The collection comprises photograph albums created by Tomoo Ogita, a Japanese American who was born and raised in Los Angeles, California in the 1920s and 1930s. He was associated with Granada Relocation Center in the 1940s and served as special language and psychological consultant to the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey in Hiroshima during the allied occupation of Japan. The albums span several decades, reflecting the dramatic life changes experienced by many Japanese Americans during World War II. The collection contains over 5000 images.

Tomoo Ogita was born in Los Angeles, California on February 23, 1924 to Japanese-born parents. During his youth he attended public school in Los Angeles and was also educated at a private Japanese language school. He attended classes at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor where he also taught Japanese in the Oriental Language Department. Photographic evidence places him at the Granada Relocation Center in Amache, Colorado in 1943. Whether or not Tomoo Ogita was interned or was simply assisting with the resettlement is uncertain, but his family appears to have been interned. In September 1945 Ogita was sent to Hiroshima as part of the Allied occupation of Japan where he served as special language and psychological consultant to the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey. Following that project, he was assigned to the Civil Information and Education Section of General Headquarters, Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Tokyo as researcher of cultural assets. At the close of his government career he worked in Korea for the U.S. Army's 7th Psychological Operations Group. While working in Asia, Ogita also formally studied the art and cultures of the Far East, learned Chinese and Korean, and served as the English language editor of the Journal of Japanese Archaeology.

3 linear feet (7 boxes)

Property rights reside with the University of California. Copyrights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

The collection is open for research. Although the loose photographs have been sleeved, photographs in albums are unprotected; researchers must wear gloves when using this collection.