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World War II Japanese American Incarceration: Military and Civilian Service

Records related to Japanese Americans and the U.S. military during World War II reveal a complicated and often contradictory relationship. The federal government closely monitored Nikkei (Japanese emigrants and their descendants) communities as potential security threats, even as many members from these same communities served in military intelligence. Soon after all U.S. citizens of Japanese ancestry were reclassified to Category IV-C (aliens not suitable for service), the American government encouraged, solicited, and even demanded military enlistment—at a time their families languished in incarceration camps. And despite the many Japanese Americans who demonstrated their loyalty by entering uniformed service or in civilian roles, others were sent to federal penitentiaries for refusing the draft or for protesting their mistreatment in the military.

Civilian Official Personnel Folders (OPF) and Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF) are held at the National Archives at St. Louis or the National Personnel Records Center. The location of a particular folder will depend on the individual's dates of service.

For more information and to request access to the records below, click the National Archives Identifier to access the records description in the National Archives Catalog and contact the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) office identified under “Archived Copy.”

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Civilian Service
Military Service

 

The Hirano family, left to right, George, Hisa, and Yasbei. Hisa holds a photograph of her son, Shigera, who served in the 442nd Regiment. Poston War Relocation Authority (WRA) Camp. (National Archives Identifier: 535989)

Civilian Service

Public Health Service (Record Group 90)

Program Files Relating to the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, 1941–1949 (National Archives Identifier: 7543730)

Historical Files, ca. 1949–1970 (National Archives Identifier: 7541355)

Cadet Nurse Corps Files, 1943–1948 (National Archives Identifier: 5605027)

Office of Strategic Services (Record Group 226)

Personnel Files of the Office of Strategic Services, 1942–ca. 1962 (National Archives Identifier: 1593270): Files are name searchable in the National Archives Catalog. Enter the person’s name in the Search within this Series box.

Military Service 

Because the U.S. Navy, the Marines, the Coast Guard, the Merchant Marines, and the Army Air Corps banned Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) from serving (with rare exceptions), many enlisted in the U.S. Army with the majority forming the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

National Archives and Records Administration (Record Group 64)

World War II Army Enlistment Records, June 1, 2002–September 30, 2002 (National Archives Identifier: 604357): Data for enlistment in the Army, including the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, with a majority related to World War II.

"Go For Broke," basic training at Camp Shelby, MS (National Archives Identifier: 39225)

Office of the Secretary of War (Record Group 107)

General Correspondence, 1941–1945 (National Archives Identifier: 578745): Subjects include martial law in Hawai’i, Japanese Americans in military service and the public reaction, exclusion from militarily restricted areas, and conditions and operations at War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps.

Security-Classified Correspondence, 1941–1945 (National Archives Identifier: 578742): Subjects include exclusion from militarily restricted areas, enemy aliens, loyalty investigations, employment in the military, morale of Japanese American soldiers, and martial law in Hawai’i.

Subject Files, 1940–1948 (National Archives identifier: 616144): Policies regarding the suspension and reemployment of Japanese Americans.

Hastie-Gibson Subject Files, 1940–1948 (National Archives identifier: 614595): One file concerns alleged discrimination against Japanese Americans in service.

 

Color Guards and Color Bearers of the 442nd Combat Team

Color Guards and Color Bearers of the 442nd Combat Team (National Archives Identifier: 100310394)

Bureau of Prisons (Record Group 129)

U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth (Kansas)

Inmate Case Files, July 3, 1895–November 5, 1957 (National Archives Identifier: 571125): Includes files on Japanese American soldiers who protested their treatment and were charged with mutiny. Other files concern individuals who did not register for selective service.

U.S. Penitentiary, McNeil Island (Washington)

Prisoner Case Files, ca. 1875–1920 (National Archives Identifier: 608858): Includes case files of Japanese Americans who refused military induction.

Office of the Chief Signal Officer (Record Group 111)

Photographs of American Military Activities, ca. 1918–ca. 1981 (National Archives Identifier: 530707): Here are the query results for the 100th Infantry or 442nd Regiment.

Moving Images Relating to Military Activities, 1947–1964 (National Archives Identifier: 13807): Here are the query results for the 100th Infantry or 442nd Regiment or Japanese Americans.

Selective Service System (Record Group 147)

DSS Form 304, “ Alien's Personal History and Statement Forms,” documented the draft eligibility of non-citizens and will include those of Japanese ancestry who resided outside the military exclusion zones. DSS Form 304A, “Statements of United States Citizens of Japanese Ancestry,” documented the draft eligibility of U.S. citizens of Japanese descent.

Department of Selective Service (DSS) Form 304 and Form 304A

Statements of United States Citizens of Japanese Ancestry, 1944–1946 (National Archives Identifier: 23812236): Relates to those incarcerated in the Poston (Colorado River) and Gila River WRA camps.

