American Military History, Volume 2 by Richard W. Stewart

General MacArthur had also pushed the Southwest Pacific Area's timetable forward. Having landed in the Admiralties a month ahead of his original schedule, he proposed to cancel operations against Hansa Bay and Wewak on the northeast coast of New Guinea in favor of a jump to Hollandia and Aitape on the north-central coast in April, two months earlier than previously planned. His operations took full ad- vantage of a windfall of deciphered Japanese Army communications that revealed not only the enemy's dispositions along the New Guinea coast but his intentions as well. Armed with this awareness, MacArthur would then continue northwestward along the coast in a campaign to seize successive air base sites until he reached the Vogelkop at the eastern end of New Guinea. He would then proceed to Mindanao, southern- most of the Philippine Islands.

JAPANESE IN THE MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (MIS) Despite the poor treatment of Japanese Americans after the attack on Pearl Harbor, many volunteered to serve their country in combat. Thousands also volunteered for potentially more dangerous duty. They enlisted as interpreters and translators in the MIS to serve in the Pacific interrogating Japanese prisoners of war and translating captured documents and intercepted transmissions. Had they been captured, there was little doubt of their fate. They volunteered nonetheless and served in the forward areas throughout the Pacific war and later in the occupation of Japan.