Purple Heart Warriors: 2. ‘Buddhaheads’

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Ken goes to a Japanese American internment camp and is shocked at what he sees. Tensions between recruits from Hawaii and the mainlanders, so-called “Buddhaheads” and “Kotonks”, are running high. Then some news – the soldiers are sent to fight in Europe.

This series is inspired by real events and contains dramatised battle scenes and out-dated racial language.

Cast:

Narrator: Will Sharpe

Ken: Akie Kotabe

Lieutenant/Bus guard/Texan soldier/Reporter: Freddy Elletson

Grandpa Allan/ Mr Yamada: Clyde Kusatsu

Emily: Samantha Dakin

Little Ken: Hudson Roberts.

Mrs Tanaka/Baachan/Shirley/Li: Tamlyn Tomita

Nui Louie/Mr Okimura: Aaron Ikeda

Barry/Captain Kim/Private Sasaki/Radio man: Derek Mio

Shorty: Raiko Gohara

Ohta/Captain Minori: Matt McCooey

Drill Sergeant/General Dahlquist: Martin McDougal

Colonel Pence/Earl Finch/Col Miller: Colin Stinton

Sonny: Kurt Kanazawa

Boxer/Crooner/Pokey: Conrad Lihilihi

Written by Iris Yamashita

Sound design: Richard Gould at Skywalker Sound

Recording and mixing: Leon Chambers

Original music: Josh Sneesby

Consultant: L Stuart Hirai

Dramaturg: James Yeatman

Broadcast assistant: Teresa Milewski

Production co-ordinator: Kate Brook

Associate producers: Tim Bell & Rosa Crompton

Director: Jessica Dromgoole

Producer: Catherine Bailey.

Based on an idea by Simon Pitts

A Catherine Bailey production for the BBC World Service