<Begin Segment 72>

TI: So you, so you crawled down there, you overheard the briefing where they were going to, at dawn, pre-dawn, attack that most vulnerable place where, where...

RM: Yeah, that's why, that's why the McLogan place, see.

TI: I'm curious, when you crawl down there, are you alone or are you, or is someone there with you?

RM: No, alone. I took my pistol belt and so it doesn't jingle, so I left the canteen and helmet, took jacket off. I had a sweater, I mean, woolen sweater there, jacket, I mean, underwear, wool so that when perspire, evaporates to make it cool instead of sticking to body. So that's it, and take jacket off, field jacket.

TI: Now, what would have happened if you were captured?

RM: Well, that's what I worry, but then, you know, you be careful not, so capture. But you know what the hardest things was? Not goin' down there because you been there ten days, I know the area and only thing didn't see, but how many paces down there, how to go there. And as long as I don't make noise they wouldn't know and they talk and so what they do is... hardest thing was you cannot sneeze or cough, then they hear that. So quiet, I mean, you feel like...

TI: But I was thinking, it'd be even more dangerous as a Japanese American, you're in a combat unit, you're literally feet or yards away from the enemy, if you cough --

RM: About fifteen yards -- no, I mean, is up there, they know we're there.

TI: No, but when you were, when you're crawling down there, it would be so easy if you coughed or something for them to capture you.

RM: Sure.

TI: What would you expect if they captured you?

RM: Well, probably torture. So only thing I did was I carried two hand grenades in the pocket.

TI: Why? What --

RM: So in case, for them, and blow myself up, they gonna torture you anyway. Well, I don't know what they gonna do or not but I...

TI: So, in your mind, you weren't gonna be captured.

RM: No, I wouldn't be captured, no, they're gonna torture.

TI: That you would --

RM: Especially Japanese. If they capture American, they might take 'em to prisoner, but, or they might kick you or something like that, but find out the Japanese and then they call traitor and some, kokuzuku or something like that, probably. I don't know what would happen because didn't happen, so, but anyway, either do or don't -- die. 'Cause if I don't, they gonna come, and we be all wiped out. No place to go other than up in heaven.

<End Segment 72> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.