Norito Nagao studied at the Military Intelligence Service Language School (MISLS) in 1943. After graduation, he completed basic training and special air force intelligence training in Florida. As a member of the intelligence team attached to the Far East Air Force, Nagao translated enemy documents from his quarters in Leyte, Philippines.
<br><br>In collaboration with U.S. ground forces, Nagao's team helped to root out Japanese forces that were entrenched in tunnels in the Philippine hills. More than once the men encountered heavy enemy fire and artillery shells showering down from the hilltops. Searching the tunnels, the men found items of intelligence value such as Japanese aircraft manuals. Nagao's linguistic skills also enabled the U.S. soldiers to analyze various metal identification plates found on abandoned aircraft. With these types of information, U.S. forces were well aware of the production capabilities of Japanese aircraft plants.
<br><br>After the Luzon assignment, Nagano and his team relocated to Manila where they monitored the movement of Japanese vessels along the Asian seacoast. When the war ended, Nagao went to Japan to join the Occupation forces. Though his primary duty was to be an interpreter, he also became involved in inspecting antiaircraft weapons and surveying weather bureau facilities in Korea.
<br><br>After completing active duty, Nagao returned to Japan in 1946 to work as a civilian member of the U.S. Civil Service. He worked with the communications detachment and later as interrogator of select Japanese personnel returning from Siberian prison camps and Chinese prisoners of war.
