Friday, December 13, 2013

Getting The Word Out! Via Dr. Morris Lai


Aloha,
Here is a link to the web video on the College of Ed CRDG produced book Reflections of Honor: The Untold Story of a Nisei Spy:
http://www.hawaii.edu/news/2013/12/13/the-untold-story-of-a-nisei-spy/

Please post wherever possible and share with as many people as possible via email and social media as soon as possible. The book has just been released.
The story is also posted on the UH System homepage hawaii.edu.
Thank you to Helen Au of CRDG for bringing the book to our attention after I spoke at last week Thursdayʻs UH Mānoa communicators meeting. The production of this video would not have been possible without her drive, guidance and timely responses.

Also, please take the time to view the video. It was a very unique project. The Media Production office has produced 147 videos since video operations started 18 months ago and this is probably our proudest achievement.
Thank you and Happy Holidays,

--
Daniel Meisenzahl
Director of Media Production
External Affairs and University Relations
University of Hawaii System
2444 Dole Street, Bachman Annex 2
Honolulu, HI  96822
Phone:  (808) 956-5941
Cell: (808) 348-4936
Fax:  (808) 956-3441
Email: dmeisenz@hawaii.edu
“It’s the story about how one man, could do so much, despite the very trying circumstances,” said Morris Lai, principal investigator for the book, published by the Curriculum Research and Development Group of the UH Mānoa College of Education. Reflections of Honor is based on Komori’s hand written journal, an oral history interview and declassified army documents.


Arthur Komori, a Nisei from Hawai‘i, was one of two Japanese Americans recruited to the US Army Counter Intelligence Corps (CIC) to pose as Japanese sympathizers and spy on Japan’s activities in Manila in the months leading up to World War II. When the war started, this Nisei served his country as a translator and undercover agent both on the front lines and behind the scenes in General MacArthur’s headquarters, even while at home over 120,000 Japanese Americans were interned in relocation camps.

More than just a spy, Komori’s varied responsibilities also included interrogating prisoners of war and helping to train new linguist recruits and prepare them for work in the Pacific. Komori was also with MacArthur when he retook the Philippines and was in Tokyo Bay to witness the surrender of the Japanese to the Allied Powers. Fortunately, Komori recorded his story in journals, reports, and even poetry. This long overdue account of a decorated Military Intelligence Hall of Fame inductee reveals an important chapter in the history of Japanese Americans during World War II.