Western Defense Command

NO. 11. WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND, FOURTH ARMY, INSTRUCTION TO ALL PERSONS OF JAPANESE ANCESTRY. PROHIBITED AREA. ... 

On December 18,1944, the Supreme Court confirmed the criminal conviction of Fred Korematsu for violating Western Defense Command Civilian Exclusion Order No. 34 (based on President Roosevelt s Executive Order 9066) because he had refused to report for evacuation. He contended that he had reported for induction, thus signifying his intention to serve in the armed forces of the United States. Meanwhile, many Niseis already in the armed forces were summarily discharged and often reclassified as unfit for military service by their draft boards they were then summarily disenfranchised. 

Meanwhile, the CWS recommended the activation of thirty-four chemical smoke generator companies. On 8 April the first three units (the 7jth, 76th, and 77th Companies) were formed and, before their training was completed, received the mission of concealing aircraft plants in California. By the end of May the War Department had authorized the activation of 11 companies to be stationed as follows 6 with the Western Defense Command 3 in Panama one at the Sault Ste. Marie Locks and one, an experimental unit, at Edgewood Arsenal. By 20 July a total of 14 companies had been activated, 9 located on the west coast of the United States. 

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