The US Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project The Interpreter Archives, University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries Number 183 Remember September 11, 2001 [email protected] May 1, 2013

Our Mission my way to Dulag with some Issues #47, #68A*, #137 and important papers, but both #138.The memorial in #137 and In the Spring of 2000, the surface and air transportation #138 about J. Harry Bennett, Archives continued the origi- were impossible. I made up my taken from a UT website, was nal efforts of Captain Roger mind to hike the 20 miles or so, written by Professor Braisted Pineau and William Hudson, and try to work my way around USS Freemont, APA 44 and two other faculty.]. I taught and the Archives first at- the base of the cliff which stood Far Eastern history for forty-six tempts in 1992, to gather the athwart the road and which was At that time I noticed that I years at the University of Texas papers, letters, photographs, still occupied by enemy snipers. was in a continuing state of History Department. My chief and records of graduates of So I picked up a carbine, started excitement, with stream-of- Japanese work was the Meiroku the US Navy Japanese/ off down the dusty road. I went consciousness manic thought Zasshi. I also have written three Oriental Language School, by a shell of a church, being used processes, and sleeplessness, all naval history volumes on the University of Colorado at as a field hospital, and remember of which seemed to have become Navy in the Pacific and China. Boulder, 1942-1946. We acute just when I came on board. how Filipino guerrillas held up William R. Braisted assemble these papers in At any rate, on the seventh day, I their fingers in the “V” for JLS 5/43- recognition of the contribu- victory sign. suffered a psychotic episode Professor of History Emeritus tions made by JLS/OLS I saw a cloud of dust on the during which I took all my University of Texas

instructors and graduates to road in back of me just as I was clothes off and was about to leap the War effort in the Pacific approaching the trouble spot. I overboard when someone and the Cold War, to the immediately threw myself into grabbed me. I slipped in and out creation of East Asian concealment alongside the road, of consciousness, and the next language programs across day (November 7) was brought and then saw that it was a the country, and to the aboard the hospital ship Hope in convoy, consisting of a jeep and development of Japanese- a couple of trucks carrying GIs a stretcher. I was at the base American cultural rec- armed with rifle-grenades. Their hospital (No. 17 TRIM) in onciliation programs after commanding officer invited me Hollandia, New Guinea until the th World War II. aboard the jeep, and we waited 25 , when I was placed aboard

while the troops cleaned out the the USS Mizar, for The Reminiscences Japanese. Then I delivered to transportation back to the United States…. of Donald Sigurdson Willis Corps HQ the documents I brought from 6th Army. Donald S. Willis [Donald S. Willis passed in 2009. JLS 1943 I saw our plane shoot down This is an excerpt of a longer an enemy plane, and then get [Ed. Note: This is a great story! I memoir.] wish I had received it for a far shot down by our own gunners. “Graduation Day” in front of The Navy Chapter (1943-45) Once however, I saw Major earlier printing. I pulled the photos Little Theater, Boulder, 5–27-44 – from the web, in order to spruce up Richard Bong’s squadron of P- identified are Phil Burchill, the tale.] Hammond Rolph, and Frank 38s fly through a solid wall of ______Tucker, Pineau, 28_06_00_07, flack without getting hit! AUCBL. After 9 days of this running Burnt Orange JLSer

back and forth with “Messages [Ed. Note: As you will read in the Enclosed, you will find one to Garcia”, I was called to next issue, William Braisted was a memoir and one biography that Navy Brat whose father sailed with intelligence duties aboard the 7th you might like for deposit in the the US Asiatic Fleet, so he was an Fleet’s USS Fremont, and Oriental Language School RIC, and was a student at the interrogated one survivor each Archival Project. I attended the Shanghai American School. I though from battleships sunk during the I’d include the above shot of his Language School from May battle of Surigao Straits (one was three JLS/OLS friends graduating in 1943 until December 1943 as a the Yamashiro, I remember), May of 1944. We will be happy to Naval Agent. But I was let out along with the Captain, include some of Professor Braisted’s because I was 4F in the Draft. Executive Officer, and Gunnery