<Begin Segment 3>
ME: How did you guys feel about being in a segregated unit?
TA: Well, I don't think we felt anything different, but we knew that we belonged to a segregated unit. But it didn't bother us at all. We, we just, well, maybe it's better that way. I don't know.
ME: How was it better?
TA: Well, at least, at least, there was a lot of people from your home town, in fact, the same area we lived with. So in fact, even in my company, there must have been about a half a dozen of where we're playing, kids grew up together. So, I don't know. It just, it just that we, we were kind of identified as one sort of unit, I guess, which made us real proud, I think.
ME: Do you guys think you would have done as well as you did if you were in an integrated unit?
KO: I think so. The fact that we know each other, or came to know each other pretty well. To, going to battle, you are sort of, you in the spotlight as far as your friends are concerned. If you do anything wrong or you, you, you feel that you have let down your, your friends in the service. So there was a bonding together. And I don't think the fact that we were in one kind of unit doesn't mean that we were oblivious of other, other activities or other units of the, of the army. I think it was a good idea.
<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.