The US Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project The Interpreter Archives, University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries Number 235 Remember September 11, 2001 [email protected] September 1, 2017
Our Mission Dan Kurzman interviewed exonerate Captain McVay. Hashimoto's letter received Hashimoto for his 1990 book Hashimoto told her he would press attention during the effort In the Spring of 2000, the Fatal Voyage, however, and like to help, an offer which was to clear Captain McVay's name, Archives continued the origi- wrote "Commander Hashimoto relayed by e-mail to young and, as a result, it no doubt nal efforts of Captain Roger was amazed by the Americans. Hunter Scott in Pensacola, helped in getting Congress to Pineau and William Hudson, While penned up in his Florida, who suggested that exonerate him. For some reason, and the Archives first at- dormitory during the trial, he Hashimoto write a letter to however, it was not included in tempts in 1992, to gather the was treated more like an honored Senator John Warner, chairman the Senate Armed Services papers, letters, photographs, guest than an enemy officer who of the Senate Armed Services Committee report. and records of graduates of had caused the deaths of so many Committee, and passed on Meanwhile, some very the US Navy Japanese/ American boys." (His treatment Warner's address. interesting comments by Oriental Language School, Hashimoto were revealed in an by the Navy undoubtedly The text of that letter follows: University of Colorado at stemmed from the fact that he English translation of his Boulder, 1942-1946. We was to be one of their witnesses "November 24, 1999 interview with the same assemble these papers in in the prosecution of Captain Attn: The Honorable John W. journalist who acted as the go- recognition of the contribu- McVay.) Warner between in arranging his letter to tions made by JLS/OLS The charge against Captain Chairman, Senate Armed Senator Warner. Here are some instructors and graduates to McVay was that he had hazarded Services Committee excerpts from that interview in the War effort in the Pacific his ship by failing to zigzag at Russell Office Building, which Hashimoto speaks about and the Cold War, to the the time Hashimoto's torpedoes Washington, D.C. 20510 his involvement in the court- creation of East Asian struck, and Hashimoto "I hear that your legislature is martial of Captain McVay: language programs across confounded the prosecution by considering resolutions which "I understand English a little the country, and to the stating that he would have been would clear the name of the bit even then, so I could see at development of Japanese- able to sink the Indianapolis late Charles Butler McVay III, the time I testified that the American cultural rec- whether it had been zigzagging captain of the USS Indianapolis translator did not tell fully what I onciliation programs after or not, testimony which appeared which was sunk on July 30, said. I mean it was not because World War II. to have no impact at all on the 1945, by torpedoes fired from of the capacity of the translator. I
court-martial board which found the submarine which was would say the Navy side did not Mochitsura Hashimoto McVay guilty anyway, and under my command. accept some testimony that were Hashimoto was returned to "I do not understand why inconvenient to them ... I was I-58 Commander Japan. Captain McVay was court- then an officer of the beaten On December 7, 1990, with country, you know, and alone, Mochitsura Hashimoto was the martialed. I do not understand the war's bitterness faded, how could I complain strong commander of the Japanese why he was convicted on the survivors of the Indianapolis, enough?" submarine I-58 which sank the charge of hazarding his ship by including Giles McCoy, met When asked how he would USS Indianapolis. He died on failing to zigzag because I Hashimoto in Pearl Harbor on feel to have his views known October 25, 2000, at the age of would have been able to launch the 49th anniversary of that about the court-martial, here was 91, having spent the last years of a successful torpedo attack attack. his response: his life as a Shinto priest in against his ship whether it had Speaking through a translator, "I would feel great. It will be Kyoto, Japan. been zigzagging or not. Hashimoto told McCoy, "I came pleasant. No matter what the For reasons which will be "I have met many of your here to pray with you for your occasion would be. Because at explained, his death saddened brave men who survived the shipmates whose deaths I the time of the court-martial I many Indianapolis survivors. His sinking of the Indianapolis. I caused," to which McCoy, had a feeling that it was path was to cross theirs again in would like to join them in apprehensive about encountering contrived from the beginning" years to come. urging that your