The US Navy Japanese/Oriental Language School Archival Project The Interpreter Archives, University of Colorado at Boulder Libraries Number 117 Remember September 11, 2001 [email protected] November 1, 2007 Our Mission The Swope family was very of the capital region. It should be Roger Hackett, prominent in the Harrisburg noted that during his Judgeship, In the Spring of 2000, the community and in public he approved the petition for the Professor Emeritus of Archives continued the origi- political life. Guy Swope, the establishment and funding of the History nal efforts of Captain Roger Judge's father, was Governor Penn State University School of "Zuru Zuru Koko Ni Pineau and William Hudson, Kimashita" General of Puerto Rico upon Medical at Hershey. Judge and the Archives first at- appointment by President Swope was highly regarded as a (Cont’d) Roger landed on his tempts in 1992, to gather the Franklin D. Roosevelt. true gentleman, described by his feet quite nicely at Carleton, papers, letters, photographs, The Judge was a graduate of acquaintances, as a man of high where he had a work-study job and records of graduates of the Harrisburg School system intelligence and most perceptive as a scullion in the women's the US Navy Japanese/ and an excellent student who in legal issues; he had a dorm. He laments the fact that he Oriental Language School, enjoyed a popular reputation at congenial personality whose "was never able to rise to the University of Colorado at the William Penn High School leadership was direct; he was high rank of waiter." As Roger Boulder, 1942-1946. We Campus where he was a good and fair and very was settling in, his mother and assemble these papers in cheerleader captain. He received considerate in his conduct of the sibling heeded the U.S. recognition of the contribu- his B.A. Degree from Duke court's business. government's advice and slipped tions made by JLS/OLS University where he graduated as The judge is survived by his out of Japan and over to instructors and graduates to a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He wife Jean M. Swope, two sons; Minnesota. His father had the War effort in the Pacific received his L.L.B. from the Mark D. of Lower Paxton financial responsibilities related and the Cold War, to the Dickinson School of Law, and Township, and Kurt F. of to his work and couldn't get out creation of East Asian attended both the University of Geneson, Texas and three until late in 1941 (barely making language programs across Puerto Rico and the University grandchildren. His brother, it out at all). Roger's studies at the country, and to the of Colorado. Harold Swope, an active and Carleton were summarily development of Japanese- In 1942, Judge Swope respected practitioner in the interrupted by the bombing of American cultural rec- enlisted into the U.S. Navy and Dauphin County Bar, Pearl Harbor, at first a shock and onciliation programs after served 43 months of active duty predeceased him. then a determinate. With World War II. in the U.S., India and Japan. He Therefore be it resolved that America's entry into the war and Memorial Resolution achieved the rank of lieutenant in the passing of Judge Lee F. Japan a sudden enemy, Roger senior grade and performed Swope, the community has lost had become the "go-to" guy on Upon the Death of duties in the capacity of Japanese an outstanding public servant campus for questions about Judge Lee F. Swope language interpreter for the and a dedicated citizen, the Bar Japan. He found there were Naval Intelligence Division. In and Judiciary has lost an many he couldn't answer. Roger Former Dauphin 1949, He was admitted to the affectionate and devoted had for years seen the home front County President practice of Law. He was a husband and father. of the Japanese war effort, and Judge Lee F. member of the Dauphin County, And resolved further that the had even seen the destruction Swope died Pennsylvania Supreme and members of the Dauphin County wrought in Shanghai when he January 10, 2003 Superior Court Bars. He was a Bar Association, in meeting traveled there with his high at the age of 81 in member of the Dauphin County assembled, mourn the death of school basketball team. But the the Harrisburg and Pennsylvania Bar our esteemed colleague, Judge bombing and subsequent war hospital. Associations as well as the Lee F. Swope and tender our with the U.S. was a lot for a In his passing, the bar and the Pennsylvania Judicial sympathy and condolences to his Japan-raised American teenager judiciary have lost an able Conference and the Conference widow and sons. to come to grips with. Roger lawyer and a loyal colleague. of State