stories, starting with this one. His There were six wonderful short memoir is included in a larger Officer from a destroyer. One of months during which I met work on UT faculty entitled Burnt Signpost at Tacloban them admitted for the first time wonderful classmates who Orange Britannia, from whence I that Japan had lost the war. became lifelong friends: drew this title.] (Cont’d) [At Tacloban, on Leyte ______The wardroom of the in October 1944] One night a Hammond Rolph, Frank Tucker, Fremont had two record sets I and Phil Burchill. Henry Warten typhoon struck, the next morning got acquainted with for the first the beech was littered with the You included a UT colleague Henry Warten, b: April 11, 1910 time: Dvořák’s Violin Concerto, of mine, J. Harry Bennett, in The wreckage of small craft and the and Duke Ellington’s “St. Louis in Athens, AL - enlisted in 1942 bodies of drowned sailors [This Interpreter. Perhaps you would with the US Marine Corps Toodle-oo”. I played them while like to include something about must have been the same we were under “Red Alert” on Reserve as a Japanese Language typhoon that scattered Halsey’s me, drawn from the enclosed Instructor with the rank of Staff one occasion [not exactly [Professor Braisted was fleet]. I was expected to make General Quarters]. Sergeant. Later he received a mentioned and has letters in commission as a First Lieutenant and attended the Navy School of In 1974, Hare Krishna and the years, Martha Winn Darden of the Pacific during World War II. Oriental Language. Counterculture was published. Groves, TX; a son, Winn Darden He received Japanese language http://www.chenowethsite.com/chen Among the book chapters and and his wife, Kim of Simi training at the Naval Language war.htm articles that he wrote were Valley, CA; daughters, Julie School in Boulder, Colo., and ______several that were seminal in the Darden and Ginny Darden served for a time in postwar

New Religious field of New Religious Nelson, both of Houston, TX; Japan [JLS 1944]. Movements Collection Movements. sisters, Joann D. Johnson of He was a 1935 summa cum Created by Dr. Judah died on October 9, Littleton, CO and Valrie D. laude graduate of Lehigh 2000. Bullington of Abilene, TX; and University, where he was elected J. Stillson Judah The collection pertains almost several nieces and nephews. to Phi Beta Kappa, and a 1938 At the Graduate Theological exclusively to the New Religious Houston Chronicle cum laude graduate of Harvard Union Archives Movements. There is a small University Law School. 6/14/2009 J. Stillson Judah was born on amount of personal material that Mr. Efron had served on the reflects Dr. Judah's interest in [Ed. Note: Another Enlisted Marine board of governors of the July 7, 1911 in Leavenworth, Linguist, like Irwin Slesnick and Cal WA. He received an A.B. in tennis and ballroom dancing. Dunbar.] International Club, was a trustee The 1994 interview is contained ______of Meridian House International Philosophy and Oriental Studies in the personal material. This and had served on the advisory from the University of Lawyer Washington in 1934 and did his interview is Dr. Judah’s life committee of the Center for history in his own words. Biomedical Ethics at the graduate work at the University Samuel Efron University of Virginia. His other of California, Berkeley in both Biography taken from Dies at 81 1940-1941 and in 1966-1969. He New Religious Movements Collection memberships included the Army Focused on International received his Library Certificate Finding aid & Navy, Cosmos, Harvard and http://www.oac.cdlib.org/data/13030 Matters Lehigh clubs in Washington. from the University of California in 1941. He served in Japan from /zf/kt0g5022zf/files/kt0g5022zf.pdf Samuel Efron, 81, a Washington Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Hope Newman Efron 1945-46 as Japanese language [Ed Note: There are comments about international lawyer who was of interpreter for the 5th Fleet. counsel to the law firm of Arent, of Washington; two sons, Marc, Judah, OLS 1945, in issues #70, #71, of Chevy Chase, and Eric, of San In 1941-1969, he served at $116, and #123. I placed an obituary Fox, Kintner, Plotkin & Kahn, the librarian at the Pacific School in #71, but this treatment is far more died January 4, 1997 at Sibley Antonio; and twin grandsons. of Religion in Berkeley, CA. He complete. The previous obit did not Memorial Hospital after bladder was the editor and compiler of include a birth or death date, among surgery. He lived in Washington. The Washington Post January 05, 1997 Index to Religious Periodical other things.] He came to Washington