was believed to have been born in Los Angeles in 1916.
• Justice Balks Granting Rights Under Cable Act, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Federal Judge Fee denied the citizenship petition of Helen Tateishi, a Nisei woman who lost citizenship through marriage. He stated he would not readmit such applicants until the government set a policy on their cases.
• Report Tokyo Rose Signs Contract for Hearst Story, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Federated Press dispatch reported that Iva Toguri, Tokyo Rose, signed a contract with a Hearst publication for exclusive rights to her story. The labor editor reporting this said she was promised $2,000.
• California Files Escheat Suits for Farm Lands, by P.C. Staff, page 2. California filed escheat suits to seize farmland allegedly acquired by Japanese aliens in violation of the Alien Land Law. The suits target ranches held in the names of citizen relatives of the Shiba family.
• Canadian Nisei Troops Will See Japan Service, by P.C. Staff, page 2. The Vancouver Province reported that 150 Canadian soldiers of Japanese ancestry will assist in the occupation of Japan as members of the Canadian Intelligence Corps. The recruits were drawn largely from eastern Canada.
• Nisei Citizen Rights Backed by Washington Indian Chief, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Chief Kitutus Tecumseh of Cashmere, Wash., said Japanese Americans are citizens who deserve respect, citing a letter from a full-blooded Indian soldier praising Nisei troops. The soldier criticized a Spokane veterans post for excluding Japanese American veterans.

Military & Veterans

• Money Raised in Italy by Voluntary Donations From Nisei Soldiers, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Four Nisei veterans presented $4,300 raised by men of the 442nd Combat Team to President Truman for a memorial to Franklin D. Roosevelt. The soldiers asked that the money be used as the President saw fit.
• First Nisei WAC Assigned to Duty in Pacific Area, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Pvt. Ruth Fujii, the first of Hawaii’s 59 WACs to return home after training in the United States, was en route to forward Pacific areas. She arrived at Hickam Field on Aug. 26.
• Nisei Battalion Took Part in Final Battles in Germany, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, a Japanese American unit, took part in the final battles in southern Germany. It was attached to the 101st Airborne Division and captured a German general shortly before V-E Day.
• Loudest Cheers for 100th Infantry in Hawaii Parade, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Remnants of the original 100th Infantry Battalion drew the loudest cheers in Hawaii’s victory celebration parade. Thousands of Americans of Japanese ancestry marched among the 30,000 participants.
• Men of Nisei Artillery Unit Win Citations, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Three Soldier’s Medals and 19 Bronze Stars were presented to men of the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion in Donauworth, Germany. The awards recognized heroism and meritorious service.
• Honolulu Nisei Soldier Dies in Okinawa Crash, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Sgt. Masaru Sogi of Honolulu was killed in a plane crash on Okinawa while serving as an interpreter with American forces. His family received a War Department telegram confirming the death.
• Canadian Issei Serves Five Years in European War, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Sgt. Walter Senmatsu Nishikawa, born in Japan, served five years in the Canadian Army and fought with Canadian units in Europe. He returned from Italy and France in June 1945.
• Nisei Soldier with U.S. Unit in Japan Sends Impressions, by P.C. Staff, page 2. A Nisei soldier with occupation forces describes his first impressions of Yokohama, including the devastation, the hungry population, and the shortages. He reflects on the costs of war and the suffering of the Japanese people.
• Nisei Awarded Silver Star, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Pfc. Iwataki of Hawaii was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry during the Italian campaign with the 442nd Combat Team. The award was presented in recent ceremonies in Italy.
• Nisei Pitcher Hurls Perfect Softball Game in Germany, by P.C. Staff, page 2. T/5 George Goto of Denver pitched a perfect no-run, no-hit game for the 522nd Field Artillery Battalion softball team in Germany. The team defeated the 977th FA 4 to 0.
• VFW Post in Spokane Rejects Sgt. Koyama, Wounded Veteran of Pacific War, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Spokane VFW Post 51 denied membership to Staff Sgt. Spady Koyama, a wounded Pacific veteran, after previously rejecting two other Japanese Americans. The Military Order of the Purple Heart unanimously accepted Koyama and Pfc. Naito.
• Veterans Condemn Prejudice: Nisei Heroes Urged, by Harry W. Flannery, page 5. Veterans and commentator Harry Flannery praised Nisei combat records and predicted a swing in West Coast sentiment. He highlighted Nisei contributions from Pearl Harbor through the Pacific and European campaigns.
• Three Medals Finally Catch Up With Portland Nisei Officer, by P.C. Staff, page 6. Lieut. James Kanaya of Portland received the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart for actions with the 442nd, including rescuing wounded men under fire. He was captured by the Nazis and liberated in April 1945.
• Paris Government Awards Croix de Guerre to Col. Miller, by P.C. Staff, page 7. Col. V. R. Miller, commander of the 442nd, and two enlisted men were awarded the French Croix de Guerre for valorous conduct in France. The decorations recognized actions before the unit returned to Italy.
• Standing Ovation Given Nisei Veteran by Home Town Rotary, by P.C. Staff, page 8. Staff Sgt. James Yoshinobu received a standing ovation when he spoke to the Torrance Rotary Club after serving on Saipan and Iwo Jima. He hoped to return to Torrance after discharge.

