<Begin Segment 24>

TI: So let's, let's talk about, what was your first contact with the, the Japanese?

GH: Our first contact was in Walawbum, and actually, the 2nd and 3rd Battalion, Hank Gosho from Seattle, he was assigned to 3rd Battalion. Roy Matsumoto, he was 2nd Battalion, I was in the 1st Battalion. During the battle of Walawbum, 2nd and 3rd Battalion were in action, we were held in reserve. So we did, we did not personally get in touch with the Japanese. But that's when Gosho and Roy Matsumoto, they both excelled in their work.

TI: So, so let's talk about this. What did the MIS guys do in the field?

GH: In Walawbum, let me take Hank Gosho. The, he was with the I&R unit, called Intelligence and Reconnaissance unit. These were the people that always went ahead to, of the main body. And at Walawbum, they were somewhat cut off, they had their back to the Irrawaddy River, and they were pinned down. And Hank was close enough to the enemy to overhear the enemy command, because Japanese would shout their command. So he overheard the Japanese command, which he interpreted and relayed it back to the platoon. And with that information, the platoon leader shifted his, all of his automatic weapons in the direction of the attack, and when the Japanese made the attack, they were prepared and they annihilated the enemy, and thereby rescuing the platoon.

TI: So this is what Hank Gosho did.

GH: Yes.

TI: So, so I'm trying to think, so the Japanese just assumed that the Americans could not understand Japanese?

GH: Right, right.

TI: So they would freely shout out their orders, and Hank was able to hear this, and then, and that was valuable in terms of responding.

GH: Right. And Hank also, being with the I&R platoon, which was usually pinned down, and in the case of Hank, he was pinned down by enemy fire as well as friendly fire, and he was pinned down so often that he earned the nickname "Horizontal Hank."

TI: Because he's always flat on his stomach, just sort of, yeah.

GH: And Roy Matsumoto, when the 2nd Battalion established a perimeter, they noticed there was a telephone line running through the tree, so Phil Piazza had a telephone which he gave to Roy, and he climbed up and tapped into the line. And the Niseis took turns listening in. But during Roy Matsumoto's watch, he heard that the sergeant who was guarding the ammunition dump was asking his superior for advice and aid. He said that the enemy, the Merrill's Marauders, were located at such and such a point. And when he gave that position, he compromised his own position.

TI: Oh, by telling that, like, Merrill's Marauders is like three miles due east or whatever, he told exactly where he was. Got it.

GH: So they were able to get in touch with the air force, and they were able to, they destroyed a large ammunition dump. And it was also during that evening that -- on Roy's watch again -- he overheard that, or he heard that the division was about to withdraw, and that they were coming through where the 2nd Battalion held their position. As far as the 2nd Battalion was concerned, they had fought continuously for thirty-six hours, low on ammunition, and without food. So they were advised to withdraw rather than to face the enemy.

TI: Because the whole division would have gone right through them, and they would have been probably annihilated, yeah.

GH: Wiped out, yeah. For that, Roy did receive the Legion of Merit.

TI: So at this point, was it, was it pretty well-known throughout the group that the MIS soldiers were doing things like this?

GH: Yeah, uh-huh.

TI: So did they take special precautions to protect you guys?

GH: Yes, and there was a special order from Colonel Hunter that he would not tolerate any...

TI: Disrespect or anything? Or just... interesting. What were some of the other things that the MIS soldiers did besides overhearing radio communications or commands? Were there other things?

GH: Well, I think that, those were our major, and of course, we did a lot of interrogation. But this was not until we got to the airfield Myitkyina.

TI: Because in the jungle, there really weren't people to, to talk with?

GH: No, no. We did pick up some documents and translated that, but no POW.

TI: And any stories about, that you can share about some of the things that you did while in the jungle?

GH: Well, I just did my share. [Laughs] But, well, at the Battle of Shaduzup, I might mention, that's where the 1st Battalion was ordered to place the roadblock. And during the night, these white combat team, 1st Battalion was divided into two combat teams, and they were designated by color: the red and the white combat team. The white combat team crossed the Irrawaddy River during the night, and while the red combat team provided cover. The following morning, I received orders to cross the river and join them and support them in telephone, to tap into the telephone. And when a Nisei travels, he has escort. On this occasion, I had two escorts, one in front and one in back. And as we were crossing the Irrawaddy River, it was very precarious for me because I can't swim. [Laughs] And I had the pouch with the dictionary and the map, which I had to hold up, because the water was shoulder-deep. And I had to hold the rifle with my right hand, so the pouch was blocking my vision. Well, anyway, when we got to the middle of this stream, I heard three shots, [mimics sound of gunfire] like, like it was a sniper that was shooting at us. And that's all I remember. I don't know how I got across, but we all three got across safely. And when I reported to the commander, he said that the telephone line was dead, so I was not able to fulfill my duties. But my crossing was not in vain, because the Japanese were caught by surprise, and they retreated leaving their breakfast behind. [Laughs] So I had warm rice and a can of sardines.

TI: And that was probably worth it for you. [Laughs]

GH: That was quite a feast.

TI: Oh, that's, that's a good story.

<End Segment 24> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.