and ______Metro; Pg. B08; Obituaries Literature from 1949-1952. began his career as a government ______Under his leadership, seven Jerome K. Darden Jr. lawyer in 1939. Before leaving separate seminary library USMCEL the government in 1953, he had Eighteen Months collections were integrated into worked for the Securities and In the Pacific the Graduate Theological Union JEROME KIRBY DARDEN, Exchange Commission, the Common Library. He became JR., 84, of Groves, Texas died offices of Alien Property My first assignment in Pearl GTU's first librarian in 1966. He June 12, 2009. He was born Custodian and of Price Harbor was decoding Japanese also served as Professor, History November 2, l924 in Port Arthur, Administration, as well as the messages. There were many of Religions at GTU from 1969 Texas to Jerome Kirby Darden departments of Labor and different manual codes. The until his retirement in 1976. and Julia Galloway Darden. He Justice. His last assignment was simplest, used to transmit Dr. Judah received many was reared in Port Arthur and at Defense, where he was weather reports, involved a honors for his work. He was the graduated from Thomas assistant general counsel in the direct substitution of kana –“ka recipient of a Guggenheim Jefferson High School in l943. Office of International Security equals su.” Although it could be Fellowship in 1956, the Faculty He served in the United States Affairs. broken rather quickly, this code Fellowship of the American Marine Corps as a Japanese In 1953, he became a changed every 24 hours. Hence, Association of Theological Language Interpreter during founding partner in the time was of the essence. The Schools (Sealantic Fund) in World War II and participated in Washington law firm of Surrey, more complex codes required 1957-1958 and received his Litt. the invasion of Saipan in l944. Karasik, Gould & Efron, where creating a table: “On February D. Degree from Chapman He attended the University of he specialized in international 25 at 4 p.m., the following College in 1956. North Carolina, where he earned financial matters. From 1961 transposition is used.” One had As an active participant in the a B.S. degree in Commerce and until joining Arent Fox in 1968, to work out the day and hour at religious freedom movement of was a member of Phi Delta Theta he worked in New York, where which the code was sent, the 1960's and 1970's he was Fraternity. He was a Certified he was executive vice president accounting for the differences also active in the Alliance for the Public Accountant and was of the construction and paper between Japanese and American Preservation of Religious Liberty employed by Gulf Oil pulp company of Parsons & time zones. Document serving as the Vice-Chairman for Corporation for 33 years, during Whittemore. translation was a sideline, a number of years. which time he served in various Over the years, his clients had including Japanese servicemen’s Dr. Judah was a pioneer in the financial positions in Port included Finnish companies, diaries, which gave some early scholarly study of New Arthur, Philadelphia, PA., Seoul, Finland's government, its indication of conditions and Religious Movements in Korea, Pittsburgh, PA., and Washington embassy and morale at the various battle sites. Berkeley in the 1970's, writing Houston, TX. He returned to Finnish ambassadors. In 1995, he Order of battle communiqués many articles and papers about Port Arthur upon retirement in was made a commander of the and similar items were translated the various groups. He published 1983. He was a member of the Knighthood of the Order of the in the field. Jehovah's Witnesses and History Groves Church of Christ, the Lion by the President of Finland. My first prisoner and Philosophy of the American Institute of CPAs, and Mr. Efron, a Pennsylvania interrogation came after our Metaphysical Movement in 1964. the Texas Society of CPAs. native, served with the Navy in capture of Palau. We had taken Survivors include his wife of 56 the chief of police into custody. I was more nervous than he since I others. It was either utterly explaining that we were not there Okinawa, to surrender to the marines, was unsure how my made-in- erroneous or greatly out of date. to harm him, please set the soldiers and civilians were in caves. Pineau, 19_03_00_5. Colorado Japanese would work. Another episode is also worth Hence I had written out all of my recalling. Mikio Higa, later a questions. I was getting along graduate student of mine, told until I came to the question, me of his experience. As a boy “Over whom did you have of seven, he was in Northern control – just