The US Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project The Interpreter Archives, University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries Number 186 Remember September 11, 2001 [email protected] August 1, 2013

Our Mission because they lifted me right out system, right through Tokyo of my bunk. I really didn’t have University. These people were In the Spring of 2000, the much to do the first few days I the ones who interrogated the Archives continued the origi- was on Saipan. We had several prisoners who were especially nal efforts of Captain Roger civil engineers who were Navy knowledgeable. They were so Pineau and William Hudson, officers, and they started the good that I think it took the and the Archives first at- process of laying out the plans Japanese by surprise to find tempts in 1992, to gather the for Camp Susupe. They were Americans that could speak papers, letters, photographs, LVT(A)-4 at Saipan, June 1944. pretty flimsy buildings they put Japanese at that level, both in and records of graduates of Wikipedia Commons up. They had corrugated tin roofs forward areas and at Pearl. the US Navy Japanese/ and were open at the sides. The I remember hearing about one Oriental Language School, naval guns, weren’t even floors were maybe two feet off interrogator – not that he used University of Colorado at mounted when we landed. They the ground so they wouldn’t get brutality, but he was very Boulder, 1942-1946. We were still at Tanapag Harbor. wet inside. The most important forceful with the language, and assemble these papers in The only real fortifications they things were drainage and privies. he threatened prisoners. I don’t recognition of the contribu- had were pillboxes, and air raid The camps were divided up into think he ever physically abused tions made by JLS/OLS shelters. The plain fact of the cooking centers so that people anybody. However, I do know instructors and graduates to matter was, their defenses, even belonged to this cooking center, about situations where prisoners the War effort in the Pacific though they gave us a hell of a or that cooking center. were killed. I know about and the Cold War, to the time, were not very good. And I dealt primarily with the commanding officers who told creation of East Asian they really didn’t have first class Japanese, not the Chamorros, their men not to take prisoners. language programs across troops there. They did have a although I saw them all the time. We’ve all read about that, and the country, and to the unit from the Kwantung Army, The Marines were bringing in that happened. I know of worse development of Japanese- which sounded very impressive, prisoners even before we got things that happened, where American cultural rec- but it had been slapped together there – before the camps were set actual mutilation occurred, like onciliation programs after before being brought to Saipan. up. Everybody was kept under taking of teeth and other parts of World War II. What I’m trying to say is that the guard no matter if they were the body. These things did nucleus of the Kwantung Army Japanese, Korean, or Chamorros happen, and yet some people had been dissipated from all the and it took us a while to get the take a certain amount of comfort The Naval Civil Affairs fighting in China, so it really idea of separating them. It was in the idea, or claim that Unit on Saipan wasn’t what it had once been. during the early stages of Americans weren’t quite as bad Certainly there was no shortage separating people and organizing as the Japanese because this was (Cont’d) The landing on Saipan of brave Japanese soldiers, but the camps that some Nisei troops not a policy. However, for was on June 15, 1944. We were Saipan was not the fortress that from the Army came to where example, if a commanding on the USS Sheridan, an APA. Iwo Jima was, for example. we were holding the prisoners. I officer says, “Don’t take We did not go ashore until D- We went ashore on landing could see these Japanese prisoners,” for that unit, that is a plus five, but we watched the craft, but by D-plus five they had civilians just staring at these policy. When Japanese ships landings. Some of the assault already put floating piers out so Japanese in American uniforms, were sunk and American planes troops were from our ship. We we got off on those. We moved almost with open mouths. Most strafed the survivors in the water, could see some of our landing into a little school in Chalan of the Nisei were bigger and and there wasn’t a court martial craft being hit by Japanese Kanoa that still had a roof and huskier than the native Japanese. because of it, then that can be artillery and we watched windows. We were there for a Later, it was the Nisei from the accepted as having been a policy, Japanese tanks as they few days before we went out to Army who came to the camps to or at least something that was counterattacked from the low Susepe and pitched tents. The ferret out Japanese soldiers who overlooked. My whole point is, hills below Mount Tapochau. Marines had big howitzers right were trying to pass themselves when people claim the Japanese Towards dusk we could see beside us and they scared the hell off as civilians. So even though I people were particularly cruel I much more of the battle because out of me each time they fired, was in the intelligence section of can think of occasions when of the tracer bullets. One thing Civil Affairs I was not charged Americans were particularly that caught my attention was the with that particular cruel, too. I think it is also true, flame throwers. We couldn’t see responsibility. I didn’t deal with however, that we never, during it clearly, but we could tell what prisoners as an interrogator at the the war, organized a unit like was happening, and we had field time they were captured. 