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Mike Doi

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Mike Doi's family was caught up in the American effort to restrict Japanese-Americans to internment camps. His two brothers were draft eligible, and he describes what happened to them before he left the country, as well as a brief recollection of his short stint visiting one of these camps. (2:44)

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Mike Doi was drafted into the Army to serve as a medic, and spent some time at Camp Blanding as one. When the 442nd Regimental Combat Team needed replacements, he was reassigned and found himself en route to Europe for the war. (2:17)

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Shortly after arriving in Europe, Mike Doi and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team were sent into France to push out the German forces that had been occupying. The fighting was devastating, with mortar and artillery fire creating an extreme hazard as they ripped through the trees around them. Mike recalls going in to rescue men of the 36th Infantry Division who found themselves in a tough situation. (3:54)

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In a chance happening, Mike had an encounter with some people from back home after the battle, while on leave in Nice, France. They thought he had been killed. (1:44)

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After they regrouped, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team was back on the move to push out some remaining German forces. Back towards Italy, Mike Doi encountered a last contingency of old men and young boys, the last of the regular German Army. As the war came to a close, he was left to watch over these prisoners in a Milan work camp. (2:00)

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Mike Doi describes his experience as a Japanese-American during WWII, and the relationship the 442nd Regimental Combat Team had with the 36th Infantry Division they served alongside. (1:17)

Virgil Westdale

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Virgil Westdate's father came from Japan to the US when he was 16 years old in 1906. After meeting Virgil's mother at church, the couple set about farming in Indiana. (5:16)

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Virgil Westdale was a college student when he got his private pilot license with an eye toward the Army Air Corps. FDR's Executive Order 9066 allowing removal of Japanese citizens from the West Coast would filter down to affect him, since his father was a Japanese-American. (4:14)

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Virgil Westdale was progressing in his flight training when a federal inspector showed up and took his pilot license. No explanation was given but he knew why. His father was Japanese. Then the War Department transferred him to the Army. (6:33)

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The Army had created a special unit comprised of Japanese-Americans to fight in Europe. When Virgil Westdale arrived to join the outfit, they thought he was in the wrong place. He didn't really look Japanese. The erstwhile pilot became an infantryman and headed to Italy. (5:38)