the natives or also Okinawa with his family, the Japanese troops?” The seeking to avoid the war. One answer came back that he had day, he came upon a huge black control over the Siberians. I man, an American soldier. knew relatively little about Terrified, he crouched down, but Pacific geography, but I was the man came up to him with a certain that there were no cup filled with red liquid. Mikio Siberians on Palau. I repeated the thought that he was being forced question and got the same to drink blood, but he had no answer. At this point, I became choice. It was tomato juice – a firm: ‘You must answer kindly gesture! To be honest, the questions sensibly!’” Then the answer came slowly with the key darker side of American actions

must be set forth. One of our word spelled out: “Siberians – c- Our landing at Okinawa grenade down and come out of tasks shortly after our arrival was i-v-i-l-a-n-s.” There are Siberians began a series of solemn and the cave with us. Miraculously, it to prepare Japanese-language everywhere! often unexpected events. When worked. leaflets urging the Japanese One day in the early spring of the ship arrived near Naha at Japanese authorities had troops to surrender. These 1945, I was summoned to naval dusk, a group of men were indoctrinated the civilian leaflets were being dropped over headquarters and informed that ordered into a small boat for the population to believe that battle areas by plane. One day I in three to four days I would be trip ashore. After our transfer, Americans would kill them on came across a young American shipping out with a consignment however, it was decided to sight; hence they should try to soldier who had been fighting of troops for a destination still postpone the landing until take some Americans with them near the caves where we had secret. First, I was ordered to tomorrow, so we slept – or tried in death. Thousands of recently dropped leaflets. report to a firing range for target to sleep on the boat. It was April Okinawans, so believing, holed Eagerly, I asked him, “Did those practice. At the site, a young 4, approximately four days since up in caves with Japanese leaflets have any effect?” His enlisted man handed me a the first American soldiers had soldiers or accompanied them response was, “Oh yeah, a revolver and told me to aim at stormed ashore [see above into remote areas. Many number of soldiers came out the target that had been set up photo, too impressive not to use]. committed suicide by jumping waving those leaflets. But you some distance away. I had never The next morning, we made our off cliffs into the sea when the don’t think we took them fired a gun of any type in my way to a campsite that had been Americans approached. A series prisoner, do you?” life, but I made a valiant effort designated for our small group of tragedies ensued. One day, Fortunately, the bullets that for nearly 30 minutes. At this and set up tents. Our task was to however, I witnessed a heroic came near me in the course of point, as he was helping me supervise and censor all Japanese act. A woman, seeing Americans various operations missed. unload and clean the gun, my communications on the island. approach, started running toward However, I did have a disturbing assistant said, “Sir, I would not The only problem, as we quickly the open space separating incident of another type. One take this gun out of the holster discovered, was that there were American and Japanese troops. day, after collecting documents unless absolutely necessary.” I no communications - at least Had she reached the crest of the in caves, a dangerous and dirty needed no further commentary none within our reach. The post hill, it would have been certain business, I told my assistant that on my performance. offices and telegraph stations, death, given the firing on both we should stop in a safe area and Shortly thereafter, I boarded a along with the newspapers and sides. Fortunately for her, an go swimming to relax and clean giant transport ship with other publishing outlets were all American soldier, witnessing her up. The driver of our car also hundreds of troops. After we had being destroyed in the course of efforts, rushed out and just elected to go to the beach. It left the harbor, several of us the fighting. before she reached the top of the never occurred to me that he junior officers were called to a Shortly, I was given a new hill, tackled her and brought her wouldn’t lock the car. When we meeting. There we were told that and more daunting assignment: down. After a few days in a returned to the road, it was gone! our destination was Okinawa, to search