Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

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UncleBourbon
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Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

#1

Post by UncleBourbon » 11 Oct 2019, 10:17

This has been an obscure subject I've been interested in for a few years now, and I've managed to find a few examples who I'll list bellow. (Two were prior to 1895, however I hope it's okay to make mention of them given how rare cases like this are)

I would greatly appreciate information of any other examples I'm unaware of!

Douglas R. Cassel was an Officer during the 1874 Japanese Expedition to Formosa, commanding the advance force that arrived on May 6th. He died from malaria he caught on the Expedition almost a year after returning to the US.
James R. Wasson was another Officer during the 1874 Japanese Expedition to Formosa. He was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun for his service, and was rumored to have served in the First Sino-Japanese war at the Battle of Pyongyang.
Henry Walton Grinnell was an adviser during the First Sino-Japanese war and saw action at the Battle of Yalu River.
Paul Nobuo Tatsuguchi was a Japanese-American who was drafted while staying in Japan at the time of Pearl Harbor. He served as a Medic and died during the Battle of Attu.
Frank and Pierce Fukuhara were Japanese-American brothers who were also drafted while staying in Japan at the time of Pearl Harbor. One of their brothers was in America at the time, and later joined the US military. All three survived the war.

OpanaPointer
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Re: Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

#2

Post by OpanaPointer » 11 Oct 2019, 12:10

I've read that Grinnell was the first Annapolis graduate to command a "modern" warship when he temporarily took command of a Chinese pre-dreadnought at the Yalu River battle. [Citation needed]
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SBConnor
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Re: Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

#3

Post by SBConnor » 07 Nov 2019, 18:02

Another is Iwao Peter Sano, also conscripted while at senior high school in Japan when WWII started. He wrote a memoir, 1,000 Days in Siberia. I corresponded with him a few years ago. I do not know if he is still with us.

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Re: Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

#4

Post by OpanaPointer » 07 Nov 2019, 18:59

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UncleBourbon
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Re: Americans who served in the Imperial Japanese military

#5

Post by UncleBourbon » 09 Nov 2019, 01:03

SBConnor wrote:
07 Nov 2019, 18:02
Another is Iwao Peter Sano, also conscripted while at senior high school in Japan when WWII started. He wrote a memoir, 1,000 Days in Siberia. I corresponded with him a few years ago. I do not know if he is still with us.
Thank you both very much for this info!
I'll get to reading the mansell link and look into buy One Thousand Days in Siberia for sure.

For non-Nisei, I found out Sam Dreben ("The Fighting Jew"), a naturalized American, attempted to join the Imperial Japanese military during the Russo-Japanese war, but was denied.
As far as I'm still aware Douglas R. Cassel, James R. Wasson and Henry W. Grinnell are the only non-Nisei Americans to have served/fought in the Imperial Japanese military. However I hope to find other individuals!

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