<Begin Segment 10>

gky: I'd asked you what the difference was between the attitude and actions of Hawaiians, or people on the islands, after the war from before the war?

KY: After the war?

gky: How did people's attitudes...

KY: Local people?

gky: Yeah.

KY: Well, prior to the war, you know, we had all these restrictions, I would say discrimination on job, just simply because Japan was a major power in the Pacific. And a lot of nationalities inside felt there's a conflict between, among the Japanese Americans, whether they're for Japan or for United States. A good example is the Battle of Midway, before the Battle of Midway. The army felt that they weren't quite sure as to the loyalty of the Japanese in Hawai'i, and the only one that were armed at that time was those in the army. So they went down the line and took the Territorial Guard, Varsity Victory Volunteers. They didn't have arms, but they were organized so that they called that unit off and then there was no threat, you know, as far as security. But as far as the only armed Japanese Americans were those in army at that time like we National Guard. And so actually the suspicion was still there, the loyalty. That's why they took us from the National Guard and because the Battle of Midway, in the event you don't know what might happen. Whether Japan might be victorious and get into Hawai'i to occupy Hawai'i, so the only resistance they felt, you know, to make it safe just to get the Nisei with arms out, take the arms and ship us out. And that's what they did. That type of suspicion, you know, was in the local population, certain segments of the population. Like even as I say, in my case, when I was stationed out in beach with the Hawaiian Chinese and the Portuguese and myself, see, the Portuguese, my fellow soldiers had a suspicion what I was doing, digging trenches, you know. That type of suspicion was there, see. But after the war, after the 100th Battalion and the 442nd record, and little is known about MIS, but they felt that, well, the Nisei loyalties were unquestionable, yeah. And they had to change that. That was a very, in large measure, the reason for the change in attitude, I think.

gky: How did that make you feel?

KY: Well, make us feel better, of course. So now, we can -- there's no doubt about loyalty anymore. Actually, because of that, we have some high positions like General Shinseki, and on the mainland you have Norman Mineta [former Secretary of Transportation, former Secretary of Commerce, and former congressman from California]. And I think, actually, General Shinseki has made numerous public statements and same with Dan Inouye, too, but numerous public statements that the reason he got where he is today is because of the 100th Battalion and 442nd.

gky: I just want to get this on tape. You went, you were drafted into the army November of 1941. In June of 1942, you went to Camp McCoy, and then six months later in December of '42, you went to Camp Savage?

KY: We were assigned to Camp Savage in 1942 to disembark.

gky: And then you were discharged...

KY: In June, June '43. Otherwise I can't get -- June '43, I graduate Camp Savage, and after that I went to the Pentagon. And I think about eighteen months in the Pentagon. From there I think it was Ritchie. I was in Ritchie after McCoy.

gky: And you were discharged in November of 1945 as a master sergeant.

KY: Yeah.

gky: Okay. Anything else you can think of that you would want to say about how you felt about your service and your years during the war?

KY: Four years.

gky: Four years?

KY: Yeah. I think, I mean, I can say this because I came back alive, but like my buddies in 100th... you see, the second man got killed in the 100th Battalion. I was in that position. When I went to Savage, this guy Tanaka took my place and he was the second guy killed in action. If I was there, I would have been gone. So, and all this time I've been going out to post, you know, going assignment to assignment, but I came out all right, so I feel very lucky to -- the way things turned out. Not something I worked for, but is something that destiny guided me, anyway.

gky: Okay. Thank you very much.

KY: Yeah. Okay.

<End Segment 10> - Copyright © 2001 Bridge Media and Densho. All Rights Reserved.