Mr. Osumi tells his father’s life story: WWII a life interned

December 16, 2016

Many praise the heroes of war, the stories told through generations and generations. The stories passed down through the generations in textbooks and lessons taught in different classrooms across the world in slightly varying ways millions and millions of times. The stories of heroes fallen in war for their countries, the heroes who made great escapes and brave sacrifices. What about the stories passed down through the years by a yellowed newspaper clipping laminated by the proud great-great grandparents who came before us? The piece of newspaper that few have seen, few have heard of. Sometimes, there is new newspaper. Only the smile of our elders, the wrinkle in the corner of the eye as they tell the stories of times past; the breaking voice and the tear in the eyes of our relatives as they tell us of the struggles and the people in a time before us. We forget the quiet ones. The ones who fought hard through injustices, the ones put away for crimes they did not commit simply because of concern that they were too powerful, and the color of their skin.

One man, Reverend Paul Osumi, a man of Japanese descent, was well-liked in the community. A Christian minister with an article in the Honolulu Advertiser that ran for 35 years, six days a week, with examples of how people could lead happier, more fulfilling lives. A man who was educated, having gone to school at the University of Hawaii in Manoa and continuing on to get his Master’s degree in theology at the University of Southern California. He was fluent in both Japanese and English, and he used these skills to help the less educated in communicating with the Japanese Consulate, which those born in Japan had to do. Those born in Japan had to inform the consulate of births and deaths in the family, and after the war begun, many wished to renounce their Japanese citizenship, as they were not loyal to Japan and did not want to go back and fight for Japan, as the law required them to. Reverend Osumi assisted those in writing to the consulate, as he was intelligent and bilingual.

However, in doing this, the United States government became watchful of his actions. On December 7th, 1941, Japan dropped bombs on Pearl Harbor, signifying the day the United States became involved in World War II. On this day, Reverend Paul Osumi was picked up and taken to Old Wailua Prison on “suspicion of being an enemy agent.” Along with him were forty other men the United States government perceived as a possible threat with loyalties to Japan. The previously compiled list consisted of those influential in the Japanese community, such as Buddhist priests, fishermen, principals, teachers, and those with education in Japan.They were considered a threat, as they could speak Japanese and some were close to Japan. Reverend Osumi was a threat to America because he could speak Japanese and communicated regularly with the Japanese consulate.

Such an unfair case was unfortunately common during World War II in the Japanese-American community. Though widespread, they are not mentioned nearly as much as they should be. The story of Reverend Paul Osumi would have been a shallow story, lost in the abyss of time had it not been for his son, Norman Osumi. In his goal to become closer to his father after his passing, he discovered more about his history in the internment camps. In an effort to pass down his knowledge to the next generation, he visits classes like mine on a mission to pass down the stories not printed in textbooks, but a story of a man who suffered alongside others because the country considered home turned on them.

Thanks to Mr. Osumi’s deep and dedicated research, he discovered that his father had been questioned after his arrest. It was determined that the Reverend was not loyal to Japan and should not be held in custody any longer. However, the rule of the board was overturned by the United States government. Upon asking why, Mr. Osumi was told that the FBI records as to why the rule was overturned had been destroyed, and his story continues. Reverend Osumi himself and many other trusted, important men wrote the government, saying they picked up the wrong man, and others saying they would vouch for his loyalty. Records show the letters were received, but never answered. Reverend Osumi was relocated to Sand Island Internment Camp, and later to Lordsburg Internment Camp in New Mexico. He was interned with other innocent Japanese men, as well as German and Japanese spies. The internment camps, he taught us, were not like relocation camps, where Japanese families lived. The internment camps were for prisoners of war. No one could be sure why the Japaneses men, held only by a “suspicion” and a racial bias, were held with men convicted of crimes against America. The Japanese-Americans were loyal to America; this country was home. Mr. Osumi told us that it was a rude awakening for many Japanese; America did not consider them a part of the country like they felt they were. To America, they were Japanese, not American.

A Reverend in the Gila Relocation Camp wrote the state asking for Reverend Osumi to be paroled to his custody in Gila, where he moved to help teach English in the youth program. On the West coast, entire families had been plucked from their lives and placed in internment camps, uprooting them and causing them to lose everything. When Reverend Osumi fell ill with Valley Fever, another member in the camp who became close friends with the Osumis cared for him. Soon, they wrote to the rest of his family, his wife and two children, saying he was unwell and should come out to Gila, and they moved to Gila to be with him. The Osumis remained in the camp together until the war was over, when they began the tedious process of requesting to go back home to Hawaii, where the resumed their normal lives.

Mr. Osumi wrote a book in his father’s honor, telling the untold stories of the men in the internment camps. The men who were never convicted of any crimes or disloyalty against America. A total of 980 Japanese-American citizens were uprooted from their lives and treated like enemies by the country they considered home, yet never did anyone once express a grudge against America for what had taken place. Countless of the internees did not speak of what happened, as they considered it a disgrace. The victims of this should not feel disgraced; it is the government with its bias of Japanese who should feel disgraced. These men were nothing but loyal and determined to prove it. The men who were treated like criminals should not feel as if it were their fault the country took such advantage of its power over them and treated them like they were less than human, treated them as if they were less than loyal citizens of the country. Not one of the nearly 1000 Japanese- American citizens were convicted of being disloyal; not one was convicted of being anything other than Japanese. America was worried of the intellect and influence of the people who spoke Japanese, not once asking what positive influence these people have on many other’s lives. Reverend Osumi’s section in the paper, Today’s Thought, was loved by many. My grandmother would cut out the section and keep them, sometimes even sending them to my mother, who at the time was in college in Philadelphia, as a reminder of her love and how she could improve her life.

Those little yellow laminated sections of paper live on in my grandmother’s den. They serve as a deeper reminder to me now, as well. A reminder to never forget, as Mr. Osumi taught us, as he showed us a large poster board printed with impossibly small letters with the names of those who were interned, with a watermark of “Never Forget” and black barbed wire and his own father’s name highlighted in orange. It reminds me to not forget of the untold war, the one fought quietly day in and day out, by those loyal to this country, though they were at the same time being oppressed by it. Forever will this lesson be in my heart, and forever will I, and I’m sure his father, be grateful for his passion and his dedication to being sure his father’s side is heard.

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    Allison MikuniJan 2, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    Kaela, thank you for writing this story! I was a huge fan of Today’s Thought from Reverend Osumi and I looked for it in the newspaper all my life until he passed away in 1996 when I was 28 years old. The quotes and inspirations he shared helped me keep life in perspective. I am glad his son Norman Osumi went to your school to tell his story. I hope he will go to all Hawaii high schools. I did not know Reverend Osumi was interred during World War II. Thank you for telling his story in such great detail and describing the sacrifices he and his family had to make. It is incredible that in spite of all of that hardship he became such a positive person and did not get consumed with bitterness. There is a great episode of Hawaii Five-O about the Honouliuli interment camp and I hope everyone will watch it on Netflix. The episode name is Hoonani Makuakane and it was on Season 4, Episode 10. The crime presented is fictional, but the episode explores issues that were raised by events from that era in history.

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    Matt WongDec 16, 2016 at 10:13 am

    Kaela, you have a knack for storytelling and figurative language that engages your readers. Glad to see you are hitting your stride in newswriting class. Thanks for sharing your personal connection and new knowledge you learned from Mr. Osumi’s visit.

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