Answering the U.S. Army's call for volunteers to join the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Dan Nakatsu left his sophomore year at the University of Hawaii to become a member of the unit. Because of his physical condition, however, he could not participate along with the other members in the European campaigns. Instead, he joined the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) and at age 19 became one of the leaders of the linguist teams that shipped to the Pacific.
<br><br><BLOCKQUOTE><I>
I recall standing on the fantail and just something--deep thought and vowing to myself: "This is it, no matter what happens I'm going to do my bit. Even if I have to die doing it. I've got to do it....That same kind of thinking or feeling must have existed in so many others of that journey.
</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<br><br>His first assignment with the MIS led him to the Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Area (JICPOA) in his native Hawaii. As Nakatsu recalls, most of the MIS members from Hawaii received assignments with JICPOA. Assignment on U.S. land was not so easy, however, as he and the others had to endure heavy jungle training that Nakatsu believes was "tougher than any actual combat experience."
<br><br><BLOCKQUOTE><I>
Just visualize having to cross a fairly deep valley at night, no matches, no flashlights, no lights allowed, with full equipment on a moonless night...To get across the valley through this jungle-like condanimus [referring to the condanimus tree, which has spiny leaves and tangled roots] growth....This was a real jungle....A lot of men broke their legs trying to do this.
</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<br><br>After his work with JICPOA, Nakatsu served in various commands, including the Central Pacific and the Southwest Pacific. Nakatsu's team of linguists conducted interrogation work while another team did mostly translations. From time to time, both teams were given special assignments such as intercepting Japanese telephone messages. Nakatsu recalls that at times, the humane approach the MIS men took in interrogating the prisoners of war worked to the interrogator's advantage.
<br><br><BLOCKQUOTE><I>
He [the prisoner] had never believed that the enemy would be so kind. That he was so thoroughly impressed by what we were doing, our attitude, and our humane treatment which was counter to everything else that they had been taught about how you are supposed to effect with treatment of prisoners that he wanted to cooperate fully. 
</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<br><br>In one instance, such cooperation and willingness to divulge information led to a full description of the Japanese code system--extremely valuable intelligence for the U.S. side. Having been given orders to "go all the way with this POW," Nakatsu spent three days listening and learning the code from the prisoner.
<br><br><BLOCKQUOTE><I>
I literally wrote a thesis on what he told me as accurately as I could. You can imagine how much time and attention I spent on this. And I gave it to G-2....the Colonel sent his report...to other U.S. Army Headquarters or Corps Headquarters....To him, this was terribly important, vital information that could be useful to all U.S. units facing the Japanese.
</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<br><br>As fate would have it, when the report circulated, Nakatsu's commanding officer received the following message: "Destroy all copies [of the report] immediately without fail. We already know the system."
<br><br>On Leyte, Philippines, Nakatsu found himself in danger not only from the enemy but at times from those on the U.S. side: Filipino guerrillas and GIs would mistake him for a Japanese soldier.
<br><br><BLOCKQUOTE><I>
As I was walking upstream with my back to the bridge, a Filipino refugee...called the guard and excitedly pointed to me as being an enemy soldier. This guard raised his M1 and drew a bead on me. Luckily a GI sergeant was right behind me, that is, next in line and close to the bridge, and happened to look up and saw what was happening and he yelled at the guard, "Hold your fire! He's one of us!" When I came downstream, the guard told me, "I almost shot you." Of course, he did not fire but that's how we were, not so much in danger of being hurt by enemy fire, but being killed by our own side, including guerrillas.
</I></BLOCKQUOTE>
<br><br>After Leyte, Nakatsu joined action in the Battle of Okinawa. Attached to the 24th Army Corps, Nakatsu and the other linguists one day received a Japanese artillery officer's belongings. Among the items was a map of Okinawa that was of immense value for the American troops. Prior to this find, the U.S. forces had a map that showed only general indications of crucial landmarks such as mountains and hills. In contrast, the captured map contained the minutest details and contours of the entire island, and even included notations in Japanese indicating some of the heavy artillery positions. Nakatsu had four of his best translators work all night on the map. Within days, 12,000 copies of the translated map were circulated to various troops on the island.
<br><br>After the war, Nakatsu joined the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) in Tokyo as a leader of a translation team. After separation from the Army, Nakatsu worked in advertising and public relations for Japan Airlines. Years after the war experience, he comments, "Even today these experiences keep on coming back to me vividly. Sometimes, I see them in my dreams."
