Lompoc PD Finds Priceless Photos from 1942

The Lompoc Police Department has made a breathtaking discovery. Last week a detective found a photographic treasure chest-- thirty-one mug shots which appear to be the Issei community leaders arrested by the FBI and LPD in Lompoc in February 1942.

Until now only 28 arrestees had been identified, and some of them without confirmation

Detective Milt Baldwin was rummaging through his desk last week as his retirement approached, and happened upon the unnamed images, now 69 years old. He promptly went on-line to find someone knowledgeable about the time period and the community. He contacted Chris Komai of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles who forwarded his note to us here in Lompoc. Here is his letter..

Sir,

Going through old files I found a box of negatives that were marked “Japanese Registration Negatives”.

I believe these were photos taken of some Japanese citizens who lived in Lompoc or the area who were rounded up by the government after Pearl Harbor.  There are approximately 31 negatives and no names are attached to the negatives.   

I found your email address attached to an article about Lompoc and the Japanese American National Museum.

If you are interested in these please contact me and I will see what I can do to have them released to the museum if at all possible.

Respectfully,

Retired Detective Milt Baldwin

Lompoc Police Department

These photographs should be available soon to the families of all those arrested in Lompoc on February 19, 1942. They will almost certainly expand the list published on page 174-5 of Vanished. Police Chief Timothy Dabney has approved their release pending the approval of the Lompoc City Attorney.

Since the photographs are not labelled by name, the participation of family members may be necessary to accurately identify them. Please monitor this website for the latest news.