<Begin Segment 17>

TI: So you're at Camp Savage, how many, what class were you in at Camp Savage?

GH: I was in Section 1.

TI: So the very first one?

GH: Yeah.

TI: That's the first class at Camp Savage. Tell me about the class. How many people were in it, and...

GH: I think there were twenty in each class. And in my class, with the exception of one, they were all Kibeis. There were... let's see. They all had pretty good Japanese background.

TI: So instructors, who were the instructors for your classes?

GH: Our instructor in charge was Paul Tekawa. I think he was an ex-newspaper man.

TI: Now, was he also recruited about the same time just to do this?

GH: Yes, yes.

TI: And he had better Japanese skills?

GH: Well, he was recruited, the school originally, at...

TI: The presidio.

GH: Presidio, yes.

TI: So he was back there before they moved. But you were the first class at Camp Savage?

GH: No. When I say Section 1, it means that (...) all the students that were at Camp Savage in November were asked to take a qualifying test, and then they divided into section 1 through (section 22).

TI: I got it. So Section 1 was the, was the better Japanese or higher Japanese language?

GH: Supposedly, yes.

TI: Okay, I understand that. So how rigorous was the curriculum?

GH: It was very rigorous. The class started at eight 'til four, and then from seven to nine or something.

TI: And did you enjoy the training in this period, or what was it like for you?

GH: I think it was a little easier for me than for others. As a matter of fact, they had exams on Saturday, and I do recall that when the lights went out, they all went to the latrine and they had to post a guard at one time because all the seats were occupied. [Laughs] They were all studying for the test.

TI: Because that's the only place there was light for them to, to do their studying.

GH: Yeah. And so they had a guard to accommodate those who were there for legitimate reasons. [Laughs]

TI: And you had it easier because your Japanese language skills were...

GH: Perhaps, yeah.

TI: ...were more advanced. Because you had a lot of Niseis there who had never been to Japan.

GH: No, except for one, the rest were all Kibeis.

TI: Kibeis, yeah. In Section 1. But the other Section 1s, so you even your language ability, even though they were Kibei, your language abilities was, was better than most of the others?

GH: I suppose, yeah.

TI: Because they probably -- I'm curious, how many graduated from high school, Japanese high school, chugakko, in your, in your section?

GH: In my class, I think most.

TI: Most had already...

GH: Except for two people that I knew.

TI: So in addition to the Japanese language, they all had some military, Japanese military training, too.

GH: Oh yeah, uh-huh.

TI: So how long were you at Camp Savage?

GH: Total of about eight months. The class was, I went there as a special student, and then they classified us into sections, so a total of eight months.

TI: I'm sorry, you were classified as a special student? Why is that?

GH: I went to, there was five students placed in a special class, and, but after November or, or December, they had consolidated all the students and then they gave them tests, and then they divided (them) into sections. So I did have maybe a couple months as a special student.

TI: And that was because of your advanced Japanese language ability?

GH: Well, it just happened that there was five of us who were placed in a special class.

TI: When you were at Camp Savage, what was it like when you went to the local town and things like that? How did people...

GH: The people are very friendly, yes. We were very fortunate to be in Minneapolis. But we didn't get to go to town that often, maybe on payday. I went to John's for a Chinese dinner.

TI: Did you ever interact with the Japanese American community in Minneapolis? Because there were a few there.

GH: No, there weren't, I didn't know of any then.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.