731 – the Ishii Unit (a Japanese glasses. And too, we had doctors There were some very able biological warfare unit in on our ship and many of the interrogators, most of whom Manchuria that experimented on wounded were brought to our were B.I.J.s like me, but who live human beings). ship. spoke really good Japanese. At first we fed the civilian I knew the Japanese had been Some of them were of American prisoners on Japanese rations, charged with fortifying the and Japanese parentage. There then we began to import rice and islands before the war. But I were a a couple full-blooded stuff like that. We had big stores think the only one they fortified Caucasians who had gone of rice on the island that we had was Truk. Saipan they hadn’t. 155mm howitzers preparing to through the Japanese school captured and we were able to use The biggest guns they had, the fire. National Archives a lot of that. However, a lot of Lieutenant Commander Schattle A-bomb and new orders to send international law at the the stores we should have been was the head of the intelligence us to Japan. Académie de Droit able to use we weren’t able to unit that I was part of. He was a From Harris “Jish” Martin, “Navy Internationale, The Hague, because our own troops were so cop in civilian life, and an Civil Affairs Unit” [JLS 1944] Holland, 1936; was lecturer at destructive. They stuck their interesting fellow. We called in Bruce M. Petty, Saipan: Oral the US Navy Naval War College, bayonets in cans just to see what ourselves “Schattle’s chattels. Histories of the Pacific War, Newport, RI, after 1935. He was in them. Sometimes when we sent Jefferson, NC: McFarland & went on active duty in 1940 in Company, Inc., 2002, the US Naval Reserve, rising to Pp. 157-158, 160 the rank of Captain, serving until [Ed. Note: The cooking center 1955. organization actually follows the In 1940, Arthur McCollum, historic method of organizing large of the Office of Naval parties (like trapper parties, Intelligence and a 1925 graduate volunteer troops, wagon trains, and of the Tokyo School, and Albert other such organizations) into “messes”, each with their own E. Hindmarsh planned to replace watch, fire, and leadership. I guess the US Navy Japanese Language organizing folks by their stomachs School based in Tokyo with always worked. language schools on the US Photos were taken from the web mainland. In order to rapidly and and from the Pineau Collection. The increase the number of potential only shot we had of “Jish” Martin naval language officers, the was in formation at CU, and the ID scheme compressed the three- is not precise. The other photos were either of Saipan or, in the case of the year Naganuma course to 155 battery, a general shot to between one-year and 14 months illustrate the story. None were part through greatly intensified of the published interview.] instruction. To gain the largest ______pool of potential language ” officers, Hindmarsh and Glenn Hindmarsh, Shaw interviewed and recruited

Albert Edward widely from universities, seeking JICPOA team on Saipan, 8 July Robert Boyd, and John Decker, those civilians who: already had 1944. Identified is Otis Cary, Pineau, 10_6a_5_08, AUCBL (1902-1975) prior experience in Japanese and Harry Barrand, Reid Irvine, Albert E. Hindmarsh was an other languages; had … I remember the antipathy of Japanese men out on work detail educator, author and the architect demonstrated advanced learning many Okinawans to the there were sexual attacks made of the US Navy’s skills in graduate education; or Japanese, too (as well as that of on these Japanese men by Japanese/Oriental Language had shown high potential to learn the Koreans). Sometimes when American Military men. This School during World War II. He Japanese in an accelerated the prisoners were sick, they was appalling to me, and I was born Nanaimo, B.C., program. were sent to one of the field suppose to others. I went to Canada, April 13, 1902, son of Classes began at both hospitals. When they were Schattle and asked him why Robert and Elizabeth (Wright) Harvard and Berkeley in October brought back to the camp in there were so many homosexuals Hindmarsh. He came to the US 1941 with 27 and 21 students ambulances they were all in the military. He said they were in 1921, was naturalized in 1928. respectively. Disputes between brought back together, Japanese, not homosexuals – these were He was a student at Oregon State Hindmarsh, a Harvard alumnus, Korean, and Okinawans. At the homosexual acts by college, 1922-1923. He received and former Harvard faculty Japanese camp I would open the heterosexuals. As a policeman he his A.B. at the University of member and dean, who had door and say, “All Japanese get was familiar with this and I Washington in 1926, his MA at privately studied Japanese in out here.” If there were any