Get a good chuckle or learn about the unseen side of World War II. Personal stories about family and veterans on both sides of the Pacific.
Simply click on the colored title and you will be taken there instantly.
I welcome all feedback provided it is proper.
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Masako and Spam Musubi – the original story
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The Letter from 1945 – A US War Department letter, the US Military Intelligence Service and Dad’s draft cards
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Two Old Men and a Father’s Day Anguish – a short story on a WWII combat recollection sprung from a Father’s Day dinner
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There Be Gold in My Family – the Congressional Gold Medal and my family
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There’s No Toilet Paper in the Jungle of Burma
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An Atomic Spark from a 1937 Yearbook
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The Forgiveness of a WWII Sailor
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Were Japanese Soldiers Frightened?
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Old Man Jack-isms – Precious quips of wisdom from a WWII combat vet
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A Blue Dress, Food and Post-War Japan – a short story of an American style dress and food in post-war Japan
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Old Man Jack-isms #2– Precious quips of wisdom from a WWII combat vet
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Dad Was in the Newspaper Yesterday
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Julia Child in World War II – while not a story involving family, this shows how deep the American war effort was
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Old Man Jack-ism #4 – Not for the queasy as Jack recalls an incident involving a knife during war
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A Yearbook, the Atomic Bomb and Hiroshima – Meeting the survivors of the atomic bombing and thanking them for finding my father’s 1937 high school yearbook
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Life and Generations – Backward and Forwards
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The Spirit of Aunt Shiz and Kharma – Her soul called our family together in Hiroshima
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A Mother’s Anguished Solitude – A two part story of the unforeseen grief of my Grandmother Kono
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A Mother’s Anguished Solitude – The conclusion of a two part story on Grandmother Kono’s grief in her sunset years
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正覚寺 – “Shoukakuji”
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Privately Taken Photos of President Harding – An amazing photo set in my Japanese grandmother’s vintage photo album
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A Desire and President Harding – A follow-up on my Grandmother’s photos of President Harding
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Dadgummit – Some disappointment!
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Obsession, Time and Retouching – Loving a never-ending project in genealogy
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Ike – A German-American Soldier?
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Mr. Johnson, USMC – Part I – The story of another WWII combat veteran of the Pacific Theater during WWII.
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My “Top Ten” List of Why Japan Lost the Pacific War…so Quickly
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The Photographer and My Daughter’s Wedding
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A Humbling Easter Sunday – A widow visits the grave of her departed husband, a WWII Marine and combat vet
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Old Man Jack-isms #5 – “Shit from Shinola”
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Thriving Love – A widow shows unending love for her WWII USMC husband while visiting his grave
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Another Prison Camp Discovered
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Eighty Years Later – My Grandfather is in an American Book
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Dear Mama – A Poignant Letter from my Uncle in WWII
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Ten Beautiful Days – A glimpse into Japan in Autumn
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Graciousness, Gratefulness and Grandeur – Beauty of Japan’s Countryside
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Remembering Old Man Jack – Some Salty Sailor Quotes
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Old Man Jack-ism #6 – The Zero
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Dear Courageous Sailor – A Letter from 1943
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A Father-ly Invasion – How could the occupation of Japan start so peacefully after a bitter war?
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Passing the Baton – A realization that time is rushing by
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part I
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 2
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 3
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 4
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 5
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 6
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The Pain of Survival and Aunt Michie – Part 7
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Fairy Tales, Dragons and MacArthur – Part 1
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Fairy Tales, Dragons and MacArthur – Part 2
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The Firebombing of Tokyo – Part 1
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The Firebombing of Tokyo – Part 2
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The Firebombing of Tokyo – Part 3
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The Firebombing of Tokyo – Part 4
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The Firebombing of Tokyo – Part 5 (Epilogue)
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Part 1
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Part 2
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Part 3
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Part 4
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Part 5
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A Soul Lost in a Faraway Jungle – Epilogue
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Iwo Jima Flag(s) Raising – The Movie (Part 1)
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Iwo Jima Flag(s) Raising – The Movie (Part 2)
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Iwo Jima Flag(s) Raising – The Movie (Part 3)
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Iwo Jima Flag(s) Raising – The Movie (Part 4)
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The Magic of Churchill’s Speeches
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A 100 Year Then and Now Photo Project
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 1
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 2
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 3
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 4
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 5
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 6
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Part 7
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A Soul Lost From WWII Comes Home – Epilogue
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Combat! – Part 4 and Conclusion
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part I
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part II
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part III
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part IV
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part V
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part VI
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part VII
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part VIII
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part IX
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The Truly Reluctant Admiral Yamamoto – Part X/Epilogue
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Masako and Spam Musubi 
I’ve bookmarked this page and will be back to read some more….
Why, thank you! And to Chatter Master, too!
Please forgive my memory, Koji – which of these posts starts out with the us in WWII. I would love to reblog it to show how both sides of the Pacific were affected.
You know, gpcox, I don’t know myself. As Pierre suggested, I need to organize this mess… but if I had a preference, it would be:
https://p47koji.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/two-old-men-and-a-fathers-day-anguish-2/
The very first story I wrote is too long as I wrote it for my family… Thanks!
Thanks for the link Koji.
I have been wondering how the Japanese and the Chinese living on the West Coast prior to Pearl Harbor got along. That is to say, what were the relationships of the two communities? Did they do business together? Live in the same areas? Intermarry? I’ve never seen anything on that topic and wonder if you have any information or comments on it.
Good morning, sir. I’m afraid I have nothing official to report on in answer to your good questions…but i can offer you something on a family basis.
My parents here did not associate with Chinese first generations. I have not seen any photos from the 1910’s or earlier in my family’s surviving photos that show Chinese. Their languages and cultures were so different. Its clear my grandparents hung out with other Japanese in their neighborhood, not Chinese. However, you may be able to find your answers at the Wing Luke Museum in Seattle. They have branched out to cover the main three Asian cultures there at that time: Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Good luck. http://www.wingluke.org/
ps No intermarriage in the first generation that came to Seattle (grandparents). Very rare in my dad’s generation although I’m sure it happened back then.
great site, thanks for sharing these stories that are part of our lives
Thank you for visiting and for your kind thoughts, sir.
Thanks again for the follow. You’ve inspired me to research a particularily shameful time in US history. Colorado, my home state, had a huge internment camp during the war near the town of Granda,in south eastern Colorado. http://www.amache.org/timeline/ is a fascinating website that describes events leading up to, during, and post Amache. Also, check out Granada War Relocation Center on Wikipedia. You’ve got a great blog. Thanks for sharing this information.
Thank you, Nancy. My uncle was in that camp prior to being drafted into the US Army. He became a member of the Military Intelligence Service. When he was sent to Tokyo as part of the Occupation, he took precious food (C-rations) and cigarettes to my mother’s family. Perhaps it was shameful but it was 75 years ago now…
ps If you are interested in seeing what Taro looked like in 1946, he can be seen here: https://p47koji.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/there-be-gold-in-my-family/
merry christmas and a happy new year, koji! i am hooked on your posts. just love ’em. keep them coming! 🙂