| Asian American Comparative Collection (AACC) University of Idaho 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 1111 Moscow, Idaho 83844-1111 USA 208-885-7075 |
Priscilla Wegars, Ph.D., Volunteer Curator pwegars@uidaho.edu Renae Campbell, M.A., RPA, Research Assistant rjcampbell@uidaho.edu |
Justice Department and U.S. Army Internment Camps and Detention Stations in the U.S. during World War II
|
Name1, Location |
Numbers; Composition |
Date Open/Closed |
References,2 Comments, |
|
Agnew State Hospital, CA |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
Akron, OH |
Unknown; German aliens (and others?); 3M |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85/ Entry 271 |
|
Algiers, LA |
150; German and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 252; NARA RG 85/ Entry 271 |
|
Angel Island, San Francisco Bay, CA (see Fort McDowell) |
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|
Asheville, NC |
Unknown; Japanese diplomatic personnel and families; Grove Park Inn |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
|
Assembly Inn (see Montreat, NC) |
|||
|
Bedford, PA |
Unknown, unknown |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Bismarck, ND (see Fort Lincoln) |
|||
|
Boston, MA (see East Boston) |
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|
Brighton, MA |
Unknown; unknown; Marine Hospital |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Camp Blanding, FL |
200; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256-257, 261 |
|
Camp Kalaheo, Kauai, HI |
Japanese |
Unknown |
Saiki viii |
|
Camp Chaffee, AZ |
Unknown; German aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257 |
|
Camp Clark, MO |
Unknown; Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257 |
|
Camp Crossville, TN |
Unknown; German and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257, 261 |
|
Camp Forrest, TN |
Unknown; Japanese, German, Italian, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257 |
|
Camp Livingston, Alexandria, LA |
571; Japanese aliens |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177; a.k.a. Livingston, Camp Livingston |
|
Camp McCoy, near Sparta, WI |
860; Japanese, German, Italian, and other aliens, also Japanese POWs |
Unknown |
Kashima 256-257, 261-262; Weglyn 176-177 |
|
Camp Shelby, MS |
1,200; Japanese and others |
Unknown |
Kashima 256, 259 |
|
Camp Upton, NY |
1,000; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 256 |
|
Cascade Inn (see Hot Springs, VA) |
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|
Chicago, IL |
158; Japanese, German, and other aliens in a private residence, House of the Good Shepherd |
Unknown |
Clark 25; Kashima 252, 264; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Chicago, IL(2) |
Unknown; unknown; U.S. Marine Hospital |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, and Pacific Railroad, East Portal, MT |
Unknown; probably Italian |
Unknown |
Brown |
|
Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Railroad, Missoula, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Gang. No. 109 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Cincinnati, OH |
75; German, Italian, and other aliens in parcel post building |
Unknown |
Kashima 252 |
|
Clarinda, IA |
Unknown; Japanese aliens, also Japanese POWs |
Unknown |
Kashima 261-262 |
|
Cleveland, OH(1) |
45; German and Italian aliens in former police precinct |
Unknown |
Kashima 252 |
|
Cleveland, OH(2) |
Unknown; unknown; House of the Good Shepherd |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Convent of the Good Shepherd [see Los Angeles, CA(1); Chicago, IL(1), East Boston, MA; Cleveland, OH(2); Milwaukee, WI] |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
|
Crystal City, TX |
3,326; Japanese aliens and Japanese Americans (2,200), German Americans (1,000), Italian Americans (a few), Puerto Ricans, Alaskans, Hawaiians, Latin Americans, West Indians, all as families |
11/1942-11/1947 or 12/1947 or 2/1948 |
"Family camp"; Clark 13, 19; Mangione 334; Niiya 125; "Japanese conjugal camp," Christgau 39 |
|
Detroit, MI |
Unknown; German and Japanese aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 252; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Doctor's Hospital, Washington, DC |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
East Boston, MA |
Unknown; German, Japanese, and other aliens; House of the Good Shepherd |
