<Begin Segment 27>

TI: Alice, do you have any other questions?

AI: Yes, I did. Because I was remembering how in the very beginning, when you were volunteering, your feeling, reservation about going into this segregated unit. And also, at that time, my understanding is that there are some people that really still, Caucasians, who had real doubts about the Nisei as soldiers and questioning --

TY: Yes, that's true.

AI: -- the Nisei loyalty and whether the Nisei unit would really perform well. Now, as you got into battle, and then as time went on, did you hear about how the 442 was being perceived by outside or by people at home? Did you hear anything about that?

TY: Well, I remember when I was in the hospital, the fellow sitting next, in the next bunk, in the bed, was from the 45th Division, I think. And we were attached to them at one, when we first went to Italy, and so he knew about us. And he was very, he said nothing, he had nothing but good things to say about the 442. And it was kind of a very pleasant surprise, I thought. And I met several people, some of the other -- and coming back, on the ship, there were couple guys there who were, one fellow was from Pennsylvania, and another guy was from Maryland and I got to know them real well, hakujins, and they heard a lot about 442 and so they were very respectful about our outfit and about the Nisei and so it was a real good feeling. And as I mentioned, recently, I was so reluctant about volunteering because the segregation business and segregated unit business, but in retrospect, in looking back, I think, I think it was probably, it turned out real well. If it had been assimilated we probably wouldn't have had the PR that we got and it would, in general it was a lot better for the Japanese community, I think. It did a lot more good than harm, I think. So looking back, I think it turned out very well.

<End Segment 27> - Copyright © 2002 Densho. All Rights Reserved.