Alien and Japanese American Registration Forms, 1942–1946, for Oregon (National Archives Identifier: 633954); Washington (National Archives Identifier: 633956); and Idaho (National Archives Identifier: 633955)

Alien Registration Forms, 1940–1946, for Arkansas (National Archives Identifier: 576612); Louisiana (National Archives Identifier: 576614); Oklahoma (National Archives Identifier: 576616); and Texas (National Archives Identifier: 576580)

Alien's Personal History and Statement Forms, 1942–1947, for Kansas (National Archives Identifier: 2629633); Iowa (National Archives Identifier: 2629629); North Dakota (National Archives Identifier: 2629641); Nebraska (National Archives Identifier: 2629639); Missouri (National Archives Identifier: 2629638); and Minnesota (National Archives Identifier: 2629635)

Aliens' Personal History and Statement, 1942–1943, for Arizona (National Archives Identifier: 23812302) 

Forms 301 and 304 for the District of Columbia Headquarters, ca. 1940–ca. 1947 (National Archives Identifier: 301657)

Records Relating to the Draft Registry of Aliens, 1940–1947, for West Virginia (National Archives Identifier: 568132); Maryland (National Archives Identifier: 563320); Virginia (National Archives Identifier: 568129); and Pennsylvania (National Archives Identifier: 568126)

Alien Registration Forms, 1940-1947 for California (National Archives Identifier: 279692029); Colorado (National Archives Identifier: 1143076); Delaware (National Archives Identifier: 6171948); Hawai’i (National Archives Identifier: 280891629); Illinois (National Archives Identifier: 280373819); New Mexico (National Archives Identifier: 1145523); Nevada (National Archives Identifier: 280949631); Montana (National Archives Identifier: 1491221); Utah (National Archives Identifier: 1145525); and Wyoming (National Archives Identifier: 1145526)

Applications by Aliens for Relief from Military Service and Aliens' Personal History Statements, 1940–1946, for U.S. Virgin Islands (National Archives Identifier: 5753063)

Applications by Aliens Residing for Relief from Military Service and Aliens Personal Histories and Statements, 1942–1946, for Massachusetts (National Archives Identifier: 5558068); New Jersey (National Archives Identifier: 1067460); and New York (National Archives Identifiers: 2564218 and 2564203)

War Department General and Special Staffs (Record Group 165)

Regional File, 1922–1944 (National Archives Identifier: 1560885): 

  • Lt. Col. Ralph C. Smith, Executive Officer, G-2 to Assistant Chief of Staff, G-2, Headquarters Fourth Army, Presidio of San Francisco, Subject: The Japanese Selectee and Military Intelligence, May 5, 1941

Military Intelligence Service Language School:

  • Records Relating to the Qualifications and Employment of Language Specialists in the Army, 1945–1947 (National Archives Identifier: 4684578): Japanese Linguists subseries contains a list of Army personnel proficient in Japanese. The list includes name, service number, and skill level.
  • Heigo Textbook Files, 1943 (National Archives Identifier: 4700273)
  • Correspondence and Reports Relating to the Operation of Language Schools and Other Training Facilities, 1943–1949 (National Archives Identifier: 4699294): Includes files related to Japanese linguists. Search results.
  • Training Records of the Far East Intelligence School, 1944–1945 (National Archives Identifier: 4662578)

Office of War Information (Record Group 208)

Photographs of Allied and Axis Personalities and Activities, 1942–1945 (National Archives Identifier:  535773):

  • Americans of Japanese Ancestry Fire on German Snipers in Italy (National Archives Identifier: 221952338)
  • Famed "Go for Broke" Troops Stand for Review (National Archives Identifier: 221952340)
  • Kazuo Hiyama and family on the steps of their ranch home (National Archives Identifier: 205139480): One of the first American-born Japanese families returned to the coast.

Army Staff (Record Group 319)

Historical Studies and Records Relating to Intelligence, 1918–1959 (National Archives Identifier: 16624322): 

  • “Military Intelligence Service Language School”, The MISLS Album, 1946, Box 24
  • Col. Kai E. Rasmussen, “History and Description of the Military Intelligence Service Language School,” ca. April 1944, Box 24

Project Decimal Files, 1941–1945 (National Archives Identifier: 1685733): Includes intelligence reports on Japanese Americans, and records related to military members of Japanese ancestry assigned to the Army Language School.

Military Intelligence Service Language School:

  • History Files, 1944–1946 (National Archives Identifier: 16747054)
  • General Records, 1943–1945 (National Archives Identifier: 16624285)

U.S. Army Operational, Tactical, and Support Organizations (World War II and Thereafter) (Record Group 338)

Unit Histories, 1943–1967 (National Archives Identifier: 895216): Includes records related to the Army and Women’s Auxiliary Corps. 

Office of the Provost Marshal General (Record Group 389)

Unclassified Decimal Correspondence Files, 1942–1946 (National Archives Identifier: 648969): Includes records related to the employment of Japanese Americans as language instructors (File: 352.16, Japanese Informants).

Subject Correspondence Files Relating to the Internment, Care, and Labor of POW and Civilian Internees (National Archives Identifier: 894366): Includes a file "Japanese Internees, Sons in Army" pertaining to benefits and considerations for Japanese American internees with sons serving in U.S. Army units.

Adjutant General's Office (Record Group 407)

World War II Operations Reports, 1940–1948 (National Archives Identifier: 305275): Includes files on the 442nd Regiment and the Women’s Auxiliary Corps.

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