Unknown |
Kashima 252, 264; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Ellis Island, NY |
Unknown; German (mostly), Italian, Japanese, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Clark 25; Kashima 252; NARA RG 85, Entry 271; Weglyn 176 |
|
Florence, AZ |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
1/1942-Unknown |
Former military post, Clark 11 |
|
Fort Bliss, TX |
1,350; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256, 259 |
|
Fort Bragg, NC |
140; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 256 |
|
Fort De[s] Moines, IA |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Fort Devens, MA |
1,000; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 256 |
|
Fort Howard, MD |
200; Japanese and German aliens, in old army barracks |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Fort Leonard Wood, MO |
Unknown; Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257 |
|
Fort Lewis, near Tacoma, WA |
315; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256-257, 259 |
|
Fort Lincoln, Bismarck, ND |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (1,121 maximum); German aliens |
1942-1/1946 |
Japanese only to 12/1942, German only to 1945, then both; Clark 17; Mangione 324; Weglyn 177 |
|
Fort Livingston, LA (see Camp Livingston) |
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|
Fort MacArthur, Long Beach, CA |
500; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256, 259 |
|
Fort McClellan, Calhoun, AL |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Fort McDowell, San Francisco, CA |
500; Japanese, German and Italian aliens; also Japanese POWs |
Unknown |
Saiki 75; Kashima 257, 262; Weglyn 176 |
|
Fort McPherson, GA |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Fort Meade, MD |
1,680; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens, also Japanese POWs |
Unknown |
Kashima 256-257, 262; Weglyn 177 |
|
Fort Missoula, MT |
Over 2,000; Japanese aliens (1,000+), Italian aliens (1,300), German aliens (perhaps 127 maximum) |
4/1941-7/1944 |
Van Valkenberg 1, 3, 13, 32, 48-49, 82, 85, 110 |
|
Fort Oglethorpe, GA |
948; German, Italian, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256 |
|
Fort Richardson, AK |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
|
Fort Sam Houston, TX |
1,000; Japanese, German, Italian, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256, 259; Van Valkenberg 109 |
|
Fort Screven, Chatham, GA |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Fort Sill, near Lawton, OK |
700; Japanese and German aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 256, 258; Van Valkenberg 102; Weglyn 177 |
|
Fort Stanton, NM |
Unknown; German (primarily) and Japanese (a few) aliens |
1942-1945 or 1946 |
Sometimes confused with Old Raton Ranch Camp; Clark 17, 19; "segregation camp for the most rabid Nazis," Christgau 39 |
|
Gloucester City, NJ |
Unknown; Japanese, German, Italian, Hungarian, and other aliens, including some women for a short time |
Unknown |
Kashima 252; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Blacktail, MT |
Unknown; probably Italian; Gang No. 3 |
Unknown |
Brown |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Flathead, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Gang No. 3 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Granite, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Crew No. 6 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Lewis and Clark, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Crew No. 5 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Mineral, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Gang No. 2 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Great Northern Railroad, Powell, MT |
Unknown; unknown; Gang No. 5 |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Greenbrier (see White Sulphur Springs, WV) |
|
|
|
|
Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA |
Unknown; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens |
3/1942-Unknown |
Kashima 257, 259 |
|
Grove Park Inn (see Asheville, NC) |
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|
Haiku Internment Camp, Maui, HI |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Niiya 304; Saiki viii |
|
Hartford, CT |
50; unknown; in a community center |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Hershey, PA |
Unknown; unknown; Hershey Hotel |
