The son of Sicilian immigrants, Sam Million speaks extensively about his parents and their struggles as immigrants in a new country. He enlisted in the Army in October of 1946, and by early 1948 was assigned to Sugamo Prison in Tokyo, where those Japanese accused of war crimes were imprisoned. He spent six months on suicide watch over General Hideki Tojo, the former Japanese Prime Minister.
Photos
Caption
Joseph Million circa 1900 while living in Brooklyn, New York. Where:
Brooklyn, New YorkWhen:
1900 Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Joseph Million circa 1900 while living in Brooklyn, New York. Where:
Brooklyn, New YorkWhen:
circa 1900Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million, age three, circa 1929. The family lived in Auburn, Illinois at the time. Where:
UnknownWhen:
circa 1929Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Betty Jo and Sam Million (twins) circa 1934. Springfield, Illinois.Where:
Springfield, Illinois.When:
circa 1934Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Million family portrait in 1933. Front row, left to right: Marie, Mom, Pop, Betty, Rose. Back row, left to right: Frances, Santina, John, Margaret, Lena. Where:
UnknownWhen:
1933Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Joseph Million in 1940 while he served as a delegate to the Illinois State Republican Convention.Where:
UnknownWhen:
1940 Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator.
Caption
Joseph Million circa 1940 in Springfield, Illinois at 1000 N. Fifth Street. Where:
Springfield, Illinois When:
circa 1940 Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million as he appeared in his Lanphier High School class yearbook. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Public domain 
Caption
Sam served as the treasurer for his sophomore class at Lanphier High SchoolWhere:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Public domain
Caption
Sam Million on his wedding day, October 7th, 1950. Sam with his parents Katherine and Joseph Million. Sam married Joan Hadley at the United Methodist Church in Springfield, Illinois. Where:
United Methodist Church in Springfield, IllinoisWhen:
October 7th, 1950Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Katherine Million circa 1969-1970. She was living at her daughter Margaret’s house at the time. Where:
UnknownWhen:
circa 1969-1970Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Katherine Million with one of Pete’s children in circa 1969-1970. Where:
UnknownWhen:
circa 1969-1970Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Private Sam Million, circa September 1974 at Sugamo Prison. Where:
Sugamo PrisonWhen:
September 1974 Ownership:
Public domain 
Caption
Sam Million, Johnny Green, unknown soldier and Donald Faivre, taken at Camp Sugamo Prison circa September 1947. Where:
Camp Sugamo PrisonWhen:
circa September 1947Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million in 1947 at Quonset Hut, Sugamo Prison. Where:
Quonset Hut, Sugamo PrisonWhen:
1947 Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million in 1947 at Quonset Hut, Sugamo Prison. Where:
Quonset Hut, Sugamo PrisonWhen:
1947 Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million, Berg, Lester Wahlen, and Carmen Ahart at Sugamo Prison in October 1947. Where:
Sugamo PrisonWhen:
October 1947Ownership:
(Narrator’s photo)
Caption
Sam Million in 1947 at Sugamo Prison. Where:
Sugamo PrisonWhen:
1947 Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Red Cross Club on Christmas Eve, 1947. Sam Million is flanked by the Phillip twins. Where:
UnknownWhen:
Christmas Eve, 1947Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Ice Rink in Tokyo, Japan in November 1947. Pictured left to right are Sam Million, Clemont Robbins and Harry Dunn. Where:
Ice Rink in Tokyo, JapanWhen:
November 1947Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Million in Hawaii en route to Japan in February 1947. Where:
Hawaii When:
February 1947Ownership:
(Narrator’s photo)
Caption
Camp Stoneman, California. Million with James Sullivan Campbell, in January 1947. Where:
Camp Stoneman, CaliforniaWhen:
January 1947.Ownership:
(Narrator’s photo)
Caption
Million looks through the bars of the entrance to Sugamo Prison. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
(Narrator’s photo)
Caption
General Hideki Tojo about to board bus at Sugamo Prison on his way to trial. Tojo can be seen through the prison bars, being escorted by American MPs sometime in 1947. Where:
Sugamo Prison When:
1947Ownership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Reverse of the photo of Tojo boarding a bus at Sugamo Prison. Signature of Yoshijiro Umeza and Mamoru Shigemitsu in English and Japanese. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Intricate drawing of a Japanese geisha drawn by one of the prisoners and given to Sam Million. The pen used was made of feathers while the ink was made of crushed berries.Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Public domain
Caption
A Japanese ‘red ball’ silk flag which Sam Million had signed by the war high ranking war criminals being held at Sugamo prison while he served as a jailor there. The prisoners consisted of a Japanese war cabinet of 25 menWhere:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Public domain 
Caption
Flag Provenance, page 1. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Narrator’s document
Caption
Flag Provenance, page 2. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Narrator’s document
Caption
Flag Provenance, page 3. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Narrator’s document
Caption
Flag Provenance, page 4. Where:
UnknownWhen:
UnknownOwnership:
Narrator’s document
Caption
A Sugamo Reunion was held in St Louis Missouri in the 1990s. Sam Million with Clemont Robbins and Harry Dunn. Where:
St Louis Missouri When:
1990sOwnership:
Narrator’s photo
Caption
Sam Million on the day of the interview in October, 2009Where:
UnknownWhen:
October, 2009Ownership:
Public domain