<Begin Segment 91>

TI: What I'm gonna do, Roy, because we only have a few minutes on this tape is, I wanna jump to 1993, because in 1993 you were inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame?

RM: Yes.

TI: And this is an extremely high honor and I wanted to ask you how you felt about that honor being inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame?

RM: Well, I didn't expect it but I was surprised when I was noticed that I would be inducted at the Ranger Rendezvous time I gotta have Ranger Hall of Fame induction. So I told my family that I being inducted so we, whole family went there. And I been inducted but... it was a great honor but I felt bad about other people not being recognized. So at the time I decided to get other people recognized, not other than me. I already been awarded Legion of Merit and other things, too...

TI: And when you say "others," you're talking about...

RM: Other Marauders.

TI: The other Marauders, the other MIS...

RM: Thirteen MIS, yes.

TI: So you wanted all fourteen of you honored in some way. So you actually worked on a project to get recognized. And would you explain what that --

RM: Well, meantime, there were fourteen of us and some people were outstanding such as Henry Gosho, 3rd Battalion and he was very famous because people write about his action and when encounter enemy, he made a direct translation, translation of their orders so therefore we were able to counter, take a countermeasure and be successful. So I thought that he's the one should be inducted first, other than me. But it's a great honor for me but I know deserve it not only him but find out that some people deserve it, but other people they wouldn't recognize so best way to get recognition is to blanketly recognize. So I talked to the president of the association, but so I initiated to do and find out that we have our memorial at Fort Benning, Georgia, and we could ask army to recognize them and work and it took a few years. Finally army okayed and successful and this turned out that the citation reads, "A grateful nation dedicate this plaque to American of Japanese descent for service above and beyond the call of duty," and the fourteen names are engraved so everybody I mentioned that after approved, I notified other people, living person and they all thank me and they been all honored and this is also included deceased person, too. But their families very appreciative and I thought I accomplished my mission there.

TI: Well, in addition to the memories of the men and their families, you spent a lot of time to create this very visible monument, you spent a lot of time talking to people about your experiences.

RM: Yes.

TI: And so I know it's important to you that people understand and hear the story of what the Niseis did with Merrill's Marauders. Why is this so important to you?

RM: Well, that's shows you that even though we been classified 4-C, that's enemy alien, but yet, they come out and risk their lives to serve our country and this example that we, part of us that did it. So I'm very proud that, you know, it turned out that way, but... anyway, well, other than that I was able to submit the name and recommend for Sergeant Henry Gosho, but unfortunately he passed away, but posthumously he been induct to Hall of Fame. And later on he deserving of Legion of Merit was awarded after he had died. It's too bad he passed away. But also, I won't be able to put Grant Hirabayashi, there's another surviving Marauder in United States but I was able to recommend him for Distinguished Member of the Regiment and then Secretary of the Army allowed that so he been inducted, so now, automatically, he became Board of Director of the association now.

TI: Okay, good.

<End Segment 91> - Copyright © 2003 Densho. All Rights Reserved.