Scope and Contents
The collection is comprised of three volumes memorializing Japanese-American soldiers from Hawaii who died and/or participated in World War II and the Korean War. The volumes were translated into English by the Reverend Jitsunin Kawanishi (1929-) and Aiko Tottori, Bishop Tottori's wife.
The first volume consists primarily of copies of information on the life of Bishop Tottori, information on the translator of the volume, Reverend Jitsunin Kawanishi, as well as copies of photographs of Bishop Tottori's original memorial notebooks. The first volume is divided into thirteen sections: foreword, preface, biography of Bishop Mitsumyo Tottori, acknowledgement, introduction, Platform for the Hungry Ghost and Bishop Mitsumyo Tottori, World War II Casualties, Korean Conflict, Aja Military Men Stationed Around the World, Tōba memorial Tablets, Kinen Mei Bo (Prayer book of Names), Buddhist Sutras and O-Ihai Memorial Tablets.
The second volume contains photocopies of English translations of Hawaiian Nisei soldiers killed in combat during World War II. The notebook is divided into six sections: Introduction, Notebook 1, Notebook 2, Notebook 3, index by last name and index by hometown. Notebook 1 (September 1943 to June 1944), Notebook 2 (July 1944 to November 1944, and Notebook 3 (November 944 to November 1949) contain rosters of deceased soldiers that are arranged chronologically. Each solider entry in the roster consists of a Buddhist name or 'kaimyo" given by Bishop Tottori, a religious affiliation if known, name, rank and date of death, address or hometown, relationship to the deceased, petition for prayer and address or hometown of the petitioner.
The third volume is made up of photocopies of the original memorial notebooks of Tottori for all Japanese Americans who served during the Korean Conflict, including one notebook of those who died. Each page is followed by an English translation. The volume is divided into these sections: Korean Conflict Casualties, Index, Notebook I, Notebook II, Notebook III Notebook IV, Notebook V, Notebook VI, Notebook VII, and Index. The Korean Conflict Casualties are Notebook IV of the prayer files from the previous volume. Included, if available, are the soldier's name, date of death, age, address or hometown, and the person requesting the prayers. Notebooks I (1950 July), II (1950), III (1951), IV (October 24, 1951), VI, and VII (July 21, 1953) are prayer books for draftees and volunteers. If provided, the soldier's name, age or date of birth, date of enlistment, hometown or home address, and name of person requesting the prayers was included. The last notebook is unnumbered and was part of a combined prayer ceremony to dedicate the prayer book of names from August 2, 1958 to the Japanese American soldiers stationed around the world; many of them in Vietnam and Japan. There are two indexes in this volume and they list the soldiers alphabetically by last name and their location by notebook and page number.
