<Begin Segment 8>

[Translated from Japanese]

NM: What was Michael's job?

TF: Radar. He had been always working in the radar section. Radar detector equipment.

NM: He was a technician there. How long were you going out with each other?

TF: He was talking about getting married only a few months after we started to go out. [Laughs] He went to his boss to ask him what he was required to do to move forward. Then he was immediately sent back [to the States]. We were together for six or seven months, and he still had more than one year to be stationed in Japan. But he was immediately sent back.

NM: I see. You were going out, and I heard you declined his proposal at first. [Laughs]

TF: I declined many times. [Laughs]

NM: Many times? [Laughs] What changed your mind?

TF: I changed my mind as I was listening to him talking about himself. The family has five boys, and his father had to leave his job as a mechanic when he developed an allergic reaction to the oil. It was a very good position at his grandfather's bus company, but he no longer could work there. The father worked whatever job he could find, but the family was financially struggling. His father wanted him to go to college as he is the eldest son. But he was stubborn, as he describes in his book, quit middle school when he reached the eligible age and joined the military. I don't know a lot of details. He told me he wanted to be a pilot. He was hoping that joining the navy could give him a chance to become a pilot, and that is why he joined the navy. But the physical test revealed he is color blind. It was a problem especially during the war as the disability could make a life or death difference. He realized he would not be a pilot. He took a test, was told he has an aptitude for engineering and sent to a radar equipment school. He found it very interesting and fulfilling. He told me that is how he ended up working as a radar technician. He also told me that he wanted to take advantage of the G.I. Bill and receive financial aid toward his tuition. He wanted to leave the military after serving for four years and go back to school. He had already received an equivalent of high school...

NM: High school diploma?

TF: Diploma. He had already received it. He was qualified to go to college. He was saying he was determined to be successful. I felt sorry for him. He was worried about his father and four siblings. He was worried his siblings might face some hardship. Mike might have told you, but his mother didn't have financial management skills at all. If you give her 100 dollars, she will spend 100 dollars. [Laughs] He told me he had to go to his grandmother to get some money for milk. I was thinking about his situation and felt sorry for him. My hope to go to school was also shut down by the family situation. I wanted him to achieve his goals for me. I think it was almost maternal love. [Laughs]

NM: [Laughs] That was your dream too.

TF: [Laughs] I wanted to help him to move forward. That's why I decided to marry him.

NM: His ambition for learning attracted you.

TF: I was attracted by his dreams and wanted to help. I was jokingly asking how he would be able to support me though. [Laughs]

NM: But you accepted his proposal. Was it around 1957?

TF: That's right.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2016 Densho. All Rights Reserved.