Unknown |
Harrison; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Homestead, Hot Springs, VA |
Unknown; Japanese diplomatic personnel and families |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
|
Honouliuli, Ewa, Oahu, HI |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Niiya 304; Saiki viii, Weglyn 177 |
|
Hot Springs, VA |
Unknown; Japanese diplomatic personnel and families; Cascade Inn and/or The Homestead |
Unknown |
Kashima 264; Weglyn 177 |
|
House of the Good Shepherd [see Los Angeles, CA(1); Chicago, IL(1), East Boston, MA; Cleveland, OH(2); Milwaukee, WI] |
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|
Houston, TX |
26; unknown; in former police station |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Ingleside Hotel (see Staunton, VA) |
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|
Kalaheo (see Camp Kalaheo, HI) |
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|
Kansas City, MO |
20; German and Italian aliens; in municipal building |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Kenedy, TX |
2,700; mostly Japanese and German alien men, some Italians; 19 miscellaneous nationalities represented, particularly Latin Americans, also Japanese POWs |
3/1942-9/1944 |
Clark 17; Christgau 39; Kashima 262; Mangione 327 |
|
Kooskia, ID |
267; all Japanese alien men except for 2 internee doctors; 1 Italian and 1 German |
5/1943-5/1945 |
Wegars 2 |
|
Lexington, Ky |
Unknown; Japanese (2), German, and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Lordsburg, NM |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Kashima 257; Weglyn 176 |
|
Los Angeles, CA(1) |
Unknown; unknown; Convent/House of the Good Shepherd |
Unknown |
Kashima 264; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Los Angeles, CA(2) (see Griffith Park) |
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|
Madigan Hospital, WA |
Unknown; unknown; Japanese POWs |
Kashima 262 |
|
|
Massachusetts State Hospital (see North Grafton, MA) |
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|
McAlester, OK |
Unknown; Italian and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257 |
|
Miami, FL |
80; German and Italian aliens in part of sports stadium |
Unknown |
Kashima 252-253 |
|
Milwaukee, WI |
Unknown; unknown; House of the Good Shepherd |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Montreat, NC |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?); Assembly Inn |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
|
Nanticoke, PA |
100; unknown; in state armory |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
New Orleans, LA |
Unknown; unknown; parish prison |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
Niagara Falls, NY |
40; German, in former immigration station |
Unknown |
Kashima 253; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
North Grafton, MA |
Unknown; unknown; Massachusetts State Hospital |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
Northern Pacific Extra Gang No. 2, St. Regis, MT |
Unknown; probably Italian |
Unknown |
Brown |
|
Northern Pacific Railroad, Fargo, ND |
Unknown; German and other aliens; Gang No. 5 |
Unknown |
Northern Pacific Railroad; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Northern Pacific Gang No. 5, Winston, MT |
Unknown; probably Italian |
Unknown |
Brown |
|
Old Raton Ranch Camp, NM3 |
Unknown; Japanese aliens and Japanese Americans |
1/1942-9/1942 |
Clark 17-18 |
|
Phoenix, AZ |
Unknown; unknown; city jail |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
Pittsburgh, PA |
400; unknown; in state armory |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Portland, OR |
60; Japanese, German, and Italian aliens in county jail wing |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Roswell, NM |
Unknown; German aliens |
9/20/1942-Unknown |
Kashima 257, 259 |
|
Salt Lake City, UT |
100; Japanese, German, Italian, and other aliens in county jail wing |
Unknown |
Kashima 253; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Sand Island, Honolulu Harbor, Oahu, HI |
Unknown; mostly Japanese alien and Japanese American men, some Germans and Italians, and "women of various nationalities" |
12/1941-31943 |
Army-run; Niiya 304; saiki viii, 30; Weglyn 177 |
|
San Francisco, CA |
Unknown; unknown; Marine Hospital |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
San Pedro, CA |
Unknown; unknown |
