<Begin Segment 14>

TI: When you think of Camp Shelby, were there any times that were really hard? You know, like when you think of like the worst time for you at Camp Shelby, can you remember that?

FM: Well, the training was pretty tough. But the 25-mile hike was pretty rough, yeah. Like, we had a guy named Shorty Kazumura -- oh, he's a Seattle boy, yeah -- Shorty Kazumura.

BK: Oh, Shorty, yeah.

FM: Yeah. Seattle boy. He was in our squad.

BK: Shorty's here.

FM: Oh, he's here?

BK: Sure, I saw him this morning when he checked in.

FM: I didn't see him yet, but... yeah, he take three steps to the lieutenant's one step. So just, he's just about running all the time. And 25-mile hike is a pretty long way, so.... And when he start slowing down, we, one of the guys would grab his rifle, one guy would grab his backpack, and then help him along a little ways. Then we swap over, you know. And Kash would always grab his knapsack, the heaviest. He would carry his backpack for Shorty, and we'd keep on going.

BK: How tall do you think Shorty is?

FM: He's less than four feet, yeah?

TI: Or less than five feet.

BK: Less than five feet.

FM: Oh, five feet, yeah. Four feet nine or something, that's what he was, yeah.

BK: My daughter just loves him, and I think it's because he's close to her height. [Laughs]

FM: Oh, yeah. He's a great guy.

TI: So it's like a sense of helping each other out on things like that?

FM: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Whenever we go training and stuff, somebody have a little problem, we always help each other out. Everybody made that 25-mile trip. Nobody drop out.

TI: Was there sometimes resentment towards the people who couldn't carry their full load, that other people had to help 'em, or how did that feel?

FM: Not in our squad, no. If somebody having a little trouble, we all pitch in and give him a hand. Lot of times I carry his rifle, too, see. I'm carrying two rifles plus my backpack and everything else. And sometimes we go in behind and pick him by the okole. [Laughs] "Come on, Shorty, you can do it. Let's go."

TI: That's funny.

FM: No, but he's a tough kid, that Shorty, yeah. He's a good kid, good, good, good man.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.