caves for documents civilian relocation center, she We finally got back to our camp, scheduled to be attacked by after battle. Fortunately, I had a had a new perspective on and the commander was furious, American forces. A document Japanese American Army Americans. Others were not so threatening me with court- had been prepared on the area, assistant [enlisted linguist]. One fortunate. martial. (He didn’t proceed and we were told to digest this day, on entering a cave, we because he had been making thoroughly and then lecture to a encountered an Okinawan fake Japanese flags in his spare group of enlisted men on what to civilian, accompanied by his ten time to sell to sailors aboard expect. The orders were quickly year old son. The man held a transports.) However, the next carried out, with my lectures grenade in his hand. All of my day, he ordered us to search the extending over five days. Japanese left me. The only thing mountains near the beach area Subsequently, I hoped I never I could think to say in the split for the car. This was a dangerous met any of my shipboard second available was konichi wa mission, but we had no choice. students again. The “document” (good day). My assistant, Okinawa, 6th Division 25 G 10, photo: We didn’t discover anything, and we were given was compiled however, became very fluent, Walker, A Japanese civilian uses a largely from much earlier public address system to plead w/ his I suspected that the car had been accounts by missionaries and countrymen, holding out in caves on stolen by an American construction battalion working excellent opportunity to learn servicemen fired guns in all Pearl Harbor nearby. However, it was never something of Okinawan thought directions. I survived. Review-Linguists found. and culture. Subsequently, I have wondered As the campaign began to I’ll never forget an incident whether it was necessary to use (Cont’d) The Army had a smaller wind down, I was assigned to be involving another one of the two nuclear weapons in populous number of language officers, the liaison officer in Takaesu, a three men. One day the writer cities to induce a Japanese therefore a smaller pool of qualified town north of Naha, which was came to me and said, “despite surrender. Later it became personnel available to work on the packed with refugees. My office what you have said, Lieutenant known that the Japanese had solution and exploitation of Japanese cryptosystems from a language was set up in the corner of the Scalapino, I still do not begun inquiries via Russia about standpoint. Takaesu Elementary School. understand the United States. I the possibilities and terms of When the Signal Intelligence The school had no books, have three American books (all ending the war. They went to the Service was formed in 1930, the first blackboards, or other equipment. in Japanese translation), but they wrong source: the Soviet persons hired were required to have – all had been destroyed. Hence, have not given me a clear vision government wanted to enter the foreign language capability as well instruction was purely oral, and of your country.” “Bring the conflict in Asia before its end to as skills in mathematics. Frank since the teachers had books to me,” I said, “and strengthen its position in that Rowlett had knowledge of German, disappeared, we had to recruit perhaps I can clarify matters.” region. In any case, however, Abraham Sinkov of Spanish, and Solomon Kullback of French. None new ones. Indeed assigning The following day, he gave me many Japanese were prepared to of the mathematicians brought people to temporary jobs was a the books: Ralph Walso undergo any sacrifice rather than knowledge of the Japanese language major task. Among the refugees Emerson’s collected essays, one to be humiliated by the enemy. into SIS. was a group of prostitutes. We of Zane Grey’s novels about the The final decision lay with the Therefore, John Hurt was hired on put them in charge of children American West, and a thick Emperor. May 30, 1930 as a "cryptanalyst who had lost their parents. novel set in the era of the What if the nuclear strikes, or aide," in reality, a Japanese linguist. Whether this was wise or not, I American Civil War. No wonder at least the second bombing, had Since he knew French as well, Hurt was not sure, but they performed my friend did not understand the taken place in a sparsely or spent time translating classic French- language texts on cryptology for SIS well. United States! I tried, probably unpopulated area, to demonstrate use. One night, someone cut all of in vain, to explain the origin of the tremendous power of such John