Commentary

• Noted U.S. Publisher Says Japanese Americans Faced Double Hazard in Pacific, by P.C. Staff, page 2. John Cowles, publisher of the Des Moines Register and Tribune, reported that Nisei soldiers were often shot by fellow American troops who mistook them for enemies. He cited an incident on Okinawa in which two Nisei were killed by an American labor battalion.
• Nisei Girl Tells Experiences of Wartime Existence in Japan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. A George Weller dispatch describes a young half-Japanese, American-appearing girl in Tokyo who was pressured by police and offered work with Tokyo Radio. She refused and later met General Eichelberger in Yokohama.
• Washington Witchhunt, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial condemns a planned congressional investigation of a purported Black Dragon Society among Japanese Americans, led by Reps. Thomas and Rankin. It argues the probe is a race-baiting witchhunt like earlier smears.
• Men of Good-Will, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial praises individuals who defended Japanese Americans against prejudice, including Renton publisher Carl Rochet. It notes many Americans across the Pacific Coast stood against anti-evacuee campaigns.
• Restrictive Covenants, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial cites Prof. Dudley McGovney’s argument that enforcement of racially restrictive property covenants by state courts is unconstitutional. It notes such covenants force minorities into segregated urban areas.
• Tokyo Rose, by P.C. Staff, page 4. The editorial criticizes the few Nisei who collaborated with Japanese propaganda broadcasts. It also faults the Hearst press for emphasizing Tokyo Rose over thousands of loyal Japanese American soldiers.
• Nisei by Larry Tajiri: Of Race, Creed and Color, by Larry Tajiri, page 5. Tajiri argues that prejudice against one minority affects all, and that Japanese Americans cannot gain acceptance by distancing themselves from the Negro struggle. He calls for fighting discrimination at its source.
• Where Is Our Tolerance?, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Pittsburgh Press criticized Pittsburgh residents who opposed use of an orphanage as a hostel for relocating Japanese Americans. The editorial argues this is a matter of national obligation.
• Nisei Rights, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The Washington Post hoped the end of war would end prejudice against Japanese Americans. It praised Mayor Lapham’s stand in the Miyama case.
• Closed Incident, by P.C. Staff, page 5. The San Francisco News described the end of the West Coast exclusion program as part of victory. It quoted General Pratt on equal rights for Japanese Americans.
• Writer Predicts Swing in Coast Sentiment, by Harry W. Flannery, page 5. CBS correspondent Harry Flannery predicts that West Coast treatment of Japanese Americans will eventually swing to a more rational view. He notes early signs of reduced wartime hatred.
• Kitasako Washington Newsletter, by John I. Kitasako, page 6. Kitasako reports on a permanent Fair Employment Practices Committee push and praise for Nisei combat troops from senators. He also notes Nisei artists exhibiting work and a Nisei dental graduate.
• GI Says “Little Tokyo” Label Unpleasant, by Staff Sgt. John I. Morozumi, page 7. A soldier writes to object to the phrase Little Tokyo used for Japanese communities in a previous column. He argues such communities were often forced by housing discrimination and should not be stigmatized.

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