<Begin Segment 10>

TI: Going back to your schooling, chugakko, what type of subjects would you take in Japanese high school?

GH: In high school, well, you have your Japanese, we had moral studies, let's see... Chinese classics, algebra, physics, chemistry, history, and we had military training, which was mandatory.

TI: And so military training would be similar to like an ROTC type of thing?

GH: Yes, uh-huh.

TI: Now generally, students who graduated from chugakko, the ones who went into the military, would they become officers usually, or what...?

GH: No. Well, in my case, there were two who were recommended for... the word slips me now. But in Japanese, the kanbu kohosei, (military cadet), it's something comparable to (OCS). And I was called in by the officer and he said I was recommended. I said, "Thanks, but no thanks." [Laughs]

TI: And that was a big honor, I imagine.

GH: Yes.

TI: You said only two were recommended, so these were two outstanding students that they wanted to, to go to this military school?

GH: School, yes.

TI: And so why did you say no thanks?

GH: I says, "Thanks, but no thanks," because I said, "I'm an American citizen." I did not have a dual citizenship, so I'm thankful because if my father had registered me at the consulate, I would be dual citizen, and as a dual citizen, I'm sure I could not have refused.

TI: So if you had dual citizenship, you said you would not be able to refuse?

GH: I don't think so.

TI: Because why not? I mean, still, you were a U.S. citizen.

GH: Well, you're a citizen and you're ordered, but...

TI: So were you, at that point, when you realized you were not a dual citizen, so you only had U.S. citizenship, and when you could say thanks but no thanks, were you glad that you could go back to the United States, or did you kind of say, well, you wished you could stay in Japan? I mean, what, how were you feeling at that point?

GH: No, I didn't care for the military personally. Although as I recall, he was very, gave me some favorable comments, but I was not cut out for military.

TI: But also you had that information from your brother that there was going to be tension between the U.S. and Japan. Because at the same time you were talking to him, you already had arrangements to come back to the United States?

GH: Yes.

TI: Okay. So how did it, how was it when you had to say goodbye to your friends in Japan?

GH: Well, it was very difficult, but they all understood, yeah.

TI: So how was the trip back to the United States? Was it, did you get the same deluxe accommodations?

GH: I'm sorry?

TI: Did you get the same deluxe accommodations coming back like the captain's cabin?

GH: No, I was the third-class, and I was happy to be able to come back. And of course, it was quite an adjustment to make after being in Japan for eight years. And of course, my uncle thought I was there to inherit the Hirabayashi family. So I was groomed to be the, become the...

TI: The heir of the... so he must have been very disappointed.

GH: He was very disappointed. But I got the royal treatment. [Laughs] So when I came back, I was just one of the eight children, and it was kind of difficult at the beginning, but I made the adjustment.

TI: Well, yeah, I imagine it would be hard. What was it like just with your, your brothers and sisters when you came back?

GH: Yeah, well, for instance, just being called "Grant," whereas in Japan, you always had -san. But I got used to it quickly.

TI: And how did you find your, your English abilities when you first returned?

GH: I know it was very poor, but I was able to communicate. And I went to Kent High School, because there was a precedence where a Kibei or a Nisei who studied in Japan and had a high school diploma, they accepted all the credits. So in my case, I graduated from high school in one year.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.