<Begin Segment 44>

TI: After the war, was there an attempt to get together with other vets, after the war? To socialize or to do things together?

MW: Yes, we did go out, you know, we had events. But we formed the Nisei Veterans. We felt a strong need for some sort of group. At that time, I don't know if I'm jumping at things, but quite a few of the cities, or the local Nisei veterans were joining VFW, I mean, the standard groups. And we had quite a few meetings, in Seattle, of the Veterans, and deciding what we're gonna do. And there were enough of us that, for the lack of a better term, just, we didn't want to be a group of something else. So we formed the Nisei Veterans, where we weren't obligated to the VFW or American Legion. We felt very strongly that we had our own problems, unique. In other words, we were different from the others. And the only way we could be heard was band together. That we did.

TI: This is interesting to me, because in Seattle, the Nisei Veterans Committee was formed, which was a vet organization not aligned with the, as you mentioned, the VFW or American Legion. But, at least in my research, what I've looked at, is every other community, they formed chapters of these other organizations. And so I'm wondering, why didn't other communities feel the same way as Seattle? Or what made Seattle different?

MW: I don't know. I really, I really don't know. But I think we had a few leaders that were more mature than us, smarter than us, and we followed their lead. But, I know for myself, I was one of the younger ones, I felt very strongly that our problems were different and unique. And that, like gettin' back on campus, or regaining the Japanese Students' Club. You know, most groups were not involved in such things. And I thought that, by banding together as a group, we could do much more. And, well, I for one, feel that we accomplished what we set out to do. We got our house right back, but we didn't call it the Japanese Students Club. We called it SYNKOA. And, I don't know, some... it was made up of the last initials of those that died, you know, from the war. And, well, like your uncles, Kawaguchi, "K," you know, and we just picked out of those names.

TI: So, let, I want to make sure I understand. So when the vets decided to form a group, the NVC, one of the purposes were to, sort of, as a group, band together so that they could be more powerful in terms of things like re-establishing the Japanese, what was it, the University Club or Students Club, as well as the SYNKOA house, to get that back.

MW: But it wasn't geared (...) strictly towards (housing, but to reestablish ourselves in all campus activities).

TI: Yeah, so I guess that was the question I was going to ask, was when the vets banded together to form the Nisei Veterans Committee, what were the goals, or what were they trying to accomplish?

MW: I think recognition as a veterans' group, a special veterans' group. 'Cause I know we talk about Shiro Kashino, and we had some real good leaders. And, gee, they made appearances at places like Liberty Theater -- just to let 'em know we're back. And that had nothing to do with the UW, or anything like that. It's just to let them know that, "Hey, we're part of the community." Made public appearances. We had some very good, strong individuals. And there was a good feeling of, because of 442 and things, that I don't think the guys were bashful, or they weren't reluctant to do things. In fact, I think most of us were kind of forceful. "Hey, man, we're back."

TI: And so did you see a lot of the vets, returning vets, taking leadership roles within the community? In different organizations?

MW: Well, I thought so. But there's lots of different organizations, so it's hard to say definitely. But I do know that the community groups, I think it was to their advantage and our advantage that we were not hesitant to use our veterans', let's say, reputation.

TI: Uh-huh. Okay.

MW: But I think it helped.

<End Segment 44> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.