Camp II Military Service

Pfc Thomas Tsuyuki, was forcibly evacuated from Watsonville to the Salinas Assembly Center; then relocated to the Poston, Ariz. internment camp (211-8-D). He was trained as a paratrooper.

T/Sgt Abraham (Abe) Jiro Ohama, was inducted into the Army on February 23, 1941, and trained at Fort Lewis, Washington, Camp Crowder, Missouri, and Camp Shelby, Mississippi. His parents and brothers were forcibly evacuated from Sanger  to the Poston, Ariz. internment camp (222-9-G).  He was given a furlough to be the best man at his brother George’s wedding at Poston camp 2. He served with the 442d RCT, Company F,  as a 2nd Platoon leader, and was killed in action on October 20, 1944  in Battle at Bruyeres, France. Awards: Purple Heart, Silver Star, and Combat Infantryman’s Badge.  

Tony Nakazaki, was forcibly evacuated from Salinas to the Salinas Assembly Center; then relocated to the  Poston, Ariz. internment camp (211-13-D).  He served in the Military Intelligence Service.

 George Shoichi Oki (Poston 229-13-A) was forcibly evacuated from Perkins to the Pinedale Assembly Center.

Tec Sgt Paul Toshi Takehara, enlisted in Army  March 7, 1941 in Sacramento.  He trained at Camp Hale, Colorado  and Camp Claiborne, Louisiana.  His family was forcibly evacuated from Sacramento to the Pinedale Assembly Center; then relocated to the Poston, Ariz. internment camp II; and then placed into the Tule Lake Segregation Center in 1943.

Pfc Torao Hayashi trained at Camp Roberts, California, Fort Bliss, Texas, and Camp Shelby,  Mississippi.  His parents & family were forcibly evacuated from Perkins to the Pinedale Assembly Center; then relocated to the Poston, Ariz.  internment camp (208-CD).  He served with the 100th Battalion , 442nd RCT Company B, and was killed in action on October 28, 1944 in France, during the battle to rescue of the Lost Battalion.  Awards:  Purple Heart, Combat Infantry Badge and Distinguished Unit Badge.

Otis Kodani, former Poston II High School PE teacher, served with the Military Intelligence Service.

Dan Inouye, was forcibly evacuated from Sacramento, to the Pinedale Assembly Center; then relocated to the Poston, Ariz. internment camp (208-5-AB).  He served with the Military Intelligence Service.

Yasuyuki "Tommy" Uyeoka, trained at Camp Hale, Colorado for mountain and winter war training exercises. His future bride, Aiko Yano was forcibly evacuated from Sanger to the Poston, Ariz. internment camp (222-13-C).  He served with the 442nd RCT/522nd Field Artillery, A Battery in Germany with the freeing the imprisoned Jews at a sub-camp of Dachau.

Cpl. Haruo Harry Yuki (Poston 215-3-A) was forcibly evacuated from Salinas to the Salinas Assembly Center.  The Yuki family transferred from Poston to Topaz concentration camp on 10/31/1944.

George Shiro Kawakami (Poston 229-12-CD) was forcibly evacuated from Sacramento to the Pinedale Assembly Center.

Tech/Sgt. Kiyoshi James "Jimmie) Shiramizu, trained in Texas, and at Camp McCoy.  He visited his baby son, Melvin and his wife, Shizuko Ruth who were incarcerated at Poston 214-8-CD, before shipped to Europe with the 100th Battalion. On January 10, 1944 near Presenzano, Italy, he volunteered to help rescue some wounded men from B Company, since the unit was critically short of medics. Tech Sgt Shiramizu was caught in a deadly mortar barrage. Although he had been severely wounded, he said to take others first because he was a medic and could handle his condition.  He was seriously wounded in the abdomen, and died four days later.