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DG: Now, you had a brother, Paul, who joined the army?

KN: Yeah, he was in the Military Intelligence.

DG: And when did he join the army?

KN: He joined, he worked at the ranch with Sam and other fellows, and he and two other fellows, they volunteered. So he went to MIS, and learning Japanese is very difficult. He even went to Japanese school, but of course I'm sure he was not conscientious either, you know. After high, I mean, after going to American school, then after school you go to Japanese school, it's hard. And we didn't think we were gonna be using Japanese or anything, so I'm sure that he wasn't that conscientious, he may have been, though. So when he went to MIS, and they say, "Lights out," at a certain time, and the way I understood it, he said he had to go to the latrine and do some of his studies, because lights-out in the barracks. And eventually, I think he just kind of overdid it and eventually he didn't go overseas because he got a spot on his lung, so then he was in the hospital.

DG: And do you remember how your parents felt about having a son in the military while they were in a concentration camp?

KN: I don't believe they objected. You know, if he had to go, he had to go. I'm sure it was hard for some fellows to think that the parents and the family and everybody's in camp, and he's going to fight for the country that put the parents and everybody in camp. Which reminds me, a friend told me when, after all the evacuation was almost completed, they were transferring all these orphans from L.A. to the camp -- orphans, mind you -- young orphans, and they're being bussed to Manzanar. And, you know, it's kind of a long trip and they get bored. So I understand the one girl got up and she led everybody singing "God Bless America." How about that? When I heard that, oh, I choked up and my tears ran. Innocent kids, you know, singing "God Bless America" when they were being transported to internment camp. That was sad to hear.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.