Oral Histories

Interview of Sidney Forrester Mashbir

Senior officer in the United States Army involved in military intelligence. Founder of the Washington Institute of Technology, a research group specializing in radio aids to aerial navigation.
Subtitle:
A Career in Military Intelligence
Series:
Z: Orphan Interviews pre 1999
Topic:
Military History
Military History
Biographical Note:
Senior officer in the United States Army involved in military intelligence. Founder of the Washington Institute of Technology, a research group specializing in radio aids to aerial navigation.
Interviewer:
Dixon, Elizabeth I.
Interviewee:
Mashbir, Sidney Forrester
Persons Present:
Tapes I to II, Side One: Mashbir, Dixon, and Joseph Masaoka, Director, Japanese American Research Project, UCLA; Tapes II, Side Two to III: Mashbir and Dixon.
Place Conducted:
Mashbir's home in Laguna Beach, California.
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Interviewer Background and Preparation:
The interview was conducted by Elizabeth I. Dixon, Head, UCLA Oral History Program; B.A., international relations, University of Southern California: M.L.S., UCLA School of Library Service.
Processing of Interview:
Shelia Allen, Editor, UCLA Oral History Program, checked the transcript against the original tape recordings and edited it for punctuation, paragraphing, and correct spelling. All proper names were verified either by the editor, or later by the respondent during his review of the transcript. The material has been retained in the order it was spoken on the tape. Minor deletion of repetitive words or phrases has occasionally been made. Mashbir reviewed the transcript and made minor corrections and additions.The index and introduction were prepared by Joel Gardner, Editor, UCLA Oral History Program and the supporting documents were compiled by the Program's staff.
Length:
6 hrs.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Abstract:
Experiences with Arizona National Guard, Mexican Revolutionary Army, and United States Army; commissioned as second lieutenant, 1917; work in military intelligence in World War I searching out German agents; assignment as language officer in Tokyo, 1920-23, and as major, Military Intelligence Reserve, War Department general staff, 1927; founding Washington Institute of Technology; World War II military service as commander of Allied Translator and Interpreter Section involving interrogations of more than fourteen thousand Japanese prisoners and translation of two million captured documents; conducting Japanese surrender delegation aboard USS Missouri.