Soon after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the Morikawa family voluntarily moved from their home in Northern California to Colorado, thereby avoiding internment in the detention camps. Later, Eddie Morikawa worked various jobs, including farm labor, grocery clerk, and at a manufacturer of bolts and washers in Chicago. In late 1944, he was inducted into the Army and later moved on to the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) at Fort Snelling. By the time he completed his language training the war had ended, and his skills as a language specialist were needed in the Occupation of Japan.
<br><br>After enrolling in a technical school in Missouri, Morikawa was recalled to active duty and reported to the language school at the Presidio of Monterey for a refresher course in Japanese. He later worked as an agent finance officer in the 7th Infantry Division in Japan. His duties in Japan led him to many prefectures and cities, including Fukui, Toyama, Gifu, Aichi, Nagoya, Wakayama, Nara, Maizuru, Suita, and Osaka: "Most of these places were in the rebuilding process but Eddie heard agonizing and devastating stories from prefecture to prefecture."
<br><br>In Japan, he underwent many different assignments including one that took him to Pusan, Korea, with the IPW (Interrogation Prisoners of War) team headed by Lt. Sukeo Oji. Primary duties of the IPW team were to interrogate prisoners of war and to translate enemy documents. It was with the 2nd Infantry Division that Morikawa and others fought massive enemy forces and were met with heavy mortars, grenades, and other military fire. At the end of November 1950, for instance, the entire division was surrounded by enemy troops and trapped for two days. Suffering from loss in both men and equipment, the division finally was able to go south of the 38th Parallel for reinforcement. In the end, the team had obtained valuable information on enemy units, including their mission, strength, equipment, and positions.
<br><br>In December 1952, Morikawa separated from active service with the rank of 1st Lieutenant. He was awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation, Bronze Star, United Nations Service Medal, and the Korean Service Medal with 5 Bronze Campaign Stars. 