wasn’t…. Harvard 1927, and his Ph.D. Tokyo with Naganuma, and the Koreans, they would go on to the When I got my orders to from Harvard in 1931. He Harvard faculty over adherence Korean Camp. But anyway, I leave Saipan, boy was I happy. married Merrill Pearson on July was distinguishing between the Jeez, I had been there for eleven 9, 1927. They had three children: Koreans and the Japanese. months, and the war was moving Carol, Margaret and Alan. He “Japanese get out here.” There on to other places. Look what was an assistant in the was this one old Okinawan still happened between the time I Department of Government, sitting there. So, I said again, arrived on Saipan and the time I Harvard University, 1926-29; “All Japanese get out here,” But left Saipan: the Palau Campaign, tutor and instructor after 1930, he didn’t move. So one Japanese the Philippine Campaign, Iwo lecturer in government after girl said, “Old man, he says for Jima, and Okinawa. Saipan was 1938; Assistant Dean Harvard all Japanese to get off.” He said, an important base, but I felt like I College, 1929-36; visiting “I’m not Japanese. I’m from was being left behind. So, when I professor of government, Tufts Okinawa.” He finally got off…. went back to Pearl Harbor I was College, after 1931. He was The camps didn’t have barbed happy to be back, but I was also appointed Assistant Professor of wire fences around them and thinking this would be a chance International Law at the Fletcher some US Military people did try to be sent out to a forward area School of International Law and again. I was tapped, along with to get in, looking for women, and Diplomacy in 1933. He was CDR Hindmarsh, speaking at the some were apprehended doing some others, to go to Okinawa, secretary of the Harvard Faculty but those orders were canceled, University of Colorado to the USN so. I was at the court martial of of Arts and Sciences, 1934-36. JLS, October 7, 1943, Pineau, one, but I wasn’t a witness. and within a few days came the He was also professor of 06_04_01_25, AUCBL. to the Naganuma program led to After WWII, Captain Newspapers The Washington Post returned to IU to receive his law the termination of the Harvard Hindmarsh became Director, US (1877-1993) pg. C12; degree, earning highest program at the end of the first Naval Intelligence School in Douglas J. Brower distinction. He was on the year. Presidential EO 9066, Washington, DC, in 1946, and http://mcittahistory.bravehost.com/W faculty of IU’s law school for W2History.html relocating and interning West later was assigned as District almost 40 years, serving as Coast Japanese and Japanese Intelligence Officer, 12th Naval [Ed. Note: Unfortunately, both when acting dean twice. Americans, presented the Navy District, San Francisco, CPT Hindmarsh was alive and when Nolan’s passion for the law with a choice: of allowing the California during the late 1940s he died, the USN JLS/OLS was still was equaled by his passion for classified and the details of his internment of its Japanese and early 1950s. He retired from contribution in this project were not ornithology. After 20 years of American faculty and the the Navy in 1955, after a heart included in either his Who’s Who studying prairie warblers from a subsequent closure of the JLS at attack, and moved to Los Altos, entries or in his obituary. He, along motivation of pure interest, he Berkeley; or the relocation of the California. There, he died of with McCollum, Walne, Shaw, and was given an appointment in the entire school and is largely Nisei apparent heart failure on March McAlpine, created and ran the Navy Department of Zoology. His faculty at Berkeley to another 2, 1975, at the age of 72. language program, which had such a research pioneered the strong university to the east. numerically disproportionate effect tradition of bird study here at IU on the war and its aftermath. His today. recruiting and standards played a critical role in the operation of the Nolan earned two prestigious school. Each of the JLS/OLSers to Guggenheim Fellowships, one write in has had their own for law and one for biology. He “Hindmarsh recruiting story”. was a fellow of the American Perhaps more than anyone else, he Association for the put his stamp on the US Navy Advancement of Science and the JLS/OLS. He must have viewed the American Ornithologists’ Union. postwar effect of the school and its He held two ornithological contributions to university level Asian Studies, US journalism, awards, the AOU’s Brewster diplomacy and intelligence in Asian Award for the most meritorious affairs with a large measure of work on birds of the western satisfaction. Interestingly, he never hemisphere and a lifetime went back to civilian academia, achievement award from the preferring to stay in the USNR for Wilson Ornithological Society, the remainder of his career.] ______an honor that he shared with his Parade, V-12 and USN JLS/OLS in University 5191, AUCBL. [check second wife and fellow front of the Men’s Dormitory at the Flatirons, Green Mountain and Biology remembers researcher, Distinguished the University of Colorado, 1943. Bear Mountain in the background] Val Nolan 1920–2008 Professor Ellen Ketterson. So during June of 1942, He was a member of the “Val Nolan will long be unfinished classes from Berkeley Council of Foreign Policy Professor