Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Fred Matsumura Interview
Narrator: Fred Matsumura
Interviewers: Tom Ikeda (primary), Beverly Kashino (secondary)
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Date: July 2, 1998
Densho ID: denshovh-mfred-01-0012

<Begin Segment 12>

TI: Earlier, I was talking with Sadaichi Kubota, and he said that you were one of the men that sort of stood out. Because he said that you were one of, I guess, were promoted to -- I guess in basic training -- to a sergeant?

FM: Uh-huh, yeah.

TI: Why were, why do you think you were chosen to be one of the leaders?

FM: I don't know. I really don't know, because you could have chose anybody, you know.

TI: Was Kubota the one who chose the...?

FM: No. The lieutenant did. I guess the, what to you call, lieutenant from each platoon will choose the leaders for each squad.

TI: And you don't know why they chose you or the other people?

FM: No. Because I, myself, I think we all equally is, what do you call -- good. We all try our best, train hard. But I guess... I really don't know why I was chosen. It could have been anybody, yeah.

<End Segment 12> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.