Unknown |
Kashima 263 |
|
Santa Fe, NM |
2,100 - 4,555; mostly or exclusively Japanese alien men |
3/1942-9/1942; 2/1943-5/1946 |
Clark 14; Niiya 176; 305-306 |
|
Seabrook Farms, Seabrook, NJ |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Postwar "relaxed internment" for aliens; Clark 19, 25 |
|
Seagoville, Dallas, TX |
About 700; mostly female aliens and couples; Japanese and German; some Latin Americans; "only" women |
4/1942-6/1945 |
Former women's prison; Clark 13, Mangione 334, 336-337; Niiya 176 |
|
Seattle, WA |
Unknown; Japanese, German, Italian, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 252 |
|
Sharp Park, San Francisco vicinity, CA |
450; German, Italian, Japanese, and other aliens in former state relief camp |
Unknown |
Clark 9; Kashima 253; NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Spokane, WA |
Unknown; German (mostly) and Italian aliens |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Staunton, VA |
Unknown; unknown; Ingleside Hotel |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
St. Louis, MO |
30; unknown; in county jail wing |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
St. Paul, MN |
30; unknown; in county jail |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Stringtown, OK |
Unknown; Japanese, German, and other aliens |
Unknown |
Kashima 257, 259; Weglyn 177 |
|
Syracuse, NY |
25; unknown; in former fire station |
Unknown |
Kashima 253 |
|
Taunton, MA |
Unknown; unknown; Massachusetts State Hospital |
Unknown |
Kashima 264 |
|
3M, Akron, OH |
Unknown; German aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
Tullahoma, TN |
Unknown; Japanese aliens (and others?) |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
|
Tuna Canyon, Tujunga, CA |
200; Japanese, German, Italian, and perhaps other aliens in former CCC camp |
Unknown |
Kashima 253; NARA RG 85, Entry 271; Weglyn 176 |
|
U.S. Marine Hospital [see Chicago, IL(2)] |
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|
Washington, DC |
Unknown; German and Italian aliens; St. Elizabeth's Hospital |
Unknown |
NARA RG 85, Entry 271 |
|
White Sulphur Springs, WV |
Unknown; Japanese diplomatic personnel and families; The Greenbrier |
Unknown |
Weglyn 177 |
1Names of the INS camps vary somewhat depending on what source is consulted; no one reference lists them all.
2References: Brown is FVB to SG, July 29, 1943, together with FVB to FFT, July 29, 1943; E291, 1000/F, RG85, NARA I; Clark is Paul Frederick Clark, "Those Other Camps: An Oral History Analysis of Japanese Alien Enemy Internment during World War II" (master's thesis, California State University, Fullerton, 1980); Christgau is John Christgau, "Enemies:" World War II Alien Internment (Ames: Iowa State University, 1985); Harrison is EGH, Administrative Letter No. 150 to the INS, E291, 1000/K(4), September 20, 1943; RG85, NARA I.; Kashima is Tetsuden Kashima, Judgment without Trial: Japanese American Imprisonment during World War II (Seattle: University of Washington, 2003); Mangione is Jerre Mangione, An Ethnic at Large: A Memoir of America in the Thirties and Forties (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1978); NARA is Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service, Civilian Alien Enemies In Custody - February 29, 1944, June 30, 1944, and December 31, 1944; all E271, Box 2, RG85, NARA I; Niiya is Brian Niiya, ed., Japanese American History: An A-to-Z Reference from 1868 to the Present (New York: Facts on File, 1993); Saiki is Patsy Sumie Saiki, Ganbare! An Example of Japanese Spirit (Honolulu: Kisaku, 1982); Wegars is Priscilla Wegars, Golden State Meets Gem State: Californians at Idaho's Kooskia Internment Camp, 1943-1945 (Moscow, ID: Kooskia Internment Camp Project, 2002), which erroneously states that both doctors were German; Weglyn is Michi Weglyn, Years of Infamy: The Untold Story of America's Concentration Camps (New York: William Morrow, 1976).
3Old Raton Ranch Camp, New Mexico, is sometimes confused with nearby Fort Stanton, and one government document refers to it as "Old Raton Ranch Camp, Fort Stanton, NM," "[Inventory of] Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service," "Part III, "Records of Enemy Alien Internment Facilities," October 11, 1989, no. 306, p. 71, NARA I. However, Clark, "Those Other Camps," 69, clearly states that "Old Raton Ranch Camp [was] near [emphasis added] Fort Stanton."