The papers of Akira R. Toki are divided into 4 series: World War II, Personal, Photographs, and Videos.
World War II (1941-1945) contains documents relating to Toki's Army service during the war. In a typed letter to his parents, Toki informed them that he had been wounded in the head but was recovering well. Notification cards from the Army reported his wounding and recovery as well. A letter from a Japanese-American friend, also serving in the military, to Toki passed on information about mutual acquaintances and asked about news from home. A Madison law firm wrote a letter of support for Toki after he was picked up by police while driving home on furlough and his Japanese heritage raised suspicions. Newspaper clippings show the interest that the Madison press took in Toki and his family during the war. Also included is a poem written by Toki's mother about her feelings while her son was in the Army.
Personal (1943-2002) pertains to Toki's post-war life. His research files contain mostly secondary sources about these two Japanese-American units in World War II. Magazine articles, newspaper clippings, and printed internet pages convey a great deal of information about the units, their role in the war, and their significance in history Along with the stories of the men who joined those units, mention is made of those Japanese-Americans left behind in internment camps. Also included in this series are newspaper clippings relating to the awarding of the Medal of Honor to several Japanese-American veterans in 1996. Ephemeral items include programs from the 60th Anniversary of the formation of the units, the box cover for a Japanese-American soldier action figure, and the marching song of the 100th Infantry Battalion. Newsletters, itineraries, and speech transcripts document a reunion the veterans held at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin, as well as trips to Europe and France. Other materials relate to the Madison middle school named after Toki in 1992, as well as several research papers written by students who interviewed Toki about his experiences in the war and in life. Newsletter articles praise his long years of volunteer service at the Middleton Memorial Veterans Administration Hospital. Newspaper clippings provide details about Toki's life as a farmer and civilian. His participation in military funerals is documented by the Madison area firing squad roster. Also in this series are programs from various events attended by Toki honoring Japanese-American and Wisconsin veterans. Patriotic materials include literature about the American flag, patriotic songs, and information about the origins of the Purple Heart medal.
Photographs (1943-1945, undated) contains several photographs of Toki from World War II in Army uniform. There are also undated shots of an older Toki, both by himself and visiting a military cemetery in France.
Videos (1995-2002) contain recordings collected by Toki that relate to his service or to the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team. There are three video tapes containing an oral history interview conducted with Toki for Wisconsin Public Television in which he describes his military service. A recording of a dedication at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin shows Japanese-American veterans as honored guests. The series includes a recorded documentaries about the 100th Battalion and 442nd RCT.
