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TI: Yeah, before we go there, I'm curious, while you were stationed in Europe or during your tour, did the 442 ever come up in terms of their service and their accomplishments, and was there ever an impact on you?

KT: Not when I was there in Europe. But on my way from the West Coast to the East Coast, I happened to drop in in Texas, going through there. And there I got the benefit, because I happened to be at a bar, and I was going to get some beer and sandwiches over there. And then a guy comes up there and said, "Well, were you in the 442?" And I said, "No. I was too young for the 442, but my brother was in the 442nd, in (L) Company." "Good enough for me, drinks are on me." And he'd buy me a beer, and then pretty soon, all the other veterans in there saying, "Buy him another round." They treated me real nice. So I was the benefactor of their services.

TI: Did any of them ever tell you why they bought you the beer other than the 442, did they talk about...

KT: They talked about 442, and then I guess one of them was in the "Lost Battalion" that got saved, and he said, "They really saved our gut out there." And then the other people said, "Oh, okay, next round's on me," and stuff like that.

TI: That's a good story.

<End Segment 20> - Copyright © 2009 Densho. All Rights Reserved.