During World War II approximately 33,000 Nisei men and women served in the U.S. military—in battle, as interpreters, and in other capacities. By risking their lives for the country of their birth, even while their parents were imprisoned by the government, Nisei soldiers did much to improve public perception of Japanese Americans as loyal citizens.

The 100th Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the U.S. Army were formed first with primarily volunteers and then with conscripts from Hawaii and the mainland incarceration camps. The soldiers were all Nisei, while the officers were almost all Caucasian. The unit suffered tremendous casualties fighting the Germans in Italy and Germany. Their bloodiest battle was the rescue of the Lost Battalion, in which Nisei soldiers saved over 200 former Texas National Guard soldiers cut off by the Germans in northern France. The 100th/442nd received the most medals and bravery citations for its size and length of service in the history of the U.S. military.

In the Pacific, Nisei linguists trained by the Military Intelligence Service translated captured documents, interrogated prisoners, and assisted with the occupation and reconstruction of Japan. The involvement of Nisei linguists during the war was considered a top secret operation. In postwar Japan, Nisei soldiers helped bridge the linguistic and cultural gap between U.S. personnel and Japanese citizens.

 

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Nisei interpreter questioning a witness for the war crimes trials（1946）
Tokyo, Japan
Courtesy of the Seattle Nisei Veterans Committee and the U.S. Army