Trial Judges. And resolved further that eventually made the decision to Judge Swope was appointed to The Judge was a former copies of this memorial serve the U.S against Japan and the bench in 1961 presiding over Assistant Attorney General, and resolution be spread upon the joined the Navy Japanese the orphan's court when it Director of the Pennsylvania records of the Dauphin County Language School in Colorado functioned as a separate entity. Bureau of Corporations Courts and Dauphin County Bar (he and Chuck Cross were the He then served as President Department of State (1956- Association, that the original two youngest there). Naturally Judge of the Dauphin County 1960). He was a member of the copy be filed in the office of the athletic, Roger quickly jumped at Court of Common Pleas from Pennsylvania Board of Finance Prothonotary, and that copies be a Navy school opportunity to 1972 until his retirement in 1991. and Revenue (1955-1960). transmitted to his widow and join the Marines, feeling the Prior to the formation of the In politics, he was the family. action of the branch would be present Commonwealth Court, President of the Dauphin County Respectfully Submitted: preferable to what he felt was an he was a Judge on that court Young Democrats in 1957 and Hon. William W. Lipsett, Chairman inevitable Navy desk job. from 1961 to 1989, which served as Vice Chairman of the Hon. H. Joseph Hepford Meanwhile, other Hacketts jurisdiction was included during Dauphin County Democratic Hon. G. Thomas Miller served the war effort in other that period in the Dauphin Committee from 1958-1960. He Hon. Carol F. Purdy ways. Roger's older sister County Court. was a member of the board of Hon. Warren G. Morgan Elizabeth would eventually Judge Swope was born in the Big 33 and received a Hon. Clarence C. Morrison marry a second-generation Harrisburg, PA, to the late Guy lifetime achievement award from Hon. Joseph H. Kleinfelter Dated: May 21, 2003 Japanese-American she met J. and Mayme Gerberick Swope. the family and children services _______________ while working as the Camp Commander's secretary at the indeed; and the months in Japan people she mentioned], So far, I have on Chinese religion for Army Japanese Language School were delightful and interesting. I been successful…. (to be cont’d) Encyclopedia Britannica's 15th in Minnesota. Harold was a non- wouldn't change a thing. From a Polly Fleming edition. _______________ religious conscientious objector purely selfish point of view, I Thompson is survived by who spent the war years in a war was probably the most fortunate Laurence Thompson Grace, his wife of 62 years; five camp. A lifelong writer/poet person who served in the Navy children; eight grandchildren; /musician, he refused to accept during WWII. I came to the Chinese Religion Expert and 10 great-grandchildren. the brutality of the world and armed services late, was posted Laurence G. Thompson, From a Times Staff Writer never ceased in his own way to in the middle of the Rocky professor emeritus of East Asian LA Times, July 31, 2005 soften it. 180 of Harold's letters Mountains for most of hostilities, languages and cultures at USC & David Hays Editor and Archivist were donated to the rare book was in Times Square on VJ day, _______________ and a leading expert on Chinese collection here at Michigan as arrived in Japan after there was religion, has died. He was 85. "radical" literature. Harold's no danger and the Japanese were A Long Friendship Thompson, who had been in letters to Roger during and about eager to please, had very little failing health, died July 10 in A story in a recent Interpreter the war were a constant source of work to do, was assigned a Jeep Ventura, former colleagues reminds me of the long orientation. and a pass authorizing me to go reported. The cause of death was friendship I have enjoyed with a What he stood for deeply anywhere in Japan, had not announced. Japanese gentleman. During the affected Roger who tried to agreeable superiors to work for, The Sinologist was born in early months of the Occupation, persuade officers and Marine's to collected interesting souvenirs China's Shandong province and I was assigned, along with capture the Japanese (as opposed (NavTechJap was known lived there the first 14 years of another officer or two, to go to shooting at them) when the contemptuously to the Army and his life. He earned a bachelor's aboard the Japanese light cruiser chance arose. The war was a other Navy Units as degree from UCLA in 1942. Sakawa, to help with the particularly human tragedy for "NAVTECHSOUVENIR"), was During World War II, he transferal of the ship to the US the Hacketts.