Letters from the Front: Messages to His Family

When we began dismantling Shinkichi Tajiri’s home and studios, we started by sorting through everything room by room. The first step was deciding what to keep and what to discard. Within the “keep” pile, we made a rough division between items that would belong in the archive and those that were of a more personal nature.

Because Shinkichi often reused boxes, envelopes, and folders, the contents rarely matched their labels. This made it essential to go through every item carefully, without assuming what might be inside. Not every artist maintains a clear archival system, and while Shinkichi probably knew exactly where things were at the time, it was not always obvious to us.

In one unused fireplace in the studio, we came across a cardboard box filled with papers. A thick layer of dust had collected on top. To most people, this would have looked like nothing more than old paper destined for the trash. Just to be sure, we went through it, and we were glad we did.

At the bottom of the box, we discovered several envelopes containing letters and telegrams dating back to 1943. Among them were letters Shinkichi wrote to his family while serving in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team during the Second World War. Some were sent while his family was still interned in Poston, Arizona, and others arrived after the war.

Shinkichi Tajiri (second left) visiting his family in Poston, Arizona, 1944

Shinkichi Tajiri, Italy, 29 January 1945

In his earliest letters, Shinkichi signed as “George”. For many Nisei, or second generation Japanese Americans, it was common to use an Anglo American name, since their Japanese names were often considered difficult or inconvenient. After World War Two, however, Shinkichi used only his Japanese name.

Letter from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother, 31 October 1943

Letter from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother, 31 October 1943

One letter, dated October 31, 1943, describes how his unit took a proficiency test and they scored 95, the highest recorded in the course. They also outperformed the 69th Infantry Regiment in target shooting ability. Their performance was so impressive that other American divisions asked them to repeat the test, convinced the results could not be real. This small detail from a single letter reveals how determined and capable the unit already was during its training days.

Telegram from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother to inform her he was wounded, July 1944

Telegram from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother about the Purple Heart.

Among the telegrams was one informing his mother that he had been wounded in combat and was recovering in hospital. In another letter, written a few months later, he tells her that he was glad she had received his Purple Heart.

His words highlight the sacrifices made by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a unit that went on to fight in seven major European campaigns. Known as the “Purple Heart Battalion,” it became the most decorated American military unit for its size and length of service. The regiment earned more than 18,000 individual decorations, including 21 Medals of Honor, over 4,000 Purple Hearts, and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Letter from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother, 1950

Letter from Shinkichi Tajiri to his mother, 1950

Not all the letters were about the war. Shinkichi also wrote about visiting cathedrals in Rome and discovering European art. In one letter dated 1950, he tells his mother he met Henry Moore in London. Moore even asked Shinkichi’s advice on a seven foot plaster figure he was working on. In the same letter, he mentions meeting Jacob Epstein the day before, describing him as extremely kind and eager to know how he could support him.

The letters, sent back to Shinkichi by his brother Tom many years later, provide a remarkable insight into his life: the routines of training camp, his travels during furlough, and his first steps as an artist.