Hurt had never studied the electric wires around the these books and why they either weapons, but without the Japanese formally, nor had he lived town. The culprits, we suspected, solely or collectively explain the massive casualties? Some would in Japan -- he had learned the were Japanese troops in the full nature of the United States answer that given the scarce language from a college roommate! neighboring mountains. The despite providing some insights number of US Nuclear weapons Yet, he amazed those who had commanding general of the into aspects of American culture at the time and the evidence of studied the language in-country with region asked me and my and beliefs. an unbending Japanese his detailed knowledge of it. Hurt was the epitome of the assistant to question the farmers Very shortly after the determination, an awesome absent-minded professor. Solomon in the vicinity to see if they knew Okinawan campaign ended, on demonstration was necessary. Kullback, one of the leading anything about the matter. Our July 4, some of us in my unit The dispute will continue cryptanalyts of the time, remembered questioning produced no results were flown to the Philippines. indefinitely…. him. "There are more stories about – except for one. The day after Upon arrival in Manila, we were John Hurt than you can shake a stick at. There is no question that he had a an intensive round of inquiries, told that we would be assigned to my assistant came to me and genius or flair for languages. He was a unit in nearby Quezon City said, “That woman you training for the invasion of always interested in picking up new words in any language and using questioned yesterday afternoon Kyushu, probably to take place them. Unfortunately, sometimes he does not want to talk to you in October or November. In the made a mistake. I think he learned again.” “Why,” I responded; “I following weeks, I had the two words in Russian, one which was perfectly polite.” “Yes,” he opportunity to view the scene in means "good-bye" and one which said, “that was the problem. You metropolitan Manila and to meet means "thank you," and got them spoke in polite Japanese and that a few Filipinos, one of whom, confused. He met somebody who had embarrassed her.” Clearly, our Jose Lim, became a lifelong a Russian background and they were Boulder Japanese was not all- friend. Manila was devastated by talking, when they were supposed to leave, instead of saying "thank you," inclusive. (We were to learn later the war, with various sectors John Hurt says "good-bye." The that the wires had been cut by a destroyed or badly damaged. Russian got a little indignant and farmer who twisted them Many of the inhabitants were in went off in a huff.... together and used them to let a dire need of shelter, food, and "He had a theory that when you water bucket down into his well.) clothing. Yet in this region, the crossed the street, you just ignored In the course of my stay in Americans were generally traffic rules and you don't worry Takaesu, I organized a very treated as liberators, and their about cars. You stared at them, just small group of well-educated modest efforts to provide http://images.google.com/imgres?im as you would at an animal. Unfortunately, one time he was Okinawans – a doctor, a teacher, humanitarian aid were gurl=http://ieas.berkeley.edu/images /publications/sp_scalapino_large.jpg nudged, knocked down by a taxicab, and a writer – for nightly welcomed. and the taxicab man got out, all meetings each week. Our little Slightly over a month after Robert A. Scalapino upset, and runs over to him and says, group exchanged information on having arrived in Quezon City, JLS 1944 "Are you hurt?" John gets up and the United States and Okinawa we heard via radio of a new From brushes himself off and says, "Yes, From Leavenworth to Lhasa: as well as on Okinawan attitudes bomb being used against John B." and walked off...." (to be Living in a Revolutionary Era toward Americans from the onset Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Soon cont’d) Pp. 15-20 http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologi of the war down to the present. came the news of Japanese c_heritage/center_crypt_history/pea Those Okinawan attitudes, while surrender. The succeeding [Ed. Note: Photographs came from the web or from the Pineau rl_harbor_review/linguist.shtml predominately negative, had evening was hazardous. Collection and were not provided by National Security Agency some positive aspects. For me Deliriously happy and the author.] Center for Cryptologic Heritage the discussions provided an occasionally intoxicated ______