Emeritus Val Nolan remembered by this department arrived at the newly relocated Association, the Asiatic Society, died March 27, 2008. He held for his wonderful science and his JLS (Japanese Language School) the Japan Society, the Institute of joint appointments in law and warm humanity,” Distinguished at the University of Colorado in Pacific Affairs, the American biology, a distinction held by no Professor Jeffrey Palmer said of Boulder, where it remained until Society of International Law other person in the history of this his colleague. Professor Ken (executive council), American university. Yasukawa, chair of the Biology after VJ Day. While in Boulder, the school shifted from training Political Science Association, Department at Beloit College, only Japanese Language Officers and Acacia. He was a Democrat, says of his former mentor, “He for the war effort to training and Episcopalian and a Mason. was the most important person in language officers in a variety of Professor and, later, Captain my professional development. I oriental languages. Hindmarsh was the author of owe him everything.” Another CDR Hindmarsh reported that Force in Peace: Force Short of former student, Dan Cristol, a by March 1945 a total of 684 War, in International Relations, professor at the College of Japanese language officers had Harvard University Press William and Mary, appreciated graduated from the Navy School (Cambridge) 1933; The Basis of the emphasis Nolan placed on for Oriental Languages. Of these, Japanese Foreign Policy, the ability to communicate 573 were male Navy officers, Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Both the legal and science effectively. He still uses Nolan’s 111 were USMCR officers, and University Press, 1936; Le Japon communities grieved when Val dog-eared copy of The Elements 69 were WAVES. While the War et la paix en Asie / Recueil des Nolan died. of Style by Strunk and White. was winding down, Admiral Cours (1936), volume 57, issue Nolan graduated from IU in Cristol writes that he triple- Nimitz demanded more III, p. 97-199; “No Royal Road 1941 with highest honors in checks every reference in his graduates for the occupation of to Language Mastery,” The history. Afterward, he served as papers, adding, “I insist that my Japan, at the same time that CU Modern Language Journal © a Deputy U.S. Marshal and later students do the same, much to at Boulder was forecasting a rise 1948. He contributed numerous as a member of the Secret their consternation. They’ll thank in post-war attendance. In 1945, learned articles to magazines. He Service in charge of protecting me later, and I wish I had then, the school was moved to was considered an authority on thanked Val more.” President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Oklahoma A&M at Stillwater. Asian Affairs. During World War II, Nolan Indiana University An additional 117 JLOs Who’s Who in America, served in the U.S. Navy and Alumni Newsletter (Japanese Language Officer) 1946-47, 1954-55; Spring 2009/Vol.17, No. 1, p. 5. enrolled in the Navy’s Japanese graduated by June, 1946, raising “Albert E. Hindmarsh, Retired Navy Language School, where he [Ed. Note: A second obit: but I the total amount of JLOs to Officer”, The Washington Post graduated in 1944 as the thought I’d give his peers at IU the (1974-Current File); March 13, graduate from the Navy OLS to valedictorian. After the war, he last word.] 801. 1975, ProQuest Historical ______Keene, Seidensticker et improve Japan’s image to the between Japan and the outside not recognize mine when I world. world—buffers or ambassadors informed him of it. It is not fun al.: Only the bilingual edition had of mutual understanding, to have what small store of note Products of War, a byline. But why mention only promoters of international one has accumulated dissipate Commodities of Peace Keene and Seidensticker—who goodwill and friendship. In itself so quickly. But I suppose it had only one article each—when Tokyo Central, he puts it plainly: is some comfort to think that in a Focusing on recently published some among the “et al.” had as “In 1975 I received the Order of hundred years most of us will be biographical works by the late many as five? Seidensticker the Rising Sun. It was only a forgotten. “It is a terrible thing, Edward G. Seidensticker and might say, with a shrug and a Third Class decoration. Donald to seek to be remembered a Columbia University professor grin, “We were more famous Keene had received the same hundred years,” Mr. Kawabata Donald Keene, William than Richie or Riggs.” And the Third Class decoration some once remarked. In a thousand Wetherall evokes the name order? With a sigh and a time earlier. His was later raised years not a half dozen people personalities and the times of smile: “Well, K comes before S to Second Class. First Class is now alive will be remembered. two great promoters of Japanese in both English and Japanese.” reserved for people like Assuming, of course that there is literature in the postwar era. And if Reischauer had written Reischauer. I have never been anyone to remember. Or is it a Wetherall’s articles on a something? He might grimace, raised from Third Class.” (pp. comfort?” (Diary entry for variety of subjects are posted on laugh and say, “It would have 228–229) Monday, 31 May 1971; Genji his