<Begin Segment 17>

TI: When you were in middle school and then in the army, did you ever think about ever returning to the United States? Did you think about the United States?

FH: No, not in those days.

TI: What was your feeling about the United States during this time? You talked about, sort of, being brainwashed, or they always talked about Japan winning and Japan was gonna do this. When you're living through that, what were your feelings about the United States?

FH: Animosity. Like even I used to make the straw models of U.S. president and British prime minister and so forth, and then with the takeari, the bamboo spears, you know. [Makes spearing motion] That kind of a mentality. Completely brainwashed.

TI: Did you ever, ever think about your childhood friends? You mentioned Chester, Bob, Jackie, did you ever consider that, wow, you might have to fight against them?

FH: Well, in those days, I never thought about that. Never thought about.

TI: Now, did it ever come up that you had U.S. citizenship? I mean, when you were in the military, did it ever, was that ever considered or ever brought up?

FH: No, no. We were just a Japanese, a pure Japanese. That's why, even I look at the graduation certificate of the National Higher School in Kyoto University and so forth, it only has Okayama-ken, and then my Japanese name, Hirata Hironobu, nothing else. And so completely living as a Japanese in Japan, and then in this country, completely U.S. citizens.

TI: When you were in the army, were you ever aware of other Niseis who were in your similar situation?

FH: No. Not even, didn't even know anything like that.

TI: And how about later? Later on, did you ever hear about other Niseis who were in a similar situation? They're born in the United States, but they were in Japan and then drafted? Did you, later on, did you hear about more of those type of stories?

FH: No, but especially, you know, Yuji Ichioka, when he had that seminar and so forth, at that time, it was brought up, and I was one of them who was drafted into the national army and so forth, so I participated in that.

MN: This was in the 1980s.

FH: Yes, correct. Later on.

TI: And how do you feel about that? Now you're in the United States, the fact that you were drafted into the Japanese army? What's the reaction of people when they find out that you were born in the United States, but then you were then in Japan and drafted? What kind of comments do you get, or questions?

FH: I don't think that I got very many, especially when this, Yuji's form and so forth. I didn't think that people asked, the antagonistic expression or questions and things like that. It's a fact. That happened, that's all.

TI: But were people surprised that there were so many Niseis who were, who were drafted by the Japanese army?

FH: Yes, uh-huh. But not, you know, I was not questioned in those kind of things.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2010 Densho. All Rights Reserved.