<Begin Segment 9>

JN: So, tell me about why you went back, went down to Los Angeles. This was after the war you came...

VT: Well, the war wasn't over yet when I had to go for a physical, army physical, in Los Angeles. We had a whole busload of people who turned eighteen and were in... drafted. And we had to go down -- this is from Manzanar -- we had to go down to Los Angeles for a physical, and we were gone for several days getting a physical down there. I don't know why they had to ship us clear down there, but that was a long bus ride there. Seemed like it took five or six hours to get there. But there were some people already back in Los Angeles, Japanese back in Los Angeles at that time. So, we did see a few people down there.

JN: How did you feel about getting drafted?

VT: Well, all citizens were being drafted. But, I... turned out I had, I was 4-F so I didn't have to go. Although I thought they were gonna call me and they were gonna... I needed surgery, and -- hernia surgery -- and they told me that they may call me for surgery and three or four weeks after that you're in the army. But, that's all right. My parents couldn't afford to pay for surgery at that time, so it woulda been nice to have the surgery over with, 'cause I eventually had to have it. 'Course, you know, there were a lot of people that volunteered for the service, too, you know. So, you really don't feel too bad. It's just a fact of life: you get drafted. Some people volunteered, so, we didn't feel it was a bad thing. If you get called you have to go.

JN: Did you feel relieved or did you feel upset that you were a 4-F?

VT: Yeah, I was kind of relieved, although there was a chance that they may call me in for surgery and then put me in the army. But, that's all right, I was willing to go if they were willing to do that.

JN: Do, do you have anything else you want to share about this time in terms of... we'll go on to today, but before we get to that point, just what your feelings are or anything else you want to share about just, during the war years? How did your family feel in terms of what was going on? What about your sisters?

VT: Well, there was... I don't know, my family never said anything about trying to get out of going to war. They know that people were getting drafted and it was just a fact of life. So, they didn't have anything bad to say about it. They... both of my parents eventually became citizens anyway, so they were concerned for us and what might happen if we went to, had to join the army. There's always a chance that might get hurt or killed, as far as that goes.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 2006 Densho. All Rights Reserved.