websites at been ‘Reischauer, et al.’” Seidensticker was dogged by Days, Kodansha International, http://www.wetherall.org. The drama of how Donald Keene’s greater fame and 1977, p. 59) Intrigued by its title and popularity in Japan. He wrote Keene (b. 1922) and Edward G. If Remembered At All byline, I recently bought a Seidensticker (1921–2007) Tokyo Central while consulting bilingual book with the mixed- became rival commodities, and citing Keene’s On Familiar Like Keene and many others, language title Discover Japan: especially in Japan, emerges Terms. But Keene appears not to Seidensticker had trained as a Moshimoshi, sumimasen, dōmo from a reading of their several have returned the favor in language officer in preparation by Donald Keene, E. G. autobiographical works. As Chronicles of My Life (Columbia for service in the Pacific during Seidensticker, et al. The “et al.” preeminent “buffers” in the University Press, 2008). World War II. After the war, in includes forty other writers, postwar realm of Japanese The different sensitivities of 1947, he completed a master’s translators, and scholars, most literature with a penchant for the two translator-scholars are degree in politics at Columbia. now aging but still living in column writing, the two men clear from their autobiographies. After passing the Foreign Japan. Published in 1983 by made a classic good-cop, bad- In On Familiar Terms Keene Service exam, he spent some Kodansha International, the book cop team in their journalistic gives several pages to his time at Yale and Harvard, features fifty-four short articles interrogations of life in Japan. friendship with Yoshida grooming himself for a State in English with Japanese Over the decades, Keene’s Ken’ichi (1912–1977), who is Department assignment as a versions translated by feelings about being asked if he standing or sitting next to him in language officer in Tokyo, where Matsumoto Michihiro, whose can really read Japanese have two photographs. In Tokyo he worked in the Economic name is billed larger than those softened from annoyance to Central, Seidensticker introduces Section of GHQ/SCAP and then of the two featured authors. disappointment. Seidensticker’s Yoshida as the literary critic son in the consulate until 1950. reactions to being asked if he of Prime Minister Yoshida Seidensticker learned that liked “Japanese sushi” mellowed Shigeru, then dismisses him as Edwin O. Reischauer (1910– from sarcastic mischief to “a friend who turned out not to 1990), who had been one of his mirthful cynicism. Keene, ever be” and explains why: “One professors, “had not given ‘the humble about his efforts, is a evening, for no reason that I Department’ a glowing report on better cop than he thinks, and could detect, he said my year at Harvard” (Tokyo Seidensticker was never as bad substantially this: ‘There is a Central, p. 44). Decades later he as he tried to be. kind of American who is the observed of Reischauer: “I liked Keene has been more most urbane, witty, and generally him, but was by no means sure insistent that Japan is his country charming person in the world; that I liked his performance as as much, if not more, than the but you are not it’” (pp. 148–49). ambassador . . . [and] could not United States, and that Japanese Anticipating Yoshida’s response, honestly share his views about is not a foreign language for him. yet curious to see if he would get Japan” (p. 177). He remarks how Seidensticker loved Japan no less an “honest answer,” Reischauer was “sanctified by but found more to complain Seidensticker says he asked who the Japanese” and his house in about in the human condition the American might be, but all Boston “turned into a shrine to The pieces were selected generally. He had fewer he got was a “tense, high-pitched which busloads of Japanese from the two hundred articles in inhibitions about baring his laugh [denotes extreme, and pilgrims are taken” (p. 177). A Discover Japan: Words, Customs neuroses and exhibiting his unexpected, embarrassment – four-page critique of and Concepts—Kodansha’s re- fetishes. Keene, more selective Woody Pitts].” Reischauer’s ambassadorship issue of the volumes originally and sparing, in On Familiar Before his achievement of (1961–1966) is interspersed with known as A Hundred Things Terms, declares simply, “I am publishing the first complete comments recorded in his diary Japanese and A Hundred More not making a confession” (p. English translation of The Tale entries at the time from friends at Things, published in the mid- 283). of Genji, Seidensticker worried the U.S. embassy in Tokyo. (to 1970s by the Japan Culture be cont’d) In a Hundred Years about both the extent and Institute, one of several longevity of his fame. © 2008 William Wetherall organizations—like the Edward Seidensticker knew “A gentleman from the Originally published in the International Society for where he stood in the pecking Liberal Democratic Party with SWET Newsletter, No. 121 Educational Information and order of aliens honored by Japan (November 2008), pp. 12–23 whom I had a conversation in the Society of Writers, Editors & Kodansha International— for their service as volunteer or Suehiro knew the names of Translators, based in Tokyo, Japan. founded after World War II to conscript “shock absorbers” certain of my colleagues, but did ______