About the Collection
Korean War Collection: Korean War Veterans Association Collection
Introduction to the Commanders in the Korean War Collections
The Korean War, a conflict between the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), resulted in the loss of at least 2.5 million lives. The war escalated to international proportions in June 1950 when North Korea, backed by the Soviet Union, invaded the South. The United Nations, led by the United States, intervened on behalf of South Korea, while the People’s Republic of China supported North Korea. After over a million combat casualties on both sides, the fighting ceased in July 1953, leaving Korea divided into two hostile states. Subsequent negotiations in 1954 failed to produce further agreements, solidifying the front line as the de facto boundary between North and South Korea.
This collection, comprising photographs from two donors of the Korean War Veterans Association Hawaii Chapter #1, offers a rare and insightful look into the experiences of the commanders and the society during the Korean War.
Collection One: Photographs by Edward (Ed) Matayoshi (June 25, 1950 – August 1, 1951)
The first collection features a series of photographs taken by Edward (Ed) Matayoshi, a combat photographer with the 2nd Signal Company, 2nd Infantry Division. These images, spanning from June 25, 1950, to August 1, 1951, provide a vivid visual record of the commanders and their interactions with both their fellow soldiers and the Korean populace.
Topics of the Army photographs include, but are not limited to, personnel, facilities, leisure and recreation activities, The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) Tours, and images of the residents and scenes of the village.
This collection was generously donated by Herbert Kobayashi, a member of the Korean War Veterans Association Hawaii Chapter #1. Below is the memo from the donor:
12/2/2023
To whom it may concern:
These photos were given to me, Herb Kobayashi, by Edward (Ed) Matayoshi. I am passing them on to the Hamilton Library, UHM. Ed is someone I have known since 1943, and we enlisted together in 1949 after high school. He was a combat photographer with the 2nd Signal Co., 2nd Infantry Division, and I was a Morse code radio operator with the 25th Signal Co., 25th Infantry Division.
That’s his photo on the 1st page of the albums. I echo what he said about being accepted by others when he was the only AJA (Americans of Japanese Ancestry) among Caucasians. (Me too).
Enjoy,
Herb Kobayashi
Note: Ed died on 3/7/2012 and is interred at Koganji Temple, Manoa
Collection Two: Photographs by Kenneth Aijiro Tashiro
The second collection features photographs from Kenneth Aijiro Tashiro, another notable contributor to the visual history of the Korean War. His photographs further document the experiences of the commanders, capturing different aspects of their service and interactions within the wartime environment.
Donor Information: Kenneth Aijiro Tashiro
Kenneth Aijiro Tashiro, a dedicated member of the Korean War Veterans Association Hawaii Chapter #1 since 2010 and the Kailua-Kona KWVA Chapter #279 since 2002, entered service on July 9, 1947, and was honorably discharged on May 25, 1952. His medals and awards include the ROK Presidential Unit Citation, Distinguished Unit Emblem, Korean War Service Medal with five Bronze Stars, Bronze Star Medal, Occupation Medal with clasp (Japan), UN Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, and others awarded after 1952. His contributions to this archive are invaluable in preserving the history and experiences of commanders in the Korean War.
Collection Provenance & Arrangement
The images in this collection were scanned photos donated to the Korea collection in 2023. The donors granted digitization and public access.
The collection contains sensitive photographs, including of corpses. Please be careful.
Physical Storage
All the originals are securely stored in the Korea Collection Special Collections Room at the University of Hawaii at Manoa Library.
Permission to Use the Images of the Collection
If images are used for non-commercial educational purposes such as use of the images in class lectures, students’ presentations, and academic conference presentations, no permission is necessary. Please credit the images with the sentence: “From the Images Of Korean War, courtesy of "the UHM Library Korea Collection” However if the images are planned to be used in books, newspapers, documentaries, films, and other forms of media and print, the users must write to the UHM Library Korea Collection to request permission. In the request, please explain the topic, image reference number, and the type of media/print.
Digitization Procedures
Digitization: Captured using a Phase One iXH 150MP, 72mm MkII lens; 600ppi, 16-bit TIFFs for preservation; derivatives generated for access.