national the man who had caused him so and When the decision was made legislature clear their captain's much pain and sorrow but "I wonder the outcome of that in November of 1945 to court- name. touched by Hashimoto's court-martial was set from the martial Captain McVay, a "Our peoples have forgiven comment, replied, "I forgive beginning." decision was also made to bring each other for that terrible war you." When told of the efforts of Hashimoto to the trial as a and its consequences. Perhaps Nine years later Hashimoto young Hunter Scott to clear witness, and a military plane was it is time your peoples forgave responded to this forgiveness by Captain McVay's name, dispatched to Japan with an Captain McVay for the volunteering support to the Hashimoto replied as follows: armed escort to bring him to humiliation of his unjust survivors in their efforts to clear "This is the first time I am Washington. conviction. Captain McVay's name. informed about Hunter Scott. Public animosity toward the In 1999, when a Japanese Mochitsura Hashimoto Well, that's fine ... I hope he will Japanese was still very high, and journalist was interviewing the Former captain of I-58 succeed (in his effort) because using Hashimoto, so recently an elderly Shinto priest about his Japanese Navy at WWII it's a good thing to do." enemy, as a witness against a life and about the sinking of the Umenomiya Taisha The little Shinto priest and a decorated American officer Indianapolis, she informed him 30 Fukeno Kawa Machi, former wartime foe had joined created a storm of controversy that an effort was being made in Umezu the Indianapolis survivors in both in the media and in the halls Ukyo-ku, Kyoto 615-0921, the United States Congress to their quest for justice. of Congress. Japan" USS Indianapolis Organization research analyst for the Central characters are popular; and that of course will not http://www.ussindianapolis.org/hashi Intelligence Group in unfortunately, I am both do.”[2] moto.htm Washington, D.C. In 1953, he unqualified and unable to “The best that can be said of
completed a Ph.D in Chinese and comment upon it any greater the authors’ treatment of ancient [Ed. Note: Thomas Ainsworth, JLS 1944, saw service aboard the Japanese at Columbia University detail. In my wallet I have for Chinese and Japanese texts is Indianapolis (Issue #131). Paul with a dissertation on the some years now had to carry a 3 that it is brave and fearless. Kramer , JLS 1944, (in Issue #150) Shuowen jiezi. While pursuing x 5 card on which I long ago Armed with little more than a talked with Commander Hashimoto his doctoral work at Columbia, wrote a short list of things that I dictionary and a vivid in order to find “the perfect choice” he undertook studies at the have promised myself (and my imagination, they do not shrink for a souvenir for CPT McVay from University of California at doctor) not to undertake doing from offering novel I-58 in January 1946. George Berkeley working mainly under under any circumstances or upon interpretations for texts that have Mendenhall, JLS 1944, (in Issue the direction of Peter A. any provocation whatsoever already been studied at least a #203) discovered a launching platform for the kai-ten torpedo, Boodberg, who had urged him to (setting fire to my own hair, thousand years, with the which was later confirmed to be the write his dissertation on the filling my own teeth, stopping consequent accumulation of a torpedo used against the Shuowen jiezi. During this time overnight at the Imperial Hotel, tremendous body of exegetical Indianapolis, against which zig- Miller also did field work in that sort of thing). Attempting to materials and secondary zagging would not have worked. I spoken Tibetan in northern India learn new systems for arranging literature, all of which they are thought I would include this piece as and Kyoto. Chinese characters in prepared to ignore, just as they a final chapter to that story.] ______Miller was Professor of dictionaries ranks surprisingly are willing to overlook the Linguistics at the International high on this, my list of absolute existence of perfectly correct Roy Andrew Miller Christian University in Tokyo no-no’s, short as it is. To do modern translations, that if Professor of Japanese in from 1955 to 1963. From 1964 otherwise would be to reveal consulted, would immediately to 1970 he taught at Yale myself as sadly deficient in show where they have gone the Department of Asian University where he served as gratitude to that brave teams of wrong.”[3] Languages & Literature chairman of the Department of neuro-surgeons, acupuncturists, “One does not normally look from 1970 to 1989 & Far East and South Asian and moxabustioneers, who some to Kodansha publications for Languages and Literatures. From years back finally pulled me serious or scientific contributions chairman of the 1970 until 1989 he taught at the through, following the massive to our knowledge of Japan. Their department University of Washington in side-effects sustained from my forte has been glossy, superficial From 1972 to 1975 Seattle serving as chairman of first encounter with the ‘Four- accounts of flower-arrangement, the Department of Asian Corner System.’ There is a paper-folding, knot-tying, and Roy Andrew Miller (born Languages from 1972 to 1975. Russian proverb about people other genres in contemporary September 5, 1924, died August After his retirement from the who insist on breaking their way Japanese kitsch. Accordingly, 22, 2014) was a linguist and University of Washington, he into rooms through unlocked one does not open this slim literary scholar who had unusual moved to Honolulu, Hawaii. doors; another one (and a cruel paperback by Professor Agnes facility with Japanese, Chinese, Miller was known simply as one) says that only death will Niyekawa of the University of Tibetan, Korean, Southeast, and “Roy” to his colleagues, who cure the hunchback. Both Hawaii with the expectation that South Asian languages. He was never ceased to enjoy his quick sayings seem to me to be it will enhance our knowledge of one of the most comprehensively wit, his often biting humor, and relevant here, each in its own its topic. Even so, one cannot but learned scholars of his his great erudition, which ranged way. Die K’ang-hsi- be astonished at the lack of generation. far beyond the Asian languages Wörterbuchordnung über linguistic sophistication and high that absorbed his scholarly Alles!”[1] level of misinformation that energies. His knowledge of Miller faults the “principal characterize this would-be opera was vast, and his passion translators from Japanese over analysis of and guide book to the for its singers effusive. At least the past four decades” for their levels-of-speech phenomenon in one younger colleague chose to “startling lack of lexical and modern spoken Japanese.”[4] move to the University of linguistic courage. They are “Gibbon relates how Zenobia Washington in large part for the unwilling, if not downright ‘had drawn up for her own use privilege of basking in the ashamed, ever to have any text, an epitome of oriental history,’ unique Miller aura, with an or anyone in any text, say of which unfortunately nothing emphasis on the humor. As anything that might not have more is known; but whatever the serious as his academic writings been said or written by a modern celebrated Queen of Palmyra got were, that humor often surfaced American university professor of for her pains can hardly have in them, nowhere more modest literacy, and been more ambitious than this forcefully than when he was concomitantly modest literary book by Ms. Insup Taylor, of the expressing in print his gifts. Different ways of saying University of Toronto…. Its impatience with shoddy novel things, surprising figures, overt theme, the problem of how Miller was born in Winona, scholarship. Here are a few gems astonishing metaphors, to achieve and define literacy in Minnesota, on September 5, from his writings: unexpected expressions and three modern Asian societies, 1924, the son of Andrew and Commenting on P. G. tropes—all these they rigorously turns out to be no more than a Jessie (Eickelberry) Miller. He O’Neill’s new system for excise from their texts. Such point d’appui for interminable received his B.A. degree in 1946 arranging Chinese characters, he things might startle the reader, or digressions on history, from Gustavus Adolphus remarks: “I suspect that put him off. Without such geopolitics, economics, College where he studied Latin O’Neill’s new system for excisions, the texts would no literature, population problems— and Greek. He served in the U.S. arranging Chinese characters longer sound as if Englishmen indeed everything a man from Naval Reserve from 1944 to will be very popular among and Americans were talking, Mars who had never heard of 1946, learning Japanese. From those people with whom new they might even possibly begin Asia might need to know, with 1946 to 1948, he worked as a systems of arranging Chinese to sound rather like the originals; the possible exception of recipes for characteristic local dishes. “How Many Verner’s Laws Henry S. Tatsumi 1940, and Mrs. Ike were All this is recounted in an eager, Does an Altaicist Need?” (1991), graduate students and UW naïve, and doggedly enthusiastic important for its methodological Scholarship for employees when the U.S. first-person narrative style that at implications as well as for its declared war against Japan in first amuses, but soon thereafter thesis, and later in Languages excellence in the 1941. They were dismissed from wearies, the reader.”[5] and History: Japanese, Korean, study of Japanese their positions and first sent to Miller served as president of and Altaic (1996). Apart from internment camps, then to the the American Oriental Society his studies of Japanese language Navy Language School in from 1986 to 1987 and gave one history and the relation of Boulder. After the war Nobutaka of the more memorable Japanese with the Altaic Ike embarked on a scholarly presidential addresses, “Pleiades languages, Miller also published career and eventually became a
Perceived: MUL.MUL to extensively on Tibetan, both the professor of political science at
Subaru,” at the society’s 1987 modern Lhasa dialect and the Stanford University. meeting in Los Angeles. He was classical language. In 1984 Professor and Mrs. a frequent contributor of articles All of Miller's linguistic Ike established the Tatsumi and reviews to the society’s scholarship on Japanese draws Scholarship fund in memory of
Journal, and published a from his broad, deep knowledge their mentor, using reparation monograph on an eighth-century of the Japanese literary tradition, funds given to them by the state
Japanese poetic sequence and in several instances he of Washington. Thanks to their pertaining to Buddhism in the ventured gracefully into generous gift and additional
American Oriental Series. discourse that was primarily contributions by others who
In 1971, Miller was awarded literary in nature. When writing wished to honor Professor an honorary degree from his on the "The Footprints of the Tatsumi's legacy, each year this [The Asian Languages and alma mater Gustavus Adolphus. Buddha," on “The Lost Poetic prize is awarded to one or more Cultures Department at the In 1988 he was decorated with Sequence of the Priest Manzei,” students at UW who demonstrate University of Washington has an the Order of the Rising Sun by or the Man’yō poet Yamanoue excellence in the study of endowed scholarship in memory Emperor Showa. On the Okura, his primary interest is in Japanese and Japanese studies. of Sensei Henry Tatsumi, occasion of his 75th birthday, he the beauty of the poetry, and this In this video, originally provided by Ike Sensei and his was honored by a Festschrift is effectively conveyed in the produced for the series wife, Tai.] edited by Karl Menges and Nelly resonant English translations "California of the Past," Naumann. Stockholm University with which he graced his texts. Henry Saburō Tatsumi was born Professor Tatsumi's daughter awarded Miller an honorary in San Francisco in 1896 and Miyo Tatsumi Harvey tells the doctorate in 2002. [1] Review of P. G. O’Neill, received his early education in story of his life and career. Miller published important Japanese Names, A Comprehensive Japan. During World War I he Awards & Honors works on the Japanese language: Index by Characters and Readings, served in the U.S. Army. In Asian Languages and Literature The Journal of the Association of A Japanese Reader: Graded 1932 he received a bachelor's University of Washington Teachers of Japanese 8 (1973): 69– ______Lessons for Mastering the 70. degree in Oriental Studies from Written Language (1963), widely the University of Washington ‘Classic’ Seattle used as a textbook for many [2] Nihongo: In Defense of Japanese and a master's degree in 1935. In years; The Japanese Language (London: The Athlone Press, 1986), the same year he joined the Journalist (1967), a diachronic and 219. faculty of the University and Former P-I editor synchronic introduction to the taught Japanese for more than distinctive features of the [3] Review of Paul Wheatley and thirty years until his retirement William Asbury dies Thomas See, From Court to Capital: with the rank of associate language; Japan’s Modern Myth: A Tentative Interpretation of the OLS 3/20/45-
The Language and Beyond Origins of the Japanese Urban professor, emeritus, in 1967. During World War II William Asbury was in his first year (1982), an examination of the Tradition. Journal of Japanese as adviser to The Daily, the student myths and misconceptions that Studies 5.1 (1979): 212. Professor Tatsumi taught newspaper at the University of have become attached to the Japanese at the U.S. Navy Washington, when controversy language, especially the [4] Review of Agnes M. Niyekawa. Language School located at the erupted in 1970. exclusionist argument; and Minimal Essential Politeness: A University of California, The paper’s editor was a Marxist. Nihongo: In Defense of Japanese Guide to the Japanese Honorific Berkeley, and, later, the A staff revolt was brewing. And anti- Language, Orientalistische (1986), a polemical discussion of University of Colorado, Boulder. war sentiment at the UW sparked Literaturzeitung 89 (1994): 432. large-scale demonstrations and the application of post-structural Many of the founding figures of Japanese studies in the United divided the campus. linguistics to Japanese, of [5] Review of Insup Taylor and M. Asbury, a Tacoma native who careless translators whose Martin Taylor, Writing and Literacy States, such as Donald Keene, died last week in Olympia at age 90, English renderings misrepresent in China, Korea, and Japan. Journal Edward Seidensticker, and was a UW graduate who had deep the particularities of Japanese of the American Oriental Society 118 William Theodore De Bary, newspaper roots. His father had been literature, and of Japanophiles (1998): 431. were trained in Japanese by a newspaper publisher and owned who characterize the language as Professor Tatsumi and his small newspapers in Utah. David Knechtges with contributions incomparable and unique. In colleagues. Asbury himself had been the by Jay Rubin, Paul W. Kroll, and publisher of a couple of small other works, he wrote about the William G. Boltz. The Henry S. Tatsumi Scholarship Fund was newspapers in California. Before common ancestry of the Turkic, Submitted by taking the adviser’s role at UW, he Mongolic, Tungusic, Korean and Kristi Mae Soriano-Noceda on established with an initial gift by was managing editor of the Japanese languages, most January 5, 2015 Professor Nobutaka Ike (1916- Bremerton Sun. notably in Japanese and the Asian Languages and Literature 2006) [Also a USN JLS Sensei} In May 1970, protests broke out at University of Washington and his wife, Tai (1918-2007). the UW and elsewhere in the country Other Altaic Languages (1971), ______but also in a number of articles, Nobutaka Ike, a Seattle native after President Richard Nixon in particular an article titled and graduate of the UW class of expanded the Vietnam War into Cambodia and National Guard owners of both papers, Asbury Walla Walla Union-Bulletin in 1975, Over the course of his life, soldiers killed four students at Kent resigned in protest. when Asbury was editor there. Asbury found himself in East State University in Ohio. The idea of his paper sacrificing When The Seattle Times hired an Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh), The UW Daily’s editor at the time its financial independence by editorial cartoonist, “he thought it dining with governors and rajahs, as was Bruce Olson. A self-proclaimed entering into a deal with its was time once again for the P-I to a project secretary for the Asia Marxist, Olson became a spokesman crosstown rival was too much for have a cartoonist,” Horsey said. Foundation, a nongovernment for the protesters and allowed an him, Asbury’s family and colleagues “He was a really decent guy and organization that works for activist group, Students for a said. at various times really stood on responsible development and quality Democratic Society, to meet in The “He just didn’t feel like he could principle,” Horsey said, “one of the of life issues. Daily’s newsroom. work comfortably for an organization classic Seattle journalists and a real He also met President Jimmy As demonstrations grew on that was going into business with the gentleman.” Carter during a meeting of campus, some of The Daily’s staff competition,” said Janet Grimley, a Asbury also oversaw two more newspaper editors in Washington, members felt the paper, steered by reporter and editor at the P-I from future Pulitzer winners while at the D.C. Olson, had lost its objectivity and 1974 to 2009. P-I: Eric Nalder, who won twice for After retiring from state become a mouthpiece for the “Bill was a solid influence for reporting while at The Seattle Times, government — among the posts he protesters. Six members of the us,” she said. “We had experienced in 1990 and 1997, and Timothy held was director of the state Office newsroom resigned en masse. some editorial turmoil, and I Egan, who won in 2001 for reporting of International Relations and chief Asbury was frustrated, too. He remember the staff was really happy at The New York Times. of protocol for Governors John asked that his name be removed from when he was appointed because he “Bill Asbury was a gracious and Spellman and Booth Gardner — he the masthead and requested that he was well-liked and a really good warm man,” Nalder said, “which are stayed in Olympia and called it be allowed to write an opinion piece newsman.” perhaps odd characteristics for a home. about the state of The Daily. newspaper editor. Even so, he always “He loved this state,” Joe Asbury “They refused,” said Asbury’s urged me to press hard, to be said. “He was an avid outdoorsman son, Joe. “So he used his own money uncompromising in the search for and loved to hike, fish, hunt. He and went to the advertising truth and good stories, even when we loved the Cascades and loved to sail department of The Daily and they ran might be stomping on toes that were the Sound.” the editorial as a paid ad.” near to him.” William Asbury was also an “He wasn’t afraid to express his Asbury was born in Tacoma, the adventurer. opinion, that’s for sure,” Joe Asbury son of parents who met as teachers at At the age of 70, he sailed solo to said. Stadium High School. the Queen Charlotte Islands in his Part of William Asbury’s editorial He attended a boy’s school in 25-foot sloop. At 73, he worked as a read, “Olson has been guilty of gross Arizona for a time, graduated from deckhand on an Alaskan fishing boat. conflict of interest. He can’t be Antelope Valley High School in At 75, he summited Mount Whitney, spokesman and chief participant in a Lancaster, California, where he was which, at 14,505 feet, is the highest major political activity and have time class president, and enlisted in the point in the contiguous United States. to run a daily newspaper with a Navy during World War II. And he was forever loyal to his balanced viewpoint.” He was sent to Colorado to learn alma mater. One of the six staff members who Japanese because the Navy wanted “He was a huge Husky fan,” his resigned, editorial cartoonist David him to be a translator — a critical son said. “I attended games with him, Horsey, said he admired Asbury’s role should the United States invade and he would be cheering himself stand. Japan. hoarse rooting for the Dawgs.” “The paper became very much “They taught more translators That’s why Joe Asbury is looking part of an anti-war movement,” Joe Asbury remembers his than they actually needed,” Joe for a marching band to play at his Horsey said this week. “Our decision father’s reasoning for leaving the Asbury said. “So he didn’t really put father’s memorial service on Easter was really about journalism. We all editorship of one of the largest the Japanese language to use for the Sunday. sided with Asbury and very publicly papers in the Northwest. Navy, but he later did missionary “It’s going to be a celebration quit The Daily.” “I think his main concern was that work in Japan and Korea, and it instead of a mourning event,” he “His point was that this is a he didn’t believe the editorial definitely came in useful there.” said. “We want a band to play ‘Bow publication supported by student departments would remain Asbury spent time in Asia with Down To Washington.’ ” funds, and it shouldn’t reflect the independent,” he said. “That was the the American Bible Society and the views of a fairly narrow group of real sticking point.” Christian Children’s Fund. Connelly By Scott Stoddard students.” Joel Connelly, who has written described Asbury as “a devout The Olympian for the P-I and now seattlepi.com Another of the six, Lee Rozen, is Methodist who brought faith March 13, 2015 now managing editor of the Moscow- since 1973, said Asbury was “a gracefully into his decisions.” ______Pullman Daily News. deeply principled, decent man, a He also found himself speaking “You could wander into his office manager who believed in top-to- Japanese after he left the world of Donations Accepted anytime you wanted to and chat if bottom communication.” newspaper journalism and embarked you had an issue,” Rozen said of During his time at the P-I, Asbury on a new career in state government. To support the JLS/OLS Asbury. wound up hiring Horsey, one of the “He was working in trade and Archival Project, make your “He was a slightly different kind six UW students who had resigned economic development at a time the check out to the University of of guy than the previous adviser. He from The Daily nine years earlier. state was trying to sell more apples Colorado, writing US Navy JLS “I owe him the start of my didn’t quite have the same father to Japan,” his son said. “They found Fund on the memo line to the figure aspect to him. Nonetheless, he career,” said Horsey, who was the out he had learned Japanese and he knew what he was doing.” editorial cartoonist at the P-I and actually had a state office in Tokyo bottom left of your check, and The UW dust-up wasn’t the last seattlepi.com from 1979 to 2011, during the tail end of his career.” mail it to our contact address. time Asbury would face a tough won two Pulitzer Prizes during that Asbury met his wife, Janet, in David Hays decision in a newsroom. time and is now a columnist and Richmond, Virginia, while she was a Archives He eventually landed at the editorial cartoonist at the Los timpanist for the Virginia Symphony Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 1975 as Angeles Times. “I was at the Orchestra and he was with the University of Colorado at news editor and rose through the (Bellevue) Journal-American and American Bible Society. They were Boulder ranks to executive editor, overseeing covering the state Legislature in married in 1955 and would have 184 UCB the entire news operation. Olympia and just doing cartooning as celebrated their 60th anniversary in Boulder, Colorado 80309-0184 In 1981, when a joint operating a sidelight.” May. Phone (303) 492-7242 agreement between the P-I and The Asbury was familiar with She and their five children — Fax (303) 492-3960 Seattle Times was proposed by the Horsey’s work at the student three daughters and two sons — all Email: [email protected] newspaper and as an intern for the survive Asbury